The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer The “Father of English Poetry” takes a “picture” of Medieval England

Chaucer’s biography 1343? – 1400 Born to middle-class merchant Worked as a page in King Edward III’s court 1359 – captured in France – POW – King Ed paid 16 pound ransom (huge!) 1366 – married lady-in-waiting, Philippa Pan! (3 kids) Jobs – controller at customs, justice of the peace, member of Parliament, diplomat in Italy and France, supervisor of construction – Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, forester of King’s forest Buried – Poet’s Corner, Westminster Abbey

The Canterbury Tales the Prologue Frame story – a pilgrimage to Beckett’s tomb in Canterbury (Who’s he?) 50 miles SE of London “9 and 20” pilgrims – Tabard Inn, Southwark The beginning – read page tales completed out of projected 120 Pilgrims from 3 main segments of Medieval society – ecclesiastical, feudal, urban Your presentations will try to describe both what each person was like and what Chaucer was trying to say about Medieval society

The Presentations 1. Perform Chaucer’s poetic description from the Prologue 2. Describe the character in your own words – appearance, personality, status, etc. 3. What historically do we learn from Chaucer’s portrayal? 4. Is Chaucer’s portrayal positive, negative, or balanced (neutral)? 5. Provide useful notes to the class

The Prologue Characters (italicized in text pgs.96 – 115) Knight Cook Squire Skipper Yeoman Doctor Nun* Woman from Bath* Monk* Parson Friar* Plowman Merchant Miller Oxford Cleric Manciple Sergeant at the Law Reeve Franklin Summoner* Guildsmen Pardoner*

Homework during the Prologue Presentations Read “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” pg. 119 Read “The Pardoner’s Tale” pg. 141 Test on Prologue characters and 2 “Tales” follow – Source for much of the test will be the notes provided by the presentations