The Franklin and the Artisans
by Karsten Zurheide
The Franklin and the Artisans
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Chaucer – a (very) brief biographical sketch
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Chaucer's works
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Explanation of unknown words
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Translation of the text
Geoffrey Chaucer
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* 1343 in London
(uncertain)
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Upper middle-class
family
Travelled as a
messenger through
continental Europe
Married Philippa de Roet
(1366)
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3-4 children
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† 25 October 1400
Chaucer's works
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The Canterbury Tales
(1380-1400)
The Book of the Duchess
(before 1374)
Prolific Period: 13741386
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Troilus and Criseyde
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Parlement of Foules
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The Legend of Good
Women
Treatise on the Astrolabe
Unknown Words
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frankeleyn: a free landholder
haberdassher: a person who sells small articles
used for sewing
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tapicer: a weaver of tapestries
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burgeys: citizen of rank
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yeldhalle: guildhall
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alderman: a member of a municipal assembly
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ma dame: a free man's wife
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vigilyës: religious feasts on the eve of a holiday;
evening devotions
Translation (I)
A FRANKELEYN was in his companye;
A franklin was in his company;
Whyt was his berd, as is a dayesye.
His beard was as white as the daisy.
Of his complexioun he was sangwyn.
His complexion was sanguine.
Wel loved he by the morwe a sope in wyn.
He loved to dip his morning bread in wine.
Translation (II)
To liven in delyt was ever his wone,
His custom was to live in delight,
For he was Epicurus owne sone,
For he was Epicurus' very son,
That heeld opinioun, that pleyn delit
That held opinion that plain delight
Was verraily felicitee parfyt.
Was true, perfect happiness.
Translation (III)
An Haberdassher, and a Carpenter,
A haberdasher and a carpenter,
A Webbe, a Dyere, and a Tapicer,
A weaver, a dyer and a tapicer,
Were with us eek, clothed in o liveree
Were with us, too, clothed in the same livery
Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee.
Of one solemn, great fraternity.
Translation (IV)
Ful fresh and newe hir gere apyked was;
Fully fresh and new was their gear adorned;
Hir knyves were y-chaped noght with bras,
Their knives were not made of brass,
But al with silver; wroght ful clene and weel,
But completely of silver, made clean and well,
Hir girdles and hir pouches every-deel.
Their girdles and their pouches aswell.
Translation (V)
Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys,
Each of them seemed to be a good citizen,
To sitten in a yeldhalle on a deys.
To sit in a guildhall on a dais.
Everich, for the wisdom that he can,
And each of them, for his wisdom,
Was shaply for to been an alderman.
Was suitable to be an alderman.
Translation (VI)
For catel hadde they y-nough and rente,
For they had enough property and income,
And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente;
Besides their wives declared it was their due,
And elles certein, were they to blame.
Or else for certain they had been to blame.
Translation (VII)
It is ful fair to been y-clept 'ma dame,'
It is good to hear "Madam" before one's name,
And goon to vigilyës al before,
And to go to church when everyone could see,
And have a mantel royalliche y-bore.
And have one's mantle carried royally.
Sources
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaucer
http://www.librarius.com/canttran/genpro/genpro
333-362.htm
http://www.librarius.com/canttran/genpro/genpro
363-380.htm