Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

1. Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales British LiteratureEnglish IVMrs. Lewis

2. Early Life • Born c. 1340, probably in London • His family was not noble, but well off, having made money in wine and leather trades. • Chaucer’s parents were able to place him in the household of the wife of Prince Lionel, where he worked as an attendant. • While a teenager, he fought in the Hundred Years’ War. He was captured by the French at the siege of Rheims, and the king himself contributed to his ransom. • Chaucer joined the royal household and became a trusted messenger and minor diplomat.

3. Chaucer’s Plan for The Canterbury Tales • Chaucer wrote the tales in the last two decades of his life. • They were made up of a Prologue followed by a series of stories and linking dialogues and commentaries. • Each character would tell two stories on their way from London to Canterbury and two stories coming home. • The tales were still unfinished at the time of his death. • He had penned nearly 20,000 lines, but many more tales were planned.

6. One Answer: Religion • Canterbury was an important religious center in England. • St. Augustine was sent by Pope Gregory the Great to establish the Catholic faith in the country. • Christianity played an important part in medieval life. • Canterbury was a pilgrimage site and people of all classes went on pilgrimages to holy sites to ask for help with medical, financial or other problems.

7. The travelers in The Canterbury Tales are making a pilgrimage to the popular shrine of Saint Thomas à Becket in Canterbury. • Becket was a trusted advisor and friend of King Henry II. Henry named Becket Archbishop of Canterbury.

9. Saint Thomas à Becket • Becket was murdered at the altar. • The death of Becket angered the peasants who felt his Saxon heritage made him one of them. • Canterbury Cathedral became a site for pilgrims to offer prayers to Saint Thomas à Becket .

11. The Canterbury Tales were a huge success

13. Modern Day Pilgrim • In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer wrote about people who had met along the way of a pilgrimage. If you were going on a pilgrimage, think about the types of people you might encounter. In a group of 4, come up with one modern day pilgrim to share with the class.

14. Describe your pilgrim by: • Their job • Their facial features • The type and color of their clothing • Their “accessories” (jewelry, pets, other portables) • The way they act • Their income • Their “secrets” • Their status in society as a whole • The way they speak / their slang or accent • Their mode of transportation Begin your narrative like this: On our way to __________, we encountered …

16. We’ll meet the characters and hear their stories.