Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales Overview of a Life and Work

Chaucer the man • Born 1345-46 ? • 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.! 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

Celebrated Author Among works written: • The House of Fame, late 1370s. • The Parliament of Fowls, 1380. • Boece, Troilus, and Croseyede, 1382-86. • The Legend of Good Women, 1385-87. • The Canterbury Tales. This was a 13-year project:  begun 1387-92  bulk written 1392-95  latest tales 1396-1400 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

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?). 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

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... 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

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 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

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 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

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 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

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: http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/teachslf/gp-par.htm 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

Pronouncing Vowels in Middle English 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

Web References • A Geoffrey Chaucer bio on a food-themed site with medieval recipes: www.godecookery.com/chaucer/ccookery.htm • About Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales, plus text excerpts: http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/ and http://www.unc.edu/depts/chaucer/ • Audio clip of professor reciting Canterbury prologue: http://academics.vmi.edu/english/audio/GP_Hanks.html • Learning Middle English – multiple-lesson website: http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/teachslf/less-0.htm#Index found through http://www.edsitement.neh.gov • Aspects of Life in the Middle Ages, including quizzes and riddles: www.learner.org/interactives/middleages/index.html • Clip Art: http://classroomclipart.com/cgi-bin/kids/imageFolio.cgi?direct=History/Middle_Agesand http://www.godecookery.com/pilgrims/pilgrims.htm 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

 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. 3 October 2007 - C. Tangenberg

Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales