In a poem called The House of Fame, Chaucer exercises
his imagination in another dream. This time he takes us—or rather he is taken--on a trip through space! A
splendid golden eagle swoops down, grasps the poet with his talons and off they
go. Eventually, they arrive at a place called The House of Fame, but, in the
meantime, Chaucer makes an up close acquaintance with celestial figures he
knows well.
The poet is amazed and fearful as he is
whisked through the air, and surprised when the Eagle addresses him by name! He
assures Chaucer, “Have no fear. No harm will come to you. I am your friend.” This
gifted bird then provides a scientific digression comparing properties of water
and air: the result of a pebble being tossed into water generates ever-widening
circles; the sound of speech generates ever- widening circles in the air!
Then,
continuing to soar, the attentive Eagle again inquires of Chaucer, “How are
you?” When Chaucer replies “I’m well,” he’s instructed to, “Look down and see
the forests, cities, rivers and ships.” As they climb steadily upward, the
Earth becomes a distant speck.
“Now look up,” Chaucer is told. “Here dwell the Milky Way and the celestial beasts (constellations).” Ascending still further, the zodiac, the clouds, and winds are now below them. And, as they near the House of Fame, a loud roar, like the sound of waves crashing on rocks, is heard as a result of the ever-widening circles of sound!
“Now look up,” Chaucer is told. “Here dwell the Milky Way and the celestial beasts (constellations).” Ascending still further, the zodiac, the clouds, and winds are now below them. And, as they near the House of Fame, a loud roar, like the sound of waves crashing on rocks, is heard as a result of the ever-widening circles of sound!
The
Eagle flies near to the House of Fame, gently sets Chaucer on his feet and leaves
him to investigate the structure of the House. After the poet wanders a while, he
sees the golden bird perched on a nearby stone and approaches him. The Eagle
lifts him with his talons again and transports him to the center of the House
where a great throng of people is gathered. About 125 lines later, just as a
famous man is about to be introduced, the poem breaks off. Chaucer never
finished the dream.
The House itself is quite remarkable with Chaucer’s
considerations of the meaning and acquiring of “fame.” Perhaps we’ll make that
a subject later.
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