1. and Geoffrey Chaucer Ms. FB Common Core 2016
The Canterbury Tales
and Geoffrey Chaucer
Ms. FB
Common Core 2016
Chaucer’s snapshot of the Middle Ages captures the lives of the people of the time.
It is written in MIDDLE ENGLISH, which was the vernacular or language, of the people at the time.
“Learned” people of the time used Latin or French so the English part is significant.
Chaucer lends “respectability” to English
He is considered the father of English poetry

2. The Life & Times of Geoffrey Chaucer
*What kind of person was he? *What was his “real job”?
He was born soon after the beginning of the 100 year’s war
ambitious, worked hard, studied hard, and eventually became part of the royal court of England (as an employee)
- he was a secretary for JOHN OF GAUNT; this relationship is important because of all the cool stuff his employ by John afforded him that fed his writing:

3. John & Geoff
Most importantly, Chaucer worked as a secretary for John of Gaunt (that guy )
Cool stuff with a “friend”
John was son of King Edward III
-Like get held for ransom for a period of years in some crappy French village
He was ransomed for 16 pounds, which was NOT a lot of money then or now
-And travel on a diplomatic mission to Florence, Italy (Which was at the time being ravaged by the black plague)

4. It’s all Good…
…because without exposure to French and Italian culture, there would be no Canterbury Tales…
So his time with J of G, allowed him to travel and see Europe, giving him ideas for his poetry

5. Chaucer, the Social Gadfly
Chaucer got around – he knew a lot about society
He uses his writing to bring about change– he hopes to upset the status quo in his writing

6. HYPOCRISY Individual hypocrisy Institutional hypocrisy
14th century England was a lot like today======hypocrisy
What are these two concepts?
What are some examples of both today?
Chaucer got around – he knew a lot about society,
Had to couch his criticisms with fiction – why?
Chaucer looks around the world he lived in and say both forms of hypocrisy. He wrote the Canterbury Tales, in part, as an indictment…think about what he was criticizing…..

7. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
Chaucer depicts different people from different parts of the social strata
The pilgrims all tell different types of tales that were popular at the time
All of these members of society are brought together to go on a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral to visit the shrine of Thomas Becket (because there’s safety in numbers)
CT as a “snapshot” of life in the middle ages frozen in time
So, Chaucer is a Catholic who perceived abuses within the Church and exposed them—pay attention to how religious folks are depicted

8. Destination: Canterbury
connected 3 trading ports to London; Julius Caesar invaded in 43 A.D.
Roman civilization with theatres, baths, temples, etc. until invasion of Angles, Saxons, Jutes in 5th/6th century
Canterbury converted to Christianity in 597 by Saint Augustine
Monastery, today’s Cathedral, founded in 602 by St. Augustine; Canterbury as mother of British Christianity
Surrendered at Battle of Hastings (1066) to William the Conqueror; Cathedral destroyed by fire in 1067;
fortified with new walls, gates, stone keep

9. WHY Canterbury Cathedral?
The Pilgrims are headed to Shrine of Thomas Beckett:
Shrine of Thomas a Becket—he was killed defending the rights of the English Church against King Henry II….a martyr
Appointed archbishop of Canterbury by King Henry 2
King Henry hoped that Thomas would side with him over the pope
The King’s plan backfired and Thomas ended up taking the side of the Church/pope over the King
Murdered in 1170 (Assassinated by followers of the King Henry in Canterbury Cathedral)
Was canonized as both Saint and martyr following his murder
The Shrine of Saint Thomas of Beckett became a popular destination for religious pilgrimages during the Middle Ages

10. Canterbury Tales 101 written between 1357-1400
The book, which features thirty pilgrims, was supposed to contain 4 tales from each – 2 on the way there, 2 on the way back
MATH GENIUSES---compute!
He died and (mercifully) only 24 tales were completed
How many were there supposed to have been originally? 120
Chaucer started writing in his 40s which was really old for the time, so he died before he could finish.
Tales are written in various forms/styles to mirror popularity at the time
They cover a variety of themes
regularly rhyming couplets
told in social order (except for Miller)
A character, Harry Bailey, narrates and is supposedly on the trip.

11. Pilgrim’s Route

12. Chaucer’s England Social Structure
Society was divided into 3 groups:
Clergy-responsible for people’s spiritual well-being
Aristocracy- responsible for defending the nation through military might.
Commoners- laborers and producers
Well-defined hierarchical positions

13. Clergy (1.5 %) No one was born into the clergy
Regular clergy
Secular clergy
Nuns
Regular clergy: (monks and friars) the regular clergy were male and were sworn to a life of celibacy and poverty
Secular clergy: parish priests (parsons) and clerics.
While regular clergy take religious vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and follow the rule of life of the institute to which they belong, secular clergy do not take vows, and they live in the world at large, rather than a religious institute
Nuns: didn't have the same rights as the male clergy– took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience

14. Aristocracy(1%) Titled, inherited Includes dukes, counts, barons
Knights- lacked hereditary titles. Less than 1,000 in Chaucer’s England.
Squires: the backbone of the English and French armies. Moderate landowners and men of gentle birth who were not knighted.

15. The Commoners (97%) Loose rank based on land ownership
Most of England’s population lived in the country side
At the top were Franklins/Yeoman were freemen who had more then 50 acres)
At the bottom of rural society were those who held no land and were dependent upon their earnings as laborers (plowmen, herdsmen, etc.)

16. Compare and Contrast
How was the society during the Middle Ages different from 21st century society?
Religion
Types of jobs
Politics

17. A frame narrative?
It’s a story that provides a vehicle, or frame, for telling other stories. (Forrest Gump, Frankenstein)
Setting- spring (symbolically a time of new life and awakening); 55 mile journey—a long trip by horseback
Shrine of Thomas a Becket—he was killed defending the rights of the English Church against King Henry II….a martyr