Influence of Italian humanism on Chaucer

Petrarch's Arquà house near Padua

Geoffrey Chaucer coming in contact with Petrarch or Boccaccio has been a school of thought by scholars for centuries.

Chaucer trips to mainland Europe

Chaucer had made several trips to the mainland from England between 1367 and 1378 on the King's business as Esquire of the King. During at least one of these trips it is possible that he met Petrarch or Boccaccio or possibly both in Italy. Some scholars say there is a good evidence that Chaucer met Petrarch at his residence in Arqua near Padua. There are government records that show Chaucer was absent from England visiting Genoa and Florence from December 1372 until mid to later part of 1373. During this one year Italian business trip for the king to arrange for a settlement of Genoese merchants these scholars say it is likely that sometime in 1373 Chaucer made contact with Petrarch or Boccaccio.

Wedding of Violante

Chaucer became a member of the royal court of king Edward III as a valet or esquire in June of 1367. Among his many jobs in this position he traveled to mainland Europe many times. On one of these trips in 1368 Chaucer may have attended the wedding of Prince Lionel of Antwerp to Violante, daughter of Galeazzo II Visconti, Lord of Milan. Scholars say he was introduced to Petrarch at this wedding. Two other literary stars of the era were in attendance: Jean Froissart and Boccaccio. There is a good chance Chaucer not only met Petrarch at this wedding, but met Boccaccio as well.

Griselda

Petrarch's letter to Boccaccio, forming a preface to the tale of Griselda, was written shortly after he had made his version of it. In some copies it has a date of "June 8, 1373."

Petrarch was so pleased with the story of Griselda that he put it to memory. He wanted to repeat the virtuous story to his friends. Later he eventually put it in writing, Latin of course. Therefore scholars conclude that Chaucer and Petrarch met at Padua in 1373, probably the early part of the year. Evidence shows that Petrarch told Chaucer the story of Griselda from memory. Since both knew Italian and French it could have been in either language or a combination of both these languages. Chaucer obtained a copy of Petrarch's version written in Latin shortly after the meeting in Padua.

He then went to work to translate it into English where it became part of The Canterbury Tales as The Clerk's Tale. Chaucer wrote the main part of the Clerk's Tale in the later part of 1373 or the early part of 1374. Petrarch died July 19, 1374. Chaucer gives much praise to Petrarch and his writings. The Tale was written shortly after his first trip to Italy in 1372-73.

The Clerk's Tale

Scholars say Chaucer very well could have met Petrarch in Padue sometime in 1373 and it is alluded to in Chaucer's The Clerk's Tale. Chaucer received various works of Petrarch's including the story of Griselda, which ultimately became The Clerk's Tale in The Canterbury Tales. Some make reference that Chaucer met Petrarch, of poet laureate fame for his epic poem Africa (about Scipio Africanus), as being in the "Clerk’s Prologue" of the The Clerk's Tale. Chaucer says that he lerned at Padow the tale of Grisilda from Fraunceys Petrark of poet laureate fame.

In the prologue to The Clerk's Tale he indicates he met Petrarch with these words:

The which that I Learn'd at Padova of a worthy clerk, As proved by his wordes and his werk. He is now dead, and nailed in his chest, I pray to God to give his soul good rest. Francis Petrarc', the laureate poete, Highte this clerk, whose rhetoric so sweet Illumin'd all Itaile of poetry... But forth to tellen of this worthy man, That taughte me this tale, as I began...

Imitator of Petrarch's and Boccaccio's works

It is said that Chaucer's stories were copied from others, especially from his Italian contempories. For example, Boccaccio first put out his stories of his Decameron, then Chaucer copied many of these stories for his Canterbury Tales. Griselda was the inspiration of Petrarch, who in turn conveyed it to Boccaccio, where Chaucer picked up on it and used in certain of the Canterbury Tales (especially The Clerk's Tale).

Chaucer produced works with much Italian influence after his Italian trip of 1372, whereas works of his known written before this time period the Italian emphasis can not be seen. For example, Chaucer's work of House of Fame is believed to have been written in 1374 and is consider one of his greatest works done.

Alternate viewpoints

Other historians say while Chaucer was on mainland Europe in 1372-73 it could have been possible that he met Petrarch or Boccaccio, it is unlikely because of their different social status. Most however agree, that while Chaucer may or may not have ever met Petrarch or Boccaccio, he certainly was heavily influenced by their works. For example, parts of Chaucers Troilus and Criseyde are almost word for word of parts of Petrarch's sonnets or close copies of other Petrarch works. Other major parts of Troilus and Criseyde came from Boccaccio's Il Filostrato. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales parallels Boccaccio's Decameron.

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