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Geoffrey Chaucer

“Father of English Literature”


Facts
• London
• Born between 1340 – 1344
• Come from a prosperous middle-
class family
• Son of John Chaucer , a vintner
(a person who makes wine or sells
wine)
• Influenced by Boccario, Dante
and Petrarch
• Sanitized church abuses in his
portrayals of the friat, monk
pardoner and summoner in his
Canterbury Tales
Works
• Translation of Roman de la Rose,
possibly extant as The Romance of
the Rose
• The Book of the Duchess
• The House of Fame
• Anelida and Arcite
• Parlement of Foules
• Translation of Boethius'
Consolation of Philosophy as
Boece
• Troilus and Criseyde
• The Legend of Good Women
• The Canterbury Tales
• Treatise on the Astrolabe
He also worked as
• Courtier
• Diplomat
• Civil servant
• Work for the king
• Collecting and inventorying scrap
metals
Hundred years war
(1359)
• Edward III invaded France
• Chaucer traveled with Lionel
of Antwerp, 1st Duke of
Clarence, Elizabeth's
husband, as part of the
English army.
Siege of Rheims (1360)
• He became prisoner of war
• Edward paid £16 as ransom to
release Chaucer
• Married to Philappa Roet
• She was a lady-in-waiting to
Edward III’s queen
• Their children was uncertain
but 3 to 4 are most commonly
cited
Positions
• Became varlet de chambre, yeoman,
or esquire (June 20, 1367)
- position which could entail
many numbers of jobs
• ‘Clerk of the king’s works’ foreman
organizing most of the king’s building
projects (July 13 1389)
Death
• After Richard II was overthrown, his
patron. (1399)
• Chaucer vanished from historical
records
• Believed to have died in unknown
causes on October 25, 1400
THE CANTERBURY
TALES
Beginning
• General Prologue
• Introduction and description of
pilgrims journeying
• Going to the shrine of the St.
Thomas a Becket at Canturbury
Sir Thomas
• A Becket
• Martyred saint of Christianity
• Buried in the cathedral of
Canterbury since 1170
Characteristics
• Stories seem to fit the individual
characteristics of the pilgrims and
social standings
• Some seem ill-fated, maybe because
of the incomplete state of the work
Pilgrims
• Virtuous
• Villainous
• From Medieval Period
• Begins at April, time of happiness and
rebirth
• Hoped for blessed travel and rebirth
of their own along the way

Objectives
• To Canterbury and back, each must
have 2 stories in each direction as
suggested by the host
• In conclusion, host will decide which
is the best story
• Knight • Honor
• Chivalry

• Miller • Dishonor
• frivolity
• Pardoner
• Carpenter
• Travel alongside a
sailor
• Monk
Chaucer frequently
includes
• Religion/ Christ like worship
• Unfaithful women
• Cuckolded men
Prologue
• About the pilgrims
• Or Chaucer to illustrates the
dynamics of the group
• Plan of the book
Canterbury Tales
• are not fully completed with the task
of having each pilgrim to tell to
stories.
• Destination to Canterbury was not
explicitly mentioned in pilgrim’s
prologue or Chaucer’s retraction
Some pilgrims who didn’t
tell any stories
• Tapestry
• Maker
• Haberdasher

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