Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer
Portrait of Chaucer from the 17th century
Born 1343 A.DLondon, England
Died 25 October 1400 (aged 56–57)
Resting place Westminster Abbey, London
Occupation Author, poet, philosopher, diplomat
Spouse(s) Philippa Roet
Children Elizabeth ChaucerThomas Chaucer
Parents John Chaucer
His father seems to have been pretty well off; he sold wine to bars and
taverns
she inherited twenty-four shops in London from her uncle
The plague struck England when Chaucer was about five years old
In 1343(14 years old) became a page in the house of the Countess of
Urlster
in 1359 he was captured by the French at the
siege of Reims during the the Hundred Years’
War while serving in English army; ransomed
King Edward III a year later.
As a royal messenger Chaucer was frequently
sent to the continent on secret business for
the King.
he became acquainted with the works of the
great Italian authors: Boccaccio, Dante, Petrarch
Other Jobs Chaucer Held…and Learned From...
Controller of Customs on Wools, Skins and Hides for the Port of London
Here he would meet many types of businessmen, sailors, travelers city folk and common laborers
Clerk of the King’s WorksIn charge of construction and repairs affecting the royal residences; here he would meet many guildsmen as well as court officials
Deputy Forester of the King’s ForestsAway from the city, he met peasants, foresters, local clergy and other country folk
Representative of the Shire of Kent in ParliamentHere he met the rich, the influential and the upper middle class as well as the higher ranking church officials
• Before Chaucer English was not fashionable.
• He wrote in the vernacular or everyday language.
• Since most literature and science was still written in Latin, Chaucer wrote his stories in Middle English (now Modern English).
• The popularity of Chaucer's works written in the London dialect of Middle English gave rise to this dialect
Why he is a father of English literature?
Elegy for “blanche of Lancaster”
Died in 1369
She was the wife of “john Gaunt” (son of Edward lll of England)
Dream Vision
In octosyllabic couplets(A stanza in which each of the two lines contains eight syllables.)
One Answer: Religion
Canterbury has always been an important religious center in England.
Religion played an important part in medieval life.
Describe them by:
Their jobThe type and color of their clothingTheir “accessories” (jewelry, pets, other portables)The way they actTheir incomeTheir “secrets”Their status in society as a wholeThe way they speak / their slang or accentTheir mode of transportation
Canterbury Tales
• General Prologue,
• The Knight's Tale,
• The Miller's Tale,
• The Reeve's Tale,
• The Cook's Tale
• The Man of Law's Tale
• The Shipman's Tale,
• The Prioress's Tale,
• Sir Thopas' Tale,
• The Tale of Melibee,
• The Monk's Tale,
• The Nun's Priest's Tale
• The Physician's Tale,
• The Pardoner's Tale
• The Wife of Bath's Tale,
• The Friar's Tale,
• The Summoner's Tale
• The Clerk's Tale,
• The Merchant's Tale
• The Squire's Tale,
• The Franklin's Tale
• The Second Nun's Tale,
• The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
• The Manciple's Tale
• The Parson's Tale
Written in octosyllabic coupletsIt is a dialogue between an
eagle and Chaucer Eagle is a medieval symbol of
contemplationThe manuscript abruptly end
It is one of the masterpieces of world literatureChaucer’s greatest sustained narrative and his only
complete long poemBoccaccio’s Il Filostrato is probably Chaucer’s sourceIt is a love story set against the background of the
Trojan warTroilus falls in love with Criseyda, a lovely widowShe became of mistress of Diomede
A series of narratives about faithful women deceived by men
Such women include Dido, Lucretia, Cleopatre, and MedeaHigh-spirited prologue
700 lines Dream visionWritten in rhyme Royal(a
Stanza of seven 10-syllable lines,rhyming ABABBCC, popularized by chucer
It’s the first refrence to St.Valentine’s Day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Canterbury_Tales
http://www.litencyc.com/glossaryMZ.php
http://spiritoftheages.com/Warwick_Goble_-_''The_Complete_Poetical_Works_of_Geoffrey_Chaucer''_(1912).htm#
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxqAwT5IpL8&hd=1
http://www.famousauthors.org/geoffrey-chaucer
Sources:
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