This paper probes into how Chaucer, through the Romance style, uses rhetorical devices and narrative structures to show the 14th century British imagination of the East in The Story of the Chamberlain. The article analyzes how Chaucer integrated the preset differences between the East and the West into the narrative through the perspective of followers, injecting new complexity and vitality into medieval romance.

Romance and the East

Explored the European "Romanesque" imagination of the East, pointing out that this imagination has existed since ancient times, especially reaching its peak in medieval Romanesque literature. The Romance genre originated in France and is closely related to local language writing, later expanding to various European colloquialisms including English. The Eastern imagination in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" is scattered throughout multiple stories, while "The Story of the Escort" is a bridge to showcase medieval European Orientalism and a key to understanding Chaucer's personal Eastern imagination and poetic skills. Romance genre is related to elements such as distance, exoticism, and mystery, and the East, as an alternative space, occupies a central position in romance.

The Palace of the Great Khan: Ancient Scrolls, Naturalization, and Humble Mouth

Explored how Chaucer constructed the character of Cambius Khan through a "romantic" Eastern imagination in "The Story of the Servant". Chaucer depicted Cambius Khan as a Mongolian version of King Arthur, creating an unparalleled image of a Tatar monarch by blending different historical materials and his own imagination. He used the "clumsy rhetoric" and "occupying space" to omit detailed descriptions of the grandeur of the Khan's court and the beauty of his daughter Kanasi. This strategy is based on a rich understanding of readers' reading experience, keeping the East mysterious. Chaucer used the "domestication" strategy to present the heterogeneous East as a familiar other that could evoke existing experiences in the minds of British readers, while preserving the sense of surprise brought by the wonders of the East. This sense of surprise is concentrated in the scene of the Eastern envoy riding a horse and breaking into the palace gate. Chaucer cleverly used domestication strategy to avoid the demystification of the mysterious exotic land that may be caused by overly specific details. Unlike the handling of the ancient theme of "uninvited guests at banquets" in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," Chaucer chose to defeat many with fewer, completing the description of this spectacle in just over 30 lines, preserving for readers the "astonishment" of the exotic guests and the mysterious East behind them.

Kanasi's Garden: extradition, women's space, framework structure

Explored the garden scene of Princess Kanasi in "The Story of the Escort", analyzed the symbolic significance of four magical gifts and their role in the concept of "extradition". These gifts, especially rings and mirrors, serve as bridges connecting different worlds and understanding, transforming exoticism into familiar objects. Kanasi understood bird language through the ring and entered a female empathy field that transcends species and language. The chapter also discusses the plot of Kanasi rescuing an injured female peregrine falcon and understanding its story, which reflects the Romansian language and emotions. In addition, the chapter points out the characteristics of the narrative structure in "The Story of the Hu Cong", such as the use of intertwining romance and frame stories, and how these structures reflect female and Eastern traits. Finally, the chapter hints at the incestuous relationship between the oriental princess and her brother, as well as the image of the East in the eyes of medieval British people.

Portrait of the Attendant: Who Tells the East

In Chaucer's' The Story of the Attendant ', the narrative skills of the attendants are not very sophisticated, and the story lacks a traditional narrative climax. Hu Cong tells the story of an Eastern romance, even though he himself has never been to the East, but has inherited an Eastern theme that his father did not fully explore. The servant in the Canterbury Tales is a representative of class allegory in 14th century England, and his image contrasts sharply with that of a knight father, portraying more as a lover rather than a warrior. Chaucer is proficient in astrology, incorporating elements of constellations and planets into character development and narrative structures. His image of a servant is in line with Taurus and Venus, possessing feminine traits. The story and image of Hu Cong are influenced by the goddess of love and beauty, Venus, reflecting medieval Europe's imagination of the East. The Story of the Escort presents multiple deviations, including deviations from love ethics, knightly romance plot, male dominated narrative, and the construction of elegant romantic literary characters. Chaucer cleverly portrayed the complex imagination of the 14th century British people towards the East through his role as a follower, providing valuable clues for understanding the Eastern narrative in medieval literary traditions.