Geoffrey Chaucer 1343 - 1400

Geoffrey Chaucer Often referred to as the father of English poetry; Ordinary people spoke what was known as “Middle English”; however, literature, science, diplomacy, and religion were still in Latin and French; Chaucer composed his works in the vernacular – the everyday language spoken in London and the East Midlands; This made English poetry accessible to all.

Life of Chaucer Born into middle-class family; father was a wine maker who amassed enough wealth to provide some formal education to Chaucer; Attached to several noble patrons; served as an ambassador to the king on occasion and received several pensions for his loyalty (ex. – he was granted a promise of a daily pitcher of wine);

Writing and Holding a Job While Chaucer held various government responsibilities, he still managed to create several allegorical poems (poems with symbolical representations) House of Fame, Parliament of Fowls, and Troilus and Criseyde

The Italian Connection His travels to Italy likely influenced his writing; Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio; Canterbury Tales and Decameron (Boccaccio) have similar framing devices (refers to the use of the same element of significance at both the beginning and end); Chaucer’s frame is a religious pilgrimage during which each traveler is to tell four stories, two going out and two returning

Canterbury Tales Chaucer began writing during a period of unemployment; never completed all of the stories; Collection is considered one of the greatest works in the English language; Greatness comes from the strength of Chaucer’s spirit and personality; Optimist, serene, full of faith; Joy is still the effect of Chaucer’s poetry; To Chaucer, life was a magnificent affair.

Canterbury Tales cont. Characters are on a pilgrimage; Twenty-nine characters are from many places and stages of life; They travel together on horseback from London to the shrine of the martyr Saint Thomas á Becket at Canterbury Cathedral; Trip is approx. 55 miles long, so they decide to tell tales along the way to pass the time;

Canterbury Tales cont. This sets up his frame story (a story that includes any number of different narratives) - the main story of the pilgrimage that includes each pilgrim’s story; two tales on the way, two out; The pilgrims fall into the three major divisions of medieval society – the feudal order, the church, and the merchant/professional class; The characters represent “everyman” – or all of us, on our universal pilgrimage through life.