Chaucer

by G.K. Chesterton

The medieval poet as seen by a 20th century voice of art.

Genres: Biography, Medieval, Nonfiction, Catholic, History, Literature, Religion

285 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1932

About the author

Gilbert Keith Chesterton was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic.

He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.

Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.

Reviews

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not know how to speak about Chesterton without sounding entirely biased, so you might as well forgive me. More than an historical account of the facts, it's a free essay on the artistic vision of Geoffrey Chaucer in general, beyond The Canterbury Tales, but also a picture of the medieval man, debunking the modernist myth.

I wish I had not been so tired at the moment of reading it, but the quantity of interest quotes you can extract from it is incredible, and most of it, shows that Chaucer can remain very actual and understood, above all. As well as it is a perfect example of Chesterton's brilliant mind.

[José Cárdenas · Rating 5 out of 5]

No importa si tienes poco interés por Chaucer, o si no te interesan las biografías: es Chesterton comentando sus propias ideas literarias, religiosas y políticas, y haciéndolo del mejor modo posible. Y además comenta los cuentos de Canterbury.

[Aaron Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would be writing this review in French, if Chaucer had not chosen to write in English.

I chose to read this book because Chesterton wrote it, not because he chose to write it about Chaucer. And there is more Chesterton here than Chaucer. But, after reading it, I do have a much wider appreciation of the medieval poet and medievalism as a whole.

Chesterton writes why he thinks Chaucer is great (calling him "father of all our poets" and "grandfather of all our hundred million novelists"); paints a picture of the time of Chaucer and medievalism (arguing medievalism was not very dark); touches on his private/public life (quickly); and tackles various topics throughout including romance and chivalry, Chaucer's humor, progressivism, the Renaissance (arguing medievalism was "more rational, or rationalistic"), and much more while of course defending his (and Chaucer's) Catholicism throughout.

"Those strangely fanatical historians, who would darken the whole medieval landscape, have to give up Chaucer in despair; because he is obviously not despairing. His mere voice hailing us from a distance has the abruptness of a startling whistle or halloo; a blast blowing away all their artificially concocted atmosphere of gas and gloom. It is as if we opened the door of an ogre's oven, in which we were told that everybody was being roasted alive, and heard a clear, cheery but educated voice remarking that it was a fine day."

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typically. Chestertonian. A prelude to reading the Canterbury Tales.

[Rebecca Faith Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear G.K.C. is one of my top three authors. Reading him is sitting with a wonderful friend. Even when that friend lumps Calvin in with Nestorius, Mohammed, and Lenin, or calls Calvinism a dark doctrine whose sole point is that men were created by God only to go to Hell. Like any friend, we are not totally like-minded. It was intellectually stimulating, though one-sided, to hear his points for Catholicism over Calvinism. He utilizes Chaucer as an example of an honest Catholic; jollity and love of human foibles and steadfast in the face of the, to him, breaking of the good world by the Lollards. I very much enjoyed his discussion of Chaucer's other works, of which I was previously only vaguely aware.

[Marissa | storiesinthemeadow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no sense of what I was getting when I opened this book. I bought it after it was mentioned during the 2024 Literary Life Conference (I think by Kelly Cumbee? She was the one who talked about Chaucer at least 😅).

I learned so much context for medieval life and thought in addition to glimpses into Chaucer’s life and body of work. Chesterton writes in a way that had me cracking up laughing so many times (over his snarkiness mostly) and was also incredibly poignant.

Also, every time I read one of these great minds from the 20th century I think of how spot-on they are and also…they were writing these things 70 years ago!

[James Bowman]

It holds up well as both literary and cultural crticism

Chesterton may be largely ignored today other than for the BBC TV series based upon his Father Brown , yet his ruminations upon literature, culture and society remain relevant and valuable today. Read this work and gain a deeper appreciation of Cancer and his Canterbury Tales.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually a whole lot better than I thought it would be. I picked it up because I am re-reading Chaucer and wanted to get a better feel for the guy and his times. It turned out to be a pretty good read.

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting comments on late medievalism and the market.

[EndeavourPress4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is published by Albion Press. Albion Press is an imprint of Endeavour Press.