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Class Hierarchy The Ricardian Period is often associated with a range of numerous changes related to economical, political, cultural and social life. This period is also often explored within the context of discovery of an individual and the cultural rise of middle class that went hand in hand with economical growth. As for economic development, there are several aspects that made impact on the process of changes during the Ricardian Period: foreign policy in general and development of foreign economic relations in particular. Foreign commerce and trade (agricultural products, wool trade including ready-made woolen clothes and raw material, etc) has reached its peak. The Great Plague also positively contributed to the development of England as the land owners had to increase wages due to lack of workers.
Besides, the practice of tenancy was renewed and many peasants became rich. The Magna Charta was interpreted as a symbol of victory of the feudalist's over the royal power. The document confirmed personal security of a citizen and his property. Besides, the document brought order to the system of taxation.
The role of Parliament also was great as it was able to solve any problem related to political or economic issue. Now, lets dwell on the role of class and the medieval society. The society was actually divided into two halves: the layer of commoners and the layer of aristocracy. Aristocracy was formed from earls, dukes, and other noblemen.
The layer of knights was pertained to a lower social layer. The knights werent considered militaries but the noble farmers and landowners. Further there was a layer of urban merchants and artisans. The knights and / or landowners usually sent their children to the towns where they learned crafts and useful arts. The artisans and merchants often bought the land in the country towns, so these two social layers were mixing.
Besides, in Canterbury Tales (in the Millers Story and in Prologue) Chaucer speaks about the peculiarities of social hierarchy. In Prologue to the Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer prepares a reader for consequent detailed narration and description of every pilgrim, his appearance and his belonging to the social class. Chaucer divides his pilgrims into certain groups: - Aristocracy (High-Life society): The Knight, who, as described by Chaucer, was a a worthy man who loved chivalry, Truth, honour, freedom and all courtesy, a man who was honoured everywhere for worthiness; a Squire, described as a youthful squire, A lover and a lusty bachelor, a man who didnt took his life as something serious. He was a careless young man, who was singing or fluting, all the day; He was as fresh as is the month of May; a nun, a prioress was noble and modest. Chaucer describes her as a woman who was right pleasant, amiable- in short.
She was at pains to counterfeit the look Of courtliness, and stately manners took, And would be held worthy of reverence. But, to say something of her moral sense, She was so charitable and piteous - Educated people (scientists) The Clerk, a student by devotion who was poor and As meagre was his horse as is a rake, The Doctor and the Sergeant of the Law, who He took large fees and many robes could own. So great a purchaser was never known; - Landowners Franklin, described as a man who liked to eat and was a man of secular concerns; - Owners (The Miller, The Maunciple, described as a vulgar man has wit to pace The wisdom of a crowd of learned men, and the Reeve); - The Merchants (The Merchant, a worthy man who kept all his wits well set; There was no one could say he was in debt, So well he governed all his trade affairs With bargains and with borrowings and with shares, and The Skipper); - The Guilds men (A haberdasher and a carpenter, An arras-maker, dyer, and weaver. All of them are describes by the following words: Each man of them appeared a proper burge's To sit in guildhall on a high dais. And each of them, for wisdom he could span, Was fitted to have been an alderman); Lower social class (The Ploughman); This description of characters adds value to the thesis that class hierarchy was an important issue in the Ricardian period. Moreover, it was a highly contested issue in the Medieval England.
Geoffrey Chaucer in his Canterbury Tales provides the reader with a diverse collection of stories (tales, allegories, knight novels, hagiographies, fabric, court stories, homilies and beast fables) and a diverse collection of people belonging to various social classes. In such a way, Canterbury Tales is a useful example of class hierarchy in the Ricardian's Period. References: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales (Libraries), 18 Oct. 2006 web
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Research essay sample on Geoffrey Chaucer Canterbury Tales
