1. Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales
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4/24/2017
Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales
Overview of a Life and Work

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Chaucer the man
Born ?
Positions held:
Esquire of the royal court
Comptroller of customs,
port of London
Soldier, Hundred Years’ War
Diplomat
Poet
Justice of the peace
Member of Parliament...Etc.!
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Celebrated Author
Among works written:
The House of Fame, late 1370s.
The Parliament of Fowls, 1380.
Boece, Troilus, and Croseyede,
The Legend of Good Women,
The Canterbury Tales.
This was a 13-year project:
 begun
 bulk written  latest tales
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4. Chaucer’s Life and Family
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4/24/2017
Chaucer’s Life and Family
Chaucer’s father was a vintner.
Chaucer belonged to the upper
middle class.
He had a wife and children.
Well respected among peers and held in high esteem by king; received annual wine supplies, which later increased in size
Little is known of his life beyond official duties and achievements.
He died in 1400 (October 25?).
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5. About The Canterbury Tales
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4/24/2017
About The Canterbury Tales
A series of stories told by individuals representing a cross-section of medieval English society who undergo a Christian pilgrimage from London to Canterbury.
Told as a game to make the journey less tiresome and grueling, and to see who tells the best tale.
Many different storytellers—some rough, vain, or materialistic; others wise, pious, or noble.
Therefore, many different tales...
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The Characters
The Knight
The Miller
The Reeve
The Cook
The Man of Law
The Wife of Bath
The Friar
The Summoner
The Clerk
The Merchant
The Squire
The Franklin
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More Characters
The Physician
The Pardoner
The Shipman
The Prioress
Sir Topas
Melibee
The Monk
The Nun’s Priest
The Canon’s Yeoman
The Manciple
The Parson
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Structure and Themes
A prologue precedes each character’s tale
The prologue introduces the character personally
The tale reveals more through the character’s chosen subject and treatment of that subject
Major themes include morality and genuine vs. false pilgrimage
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9. The Text in Verse: Prologue
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The Text in Verse: Prologue
“Here bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunterbury.
Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,. . .
Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne. . . Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
And specially from every shires ende
Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende,…”         
Source:
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10. Pronouncing Vowels in Middle English
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4/24/2017
Pronouncing Vowels in Middle English
Middle English
Sounds like Modern
y,i “myne, sight”
“meet”
e, ee “me, meet, mete” (close e)
“mate”
e “begge, rede” (open e)
“bag”
a, aa “mate, maat”
“father”
u, ou “hus, hous”
“boot”
o, oo “bote, boot” (close o)
“oak”
o “lof, ok” (open o)
“bought”
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Web References
A Geoffrey Chaucer bio on a food-themed site with medieval recipes:
About Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales, plus text excerpts: and
Audio clip of professor reciting Canterbury prologue:
Learning Middle English – multiple-lesson website: found through
Aspects of Life in the Middle Ages, including quizzes and riddles:
Clip Art: and
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 ASSIGNMENT: Click on the hyperlink below. Explore the website. Then, in a paragraph, describe three things that most interest, puzzle, or enlighten you about the information you find: Life in the Middle Ages. DUE 10/5.
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