Geoffrey Chaucer “the father of English poetry”

life born in London son of a prosperous wine merchant likely attended school at St. Paul’s Cathedral could read French, Latin, & Italian married Philippa, a maid to the queen retired in 1399 – leased house in garden of Westminster Abbey first to be buried in Westminster Abbey (Poet’s Corner)

experienced various classes of society worked as a page/squire to people who knew King Edward III served in the English army (Hundred Years’ War) – captured and held prisoner – King paid his ransom married a lady-in-waiting to the queen traveled widely

served w/in gov’t controller of customs Justice of the peace member of Parliament worked on diplomatic missions project manager for repairs to Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London King Edward III’s subforester

Literary contributions poetry noted for his insight into human character master storyteller examples: * Troilus and Criseyde (love story) * The Canterbury Tales (satirical narrative about classes w/in society)

The Canterbury Tales  It was common for people of Medieval England to make pilgrimages to sacred shrines  Usually this was a personal, religious experience  Canterbury, England was a town about 50 miles southeast of London  Sight of Canterbury Cathedral, where archbishop Thomas a Becket was murdered in 1170 Background information:

Thomas a Becket appointed to position of archbishop by King Henry II, who was wanted to stop the church’s authority over gov’t appealed King Henry’s request to the Pope in Rome and won four of Henry’s knights murdered Becket in 1170 within the cathedral King Henry tried to condemn the crime by taking a pilgrimage to Becket’s tomb

Chaucer’s influence In 1388, while in his 40s, he made a pilgrimage, himself, and was struck by the mixed classes of the assembled company wanted to show the variety of human nature and how people exploit their own cultures, especially religion

PLOT The characters in the story interact with one another, not always cordially, and tell tales to entertain one another to and from Canterbury The tales reveal their hidden motives, feelings, and beliefs Chaucer died before finishing all the tales FRAME STORY-- includes another story or stories within the basic plot structure

CHARCTERS “nine and twenty” pilgrims – the story reveals 30 pilgrims, the owner of the inn, and Chaucer, himself all introduced in “The Prologue” represent 3 areas w/in society – church (i.e. nun, friar, pardoner) – court (i.e. knight, squire, reeve) – common people (i.e. merchant, inn keeper) possess universal, stereotypical traits with individual, unique qualities

SETTING Tabard Southwark, England (a city near London) spring (April) the journey to and from Canterbury, England

THEME the infinite variety in human nature the exploitation of religion for personal gain

CHARACTERIZATION the methods by which an author creates a personality for his/her character(s) – narrator’s direct statement – a character’s interactions / dialogue – a charcter’s beliefs, thoughts, and actions – a character’s physical appearance – comments from another character in the story

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