11.3 Themes and allegory in The Parliament of Fowls

Chaucer's "Parliament of Fowls" dives into love, nature, and choice through a dream vision. The poem uses birds to explore different types of love - courtly, romantic, and divine - while highlighting the importance of free will in relationships.

Nature plays a big role, acting as a judge and representing order in the world. The poem balances reason and emotion, showing how both matter in love. It's a more upbeat take on love compared to some of Chaucer's other works.

Central Themes and Allegory

Central themes of Parliament of Fowls

Top images from around the web for Central themes of Parliament of Fowls

• 

  Chaucer Statue - Canterbury | Peter Taylor | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Collective Nouns – Part Two | Green Comet View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Valentine's Day - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Chaucer Statue - Canterbury | Peter Taylor | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Collective Nouns – Part Two | Green Comet View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Central themes of Parliament of Fowls

• 

  Chaucer Statue - Canterbury | Peter Taylor | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Collective Nouns – Part Two | Green Comet View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Valentine's Day - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Chaucer Statue - Canterbury | Peter Taylor | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Collective Nouns – Part Two | Green Comet View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Love
  • Explores different types of love in the poem (courtly love, romantic love, divine love)
  • Courtly love focuses on the idealized pursuit of a lady, often unattainable
  • Romantic love emphasizes mutual affection and companionship between partners
  • Divine love represents the spiritual and ennobling aspects of love, transcending earthly desires
• Nature
  • Portrays the natural world as a powerful influence on the characters and their actions
  • Emphasizes the concept of natural order, where each creature has a predetermined role and position in the universe
  • Suggests that the balance of nature is essential for harmony and stability
• Individual Choice
  • Highlights the importance of free will and personal agency in matters of love and relationships
  • Presents the debate between the eagles as a metaphor for the complexity of decision-making and the various factors that influence our choices
  • Ultimately affirms the value of individual autonomy and the right to choose one's own path in life

Allegorical representation of love

• The three eagles represent different approaches to love and relationships
  • The royal eagle embodies courtly love, focusing on the pursuit of an idealized and often unattainable lady
  • The second eagle represents romantic love, emphasizing the desire for mutual affection and companionship
  • The third eagle symbolizes love as a spiritual and ennobling force, transcending earthly desires and concerns
• The debate among the eagles
  • Illustrates the complexities and challenges involved in choosing a mate or partner
  • Highlights the various perspectives on love and their respective merits and drawbacks
  • Ultimately suggests that there is no single "right" approach to love, and that each individual must find their own path

Role of nature in poem

• Nature is personified as a character who presides over the assembly of birds
  • Represents the natural world and its laws, which govern the behavior and interactions of all creatures
  • Serves as a mediator and judge in the debate between the eagles, ensuring that the process is fair and balanced
• Natural order
  • Refers to the idea that there is a predetermined hierarchy and structure in the universe, with each creature having a specific role and position
  • The birds' adherence to their respective roles and positions reflects this concept of natural order
  • Suggests that maintaining this order is essential for the harmony and stability of the world
• Balance between reason and emotion
  • The conflict between the eagles' rational arguments and their emotional desires reflects the tension between reason and emotion in matters of love
  • The ultimate decision to let the formel eagle choose her own mate represents a balance between these two forces
  • Suggests that both reason and emotion have a role to play in love and relationships, and that finding a balance between them is key to happiness and fulfillment

Significance of dream vision structure

• The dream vision structure is a literary device that allows for a fantastical and allegorical setting
  • Provides a framework for the exploration of abstract concepts and ideas related to love, nature, and individual choice
  • Enables Chaucer to create a world where animals can speak and interact like humans, highlighting the universal nature of the themes
• Contribution to the themes
  • The dream setting emphasizes the timeless and universal nature of the themes explored in the poem
  • The allegorical characters and events make the themes more accessible and relatable to the reader
  • The fantastical elements allow for a more imaginative and creative exploration of the themes, free from the constraints of reality

Love in Parliament vs other Chaucer works

• The Knight's Tale
  • Portrays love as a destructive force that leads to conflict, jealousy, and suffering
  • Emphasizes the idea of love as a noble and chivalric pursuit, with knights competing for the affection of a lady
  • Ultimately suggests that the pursuit of love can have tragic consequences
• Troilus and Criseyde
  • Explores the psychological complexity of love and its impact on the characters' emotions and actions
  • Portrays love as a often painful and tumultuous experience, marked by misunderstandings, betrayals, and heartbreak
  • Delves into the internal struggles and motivations of the characters as they navigate the challenges of love
• Similarities in The Parliament of Fowls
  • Examines different types of love (courtly, romantic, divine) and their respective consequences and rewards
  • Uses allegory and symbolism to convey deeper meanings and insights about the nature of love
  • Explores the tension between individual desire and societal expectations in matters of love and relationships
• Differences in The Parliament of Fowls
  • Presents a more optimistic and celebratory view of love compared to the other works
  • Emphasizes the importance of individual choice and agency in matters of love
  • Suggests that finding a balance between reason and emotion is key to a fulfilling and happy love life