Mrs. Postin English IV

Born around 1343 in London Son of a middle- class wine merchant Became a page in the royal household when he was a teenager. Mundane jobs BUT- he was exposed to proper speech, manners, and the shortcomings of the upper-class.

In his twenties, Chaucer was appointed as a court official, and he continued to hold government posts for the rest of his life. Throughout his life Chaucer held posts as: Soldier Courtier (often in company of royalty, wanting favor) Royal emissary to Europe (representative of government) Controller of Customs Justice of the Peace Member of Parliament

At one point, while Chaucer was at war, he was kidnapped by the French and was ransomed for 16 pounds (about $25)! Side-note: 16 pounds was almost 8x the average yearly wages of a laborer at the time! Chaucer served at the courts of three reigning monarchs.

Needless to say… he was a pretty important person! But why are we studying him?

Because he was the Father of English Poetry!!

Chaucer made the English Language of the time (Middle English) respectable. Most literary works of the time were written in Latin or French. English was considered the language of the “common people.” This is why Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales helped to solidify English as the national language.

Through Chaucer’s traveling as a diplomat, he became fluent in Latin, French, and Italian in addition to English. In Italy he was introduced to Giovanni Boccaccio who wrote the Decameron. Chaucer was an admirer of Boccaccio and copied some of his style for his Canterbury Tales… Specifically using a “Frame Story” (story within a story)

Written at the end of the 14 th Century, The Canterbury Tales depicts Medieval life at the time. The Canterbury Tales is a frame story which includes a Prologue and then various addition tales that complete the work. Chaucer first sets up the frame (The Prologue) and then proceeds to tell the story in numerous tales.

The Canterbury Tales were never completed. Chaucer originally wanted to have 120 tales included with The Prologue. At his death, Chaucer had completed 24 tales.

Chaucer had the idea to bring together 29 characters on a Pilgrimage to St. Thomas Becket’s Shrine. Who remembers the story of St. Thomas Becket? Henry II (fought with him over church’s rights) Religious Differences Murder in the Church (killed by 4 knights; cut off top of head) Martyr- holy blood (Declared by Catholic church 1173) 200 th year anniversary of his death happened during Chaucer’s lifetime

By placing his characters on a Pilgrimage to Becket’s tomb, Chaucer enables us to see a wide variety of medieval lifestyles and classes. Which we will discuss Chaucer writes The Prologue in Iambic Pentameter Which is what? 10 syllable line stressed then unstressed What other famous British Poet used this?

The Prologue begins in “ High Style,” describing Spring in a romantic way, then digresses to more realistic and natural verse.