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Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

Chaucer's world. 14th century England's population was approximately 2 millionLondon about 50 thousandCountryside dotted w/ small Market towns of about 150 persons. Mindset of the time. Thought still medieval, but renaissance was on the thresholdMedieval- man had no right to think for himself;

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Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

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    1. Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

    2. Chaucer’s world 14th century England’s population was approximately 2 million London about 50 thousand Countryside dotted w/ small Market towns of about 150 persons

    3. Mindset of the time Thought still medieval, but renaissance was on the threshold Medieval- man had no right to think for himself; he was a member of universal and united Christendom Renaissance- man believed in forming his own social groups and national (rather than universal) interests.

    4. Chaucer’s audience was educated, sophisticated and worldly- knew French, Latin, and English and could understand classical allusions, subtle satire and irony.

    5. Challenges for Chaucer: At the time Chaucer wrote, 5 different accents spoken in English with such variety that a person from one region could not understand another. Chaucer’s language is Middle English.

    6. About Chaucer… Considered the “Father of English poetry” – made the English language respectable Chaucer was a civil servant: soldier, diplomat, courtier Served three kings: Edward III, Richard II, Henry IV Taken prisoner by French while serving as a soldier during the Hundred Year’s War: Edward III paid ransom

    7. He witnessed the change of England from a Medieval to a Renaissance society. In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer uses seemingly unimportant details, usually description, to point out the difference between what characters are and what they should be.

    8. In the Prologue, only 3 pilgrims seemed to be admired by Chaucer: the Knight, the Parson, and the Plowman. According to some critics, these 3 represent three of the most important classes of Medieval Society (they are represented abstractly while other characters are sharply defined).

    9. Chaucer originally planned 124 tales. 22 were completed before his death and were left fragmented The order of the tales is not certain.

    10. Format of the tales The time is spring (April) the setting is a framework: a story within a story Pilgrims are on their way to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Thomas Becket Narrator (Chaucer) spends the night at Tabard Inn in Southwark; 29 other pilgrims arrive

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