Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

Early Life Born c. 1340 Son of a prosperous wine merchant In mid teens, he was placed in the service of the Countess of Ulster so he could obtain more education and be schooled in court and society life Thus, he would have learned Latin and some Greek as well as perhaps some French and Italian

Early Life (cont.) In, 1359 he was captured by the French at the seige of Reims during the Hundred Years' War while serving in English army; ransomed by King Edward III a year later Chaucer joined the royal household and became a trusted messenger and minor diplomat

As a Royal Messenger Chaucer was frequently sent to the continent on secret business for the King. Some of these trips were to Italy where he became acquainted with the works of the great Italian authors: Boccaccio, Dante, Petrarch These 3 were the greatest Italian writers of the early Renaissance period More about these 3 important authors a bit later!

Other Jobs Chaucer Held…and Learned From... Controller of Customs on Wools, Skins and Hides for the Port of London Here he would meet many types of businessmen, sailors, travelers city folk and common laborers Clerk of the King’s Works In charge of construction and repairs affecting the royal residences; here he would meet many guildsmen as well as court officials Deputy Forester of the King’s Forests Away from the city, he met peasants, foresters, local clergy and other country folk Representative of the Shire of Kent in Parliament Here he met the rich, the influential and the upper middle class as well as the higher ranking church officials

In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer wrote about the people he had met along the way. If you were doing the same thing today, think about the variety of types of people you know and have encountered. Turn and talk with a partner about some of the types of people you would choose to write about.

Describe them by: Their job The type and color of their clothing Their “accessories” (jewelry, pets, other portables) The way they act Their income Their “secrets” Their status in society as a whole The way they speak / their slang or accent Their mode of transportation Spend 5 minutes writing a description and share with a partner; share some with the class.

Chaucer’s Plan ... A Prologue followed by a series of stories and linking dialogues and commentaries Each character would tell 2 stories going and 2 stories coming home uh… coming home from WHERE? Canterbury of course. After all, his work IS called : The Canterbury Tales

London

But why go to Canterbury?

One Answer: Religion Canterbury has always been an important religious center in England. St. Augustine (seen in stained glass from the Canterbury Cathedral) was sent by Pope Gregory the Great to establish the Catholic faith in the country Religion played an important part in medieval life.

Why was religion important? It’s the Middle Ages Plague Warfare High Infant Mortality Rate Short Life Expectancy …and if you were a peasant, you lived your whole life in harsh conditions About the best thing that you had to look forward to was dying and going to heaven

England was divided among very strict class/economic lines Thus, heaven was often described as a white shining castle in the sky.

Also, Canterbury was a Pilgrimage Site People of all classes went on pilgrimages to holy sites to ask for help with medical, financial or other problems.

The Shrine of St. Thomas à Becket

Becket was a trusted adviser and friend of King Henry II Becket was a trusted adviser and friend of King Henry II. Henry named Becket Archbishop of Canterbury.

Becket’s outspoken style angered the King Becket’s outspoken style angered the King. One day, Henry complained, “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?” Three knights rode to Canterbury where they found Becket at the altar of Canterbury Cathedral.

Becket was murdered at the altar.

The death of Becket angered the peasants who felt his Saxon heritage made him one of them.

Canterbury Cathedral became a site for pilgrims to offer prayers to St Canterbury Cathedral became a site for pilgrims to offer prayers to St. Thomas.

Today, a modern cross made from swords marks the site of the martyrdom.

The fact that Chaucer wrote in English (Middle English), rather than French or Latin like many of his fellow writers, meant that ordinary folk could enjoy The Canterbury Tales and their vivid characters.

The late fourteenth century world was still very much one of the spoken word. Books were copied out by hand and were a rare luxury till the advent of the printing press 70 years later. The educated elite could read, but they preferred to hear texts read out loud for entertainment. The Canterbury Tales, with their earthy humor and and vivid dialogue, were a runaway success.

So, let’s travel back to London, to the area called Southward, and stop at the Tabard Inn.

We’ll meet the characters and hear their stories.

The story begins...

The Tales work existed in fragments at Chaucer’s death planned for each of 30 to tell 2 tales/going & 2 tales/returning (120 stories in original framework)? we have only one story each from 24 pilgrims written between 1357-1400 each tale deals with one of Chaucer’s themes richest portrayal of religious men & women in earthly scene (Dante: portrayal of life after death) detached delight of Chaucer regularly rhyming couplets Chaucer customarily writes a five-stress, ten-syllable line, alternating unstressed and stressed syllables (what would later be called iambic pentameter): told in social order (except for Miller)

A pageant of 14th Century life Pilgrims span the whole range of the unofficial middle class. Groups represented are: Upper class (Knight, Squire, church people); Learned professions (Physician, Man of Law); Landed gentry (Franklin); Medieval manor people (Miller, Reeve); Mercantile class (Shipman, Merchant); Guildsmen (Haberdasher, Dyer, etc.); Laborer (Plowman).

Chaucer’s Attitude Five ideals, Chaucer treats seriously (Knight, Squire, Clerk, Parson, Plowman); Some he pokes fun at (Prioress, Monk, Wife of Bath); Some is quiet about; short portraits with now personal view coming through (Prioress's entourage); Some not very good; Chaucer is just a little negative (Shipman, Manciple); Hardened sinners, all of them religious officials (Friar, Pardoner, Summoner)

General Prologue Introduction of pilgrims Catholics (150 years before Henry VIII broke from Rome) Reasons for pilgrimage? Common to travel together: protection April in Southwark at Tabbard Inn, owner Harry Bailey Bailey suggests they pass time by taking turns telling stories; best will win prize Brief portraits of pilgrims Attitude of Chaucer the Pilgrim Three estates and rising middle class represented

7 Church Officials Prioress sentimental depiction, proud in petty way Monk hedonistic, hunter, inept but not malicious Friar seducer, sells forgiveness Parson and Plowman ideal religious men Parson one of 2 heroes in tales Summoner blackmailed, bribed on way to success; ugly, stupid thug Pardoner perfect fraud: charming, clever, corrupt; biggest hypocrite secular church official fighting w/church official (Friar)

Discussion "The General Prologue" presents a vivid cross-section of the people who composed the various social classes of 14th Century England. Organize the characters depicted in the "Prologue" based on social position first then on their morality. What seems to be Chaucer's opinion of the Clergy? Of the other classes? Which characters does Chaucer seem to esteem or criticize? What attributes do these characters have that Chaucer appears to value or not?

The Pilgrims Knight The Miller Squire The Manciple Prioress The Reeve Monk The Summoner Friar The Pardoner Merchant The Host Clerk Chaucer the Pilgrim The Lawyer The Franklin The Cook The Physician The Wife of Bath The Parson The Plowman