Chaucer における 'Gentilesse' の二つの面

Abstract

The word 'gentilesse' (gentility) Chaucer uses is a word with surprisingly multiple meanings, which is often a key-word to understand his works. But the word, as some critics have pointed out, is difficult to define because of its multiplicity and its ambiguity. Among his early poems are two ballads treating 'gentilesse' as their theme-Gentilesse and The Complaint of Venus, which show two levels of Chaucer's 'gentilesse' : 'verray gentilesse' and 'courtly gentilesse.' In each case one word 'gentilesse' is used as a generic name of various virtues necessary for men, but they are quite different in nature from each other. The former is grounded upon Christianity, and the latter, upon Courtly Love. Sometimes Chaucer uses them vaguely, and sometimes specifically. The Wife of Bath's Tale, The Parson's Tale and so on offer examples of 'verray gentilesse, ' and Troilus and Criseyde, The Romaunt of the Rose and so on, examples of 'courtly gentilesse.' Thus, presenting both levels of 'gentilesse, ' Chaucer appeals to the audience to turn their eyes not on 'courtly gentilesse, ' however fascinating, but on 'verray gentilesse.'