Chaucer as a Philologist: The Reeve's Tale facts for kids
J. R. R. Tolkien, the famous author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, also wrote many academic papers. One of these was titled "Chaucer as a Philologist: The Reeve's Tale." A philologist is a person who studies language, especially in old texts and historical documents.
This paper was about "The Reeve's Tale." This tale is one of the stories found in The Canterbury Tales. These famous stories were written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 1300s. They are an important part of Middle English literature.
Contents
Tolkien's Study of Chaucer
Tolkien first presented his paper at a meeting in Oxford in 1931. It was later published in a journal in 1934. The paper's publication was delayed. This was because Tolkien felt he needed more time to study the words. He also wanted to look at more old copies (called manuscripts) of "The Reeve's Tale."
Since he didn't get this extra time, Tolkien published the paper as it was first read. He added some notes and extra comments. He also included a "critical text" of the tale. This means he provided his own carefully studied version of the text.
Understanding the Dialect
Tolkien's paper mainly looks at the funny way Chaucer used a specific dialect. This was the "Northern dialect" in "The Reeve's Tale." A dialect is a way of speaking that is unique to a certain region or group. Tolkien thought this use of dialect was very realistic. It showed how people really spoke back then.
He also believed Chaucer used this dialect for fun. It was a way to make a common type of story more lively. Tolkien compared it to how people today might use different accents in funny stories. He thought Chaucer had a special interest in languages. He also knew a lot about different dialects, more than most people in his time.
Examining Old Manuscripts
To study the dialect, Tolkien looked at old copies of the tale. He used a special copy called the Ellesmere Manuscript. He also used other copies printed by the Chaucer Society. Tolkien noted that more research into other old manuscripts would be helpful.
Later Work on The Reeve's Tale
Tolkien returned to "The Reeve's Tale" a few years later. In 1939, he read a shorter version of the tale aloud. This was at an event in Oxford called "Summer Diversions." For this event, a small book was made. It included Tolkien's introduction and his shortened version of the tale. This later work was easier for a general audience to understand.
