An appointment with Chaucer's Doctor

It's time to visit the Doctor. When all the zodiac figures have been unmasked, the pilgrims left must be planets. Those "recognized" when Chaucer lived are the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. In this guessing game, let's see if Chaucer's clues for the Doctor fit Saturn.
     Allegory, as it says two things at the same time, can actually deliver two messages of opposite meanings. On the surface, the Doctor appears a worthy man while covertly he tends toward evil.
     Here's what Chaucer would have known from mythology. Saturn's reign, in ancient lore, is likened to an "Age of Gold." All is idyllic--eternal spring, abundance of food without toil, everyone living in peace. Sad to say, home life is not domestic bliss. An oracle prophesied, "Thou best of kings, thou shalt be ousted of they sceptre by thy son." What is a father to do? Ovid tells what Saturn did: "In fear, the god devoured his offspring as fast as they were born, and he kept them sunk in his bowels." His frustrated wife finally dupes him when Zeus is born. She surrenders a stone wrapped as a baby. Saturn promptly, unwittingly, swallows it. Then the prediction, of course, comes true. Zeus overthrows his father.
     The medieval philosopher Bernard Silvestris paints a vivid picture of Saturn's influence:

 He was savagely inclined to harsh and bloody acts of unfeeling and detestable malice.          Whenever his most fertile wife had borne him sons, he devoured them newly born . . . and whenever there was no one whom he might devour, he would mow down with a blow of his sickle whatever was beautiful . . . this prefigured the hostility with which he was to menace the race of men to come by the poisonous and deadly propensities of of his planet.

This violent mythology was reflected in the grim reality of human sacrifices dedicated to Saturn--in particular, those of children.
     His astrological force as god and planet was recognized as the bringer of maladies. Chaucer himself, in his astrological treatise, calls Saturn a "wicked planet," and goes on to demonstrate that wickedness in the Knight's Tale.
     The loser of a tournament had been Venus' favorite. So Saturn causes the winner to have an accident and die just to please her.

Not surprising, Chaucer's Pilgrim Doctor--like Saturn--has a lot to do with maladies. Now let's see if the poet's introduction of the Doctor in the General Prologue fits Saturn's personality.
     "In this world there was none like him" indicates he's not of this world, and being "grounded in astronomy" is another clue to his celestial existence. He "kept his patients" sounds protective but kept also means forced to remain. The Doctor is aware of hours of natural magic which Chaucer says elsewhere can be used for good or ill. He knew "the cause of every malady." Again the reference is directed toward illness not cures. And so is his knowledge of the "roote" (origin) of every affliction--that which causes harm. He'd give a sick man his "boote" which, on the surface, means relief, but it's also obviously a good swift kick! Being on good terms with apothecaries is no surprise. The longer drugs are needed, the more profit involved--a win/win situation for both Doctor and apothecary.
     His eating habits are examined. His diet is "nourishing" (norissyng), as in the act of taking nourishment. But in Middle English that word also meant the act of bringing forth young--which also provided part of Saturn's diet. The Bible was not important to him--nor to any other  pagan god! Colors noted for the Doctor are "sanguine" (reminiscent of bloody acts) and "pers" (bluish grey) similar to leaden hues. Affinity to lead in alchemy is associated with Saturn; copper with Venus, etc. Lastly, the Doctor "loved gold especially" recalls the good old days.

Now for the story out of Roman history that the Doctor tells. Scholars find his story is "not appropriate." Chaucer's additions, however, make it quite appropriate to the presence of Saturn.
     Chaucer's lengthy insertion into the tale warns about proper care of children--to keep them under "surveillance" and not to neglect "chastising" them. Isn't that what Saturn attempted to do to avoid being ousted?
     The second reworking sets the fate of an adolescent girl as the issue of the plot rather than the wickedness of a judge. The girl's father, returning home from an appearance before the evil judge, regrets to inform his daughter that she must choose between "death and shame." A judgment against the father, forced by false testimony, demands he must turn his daughter over to a lecher. It's lechery or death. The girl chooses death. When she swoons, her father, "heart filled with sorrow . . . smotes off her head." That's a human sacrifice--a child sacrifice. That is precisely fitting for this Doctor/Saturn. What Chaucer has added is consistent with the wicked, covert portrait of Saturn concealed in the disguise of the Pilgrim Doctor.

   

Here's Sunshine!

Well, here's the last clown in the series. The name is Sunshine.

I say it is the last because I need to get busy and make "An appointment with Chaucer's Doctor." We'll do that soon. Until then, enjoy the Sunshine.   :)

Spotlight on Chaucer

Matthew Arnold invited me to do a radio interview a few months ago. The subject? Chaucer, of course. It has taken a while to get the project uploaded onto YouTube, but it's there now.

If you go to the home page on my website (CelebrateChaucer.com), you'll see a "spotlight" in the upper left corner. Click it and you're connected. Enjoy.

I'm on a roll!

Making clowns has been irresistible! Why did I never make one before? No matter, I had time to make two more--so I did. The bake and craft sale at church is Sunday. There isn't time to create another, but it sure has been fun.

Each doll is 16 inches tall. This is Ruffles, because of all the gathers in his suit.

And this is Pinkee because she has pink hair!  Couldn't resist making those striped stockings. (Odd. In the photo it looks like there is a stain on the knee of her stocking--but there is none on the doll.  ?)

OK. Next time it's back to Chaucer. See you then.

Send in the clowns!

Well, here they are. There are only two. I had planned for more, but my fall, a few weeks ago, made it necessary to change the plan. They will be part of the craft sale at our annual craft and bake sale at church just before Easter. We'll have some luscious special Easter desserts and breads, all homemade. If you're in the area--Berkeley and Bonita in Claremont, CA--visit the auditorium next to the church anytime in the morning of Palm Sunday (3-29). I'm sure you'll be impressed with the selection.

Penuche, on the left, and Pachuco, on the right, are 16 inches tall.

Here's the entertainment

I've heard 2 different claims as to the source of the following oddity. Some say it was whipped up by a college professor many years ago. But the moderator in charge of a  writers group I attended said it was the product of several bright college boys (including her nephew), in the1980s, who were taking a break from their studies. Either way, here it is. Have fun.

Ladle Rat Rotten Hut

Wants pawn term, dare worsted ladle gull how lift wetter murder inner ladle cordage honor itch offer lodge dock florist. Disc ladle gull orphan worry ladle rat cluck wetter putty ladle rat hut, end fur disc raison, pimple cauldron ladle rat rotten hut.

     Wan moaning, rat rotten hut's murder colder inset, "Ladle rat rotten hut, heresy ladle basking winsome burden barter end shirker cockles. Tick disc ladle basking tudor cordage off year groin murder hoe lifts honor udder site other florist. Shaker lake, dun stopper laundry wrote, end yonder no sorghum stenches dun stopper torque wet strainers."

     "Hoe cake, murder," resplendent ladle rat rotten hut, end ticker ladle basking end stuttered oft.

     Honor wrote tudor cordage off year groin murder, ladle rat rotten hut mitten anomalous woof. "Wail, wail, wail," set disc wicket woof, "evanescent ladle rat rotten hut! Wares putty ladle gull goring wizard ladle basking?"

     "Aroma goring tumor groin murder's," reprisal ladle gull.  "Grammar's seeking bet. Armor ticking air burden barter end shirker cockles."

     "Oh hoe! Heifer blessing woke," setter wicket woof butter taught tomb shelf, "Oil tickle shirt court tudor cordage off ear groin murder--oil ketchup wetter letter, end den, oh bore!"

     Soda wicket woof tucker shirt court, end whinney retched a cordage off ear groin murder, picket inner window an sore debtor pore oil worming worse line inner bet. Inner flesh disc abdominal woof lipped honor betting adder rope. Zany pool dawn a groin murder's nut cup end gnat gun, any curdle dope inner bet. 

     Inner ladle wile, ladle rat rotten hut a raft adder cordage an ranker dough ball.

     "Comb ink, sweat hard," setter wicket woof disgracing is verse.

     Ladle rat rotten hut entity bet rum end stud buyer groin murder's bet.

     "Oh grammar!" crater ladle gull, "wart bag icer gut! A nervous sausage bag ice!"

     "Butter do lucky chew whiff, doll ink,"  whisker disc ratchet woof whither wickert small.

     "Oh grammar, water bag noisy got! A nervous suture anomalous prognosis!"

     "Butter do small your whiff," inserter woof, ants mouse worse waddling.

     "Oh grammar, water bag mousey got! A nervous suture bag mouse!"

     Daze worry on forget nut gull's lest warts. Oil off ear sudden, trolling offer carvers an sprinkling otter bet, disc curl an bloat Thursday woof ceased pore ladle rat rotten hut an garbled erupt.

Mural: Yonder no sorghum stenches shut ladle gulls stopper torque wet strainers.

-----Anomalous

Current events

It's been a while. I've been working on some dolls for our annual fund-raiser at church. Then--an unplanned event--I took a fall.  No broken bones, thank goodness, but a couple of remarkable bruises. Pretty low on energy, but I'm planning to enter a piece just for entertainment-value soon.
      We will get back to Chaucer--that's for sure.