Geoffrey Chaucer

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Geoffrey Chaucer is the first great writer in
the English languagewhose name we know. He
died in the year 1400 A.D.(so that we could more
easily remember)
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Geoffrey Chaucer
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Canterbury Tales Pilgrims traveling in England
in the late 1300stake turns telling
stories. The outer frame tale describes the
pilgrimsbefore they tell their stories,and they
frequently talk and argue in between the tales
they tell.
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The pilgrims are traveling to Canterbury,the
center of the Church(Catholic Church then,
Anglican Church now) Like all of Nature,people
want to get up and do things in the spring
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The famous beginning of Canterbury
Talesdescribes the energies of spring all
through Nature, including human beings Whan
that aprill with his shoures soote The droghte
of march hath perced to the roote, And bathed
every veyne in swich licour Of which vertu
engendred is the flour Thanne longen folk to
goon on pilgrimages.
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Chaucer is most famous for his descriptions of
a wide variety of characters
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Each of the pilgrims is described in
affectionate detail.All together, Chaucers
descriptionsgive us a sweeping portrait of the
range of humanity in Englandin the Middle Ages.
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William Blakes famous painting from the 1800s
captures the energy and variety of the pilgrims.
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The first character, traveling with his squire
and yeoman, is a knightwho represents the
nobilityHe was a very parfit, gentle knight.
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The leader of the religious groupis a Prioress,
who speaks French welland has perfect table
manners.
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She wears a brooch in the shape of the letter
A, which stands forAmor vincit omnia.
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The favorite of English teachers is the clerk,
or student, who spends all his little bit of
money on books instead of food. And gladly
wolde he lerne and gladly teche.
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The most vigorous character isthe
larger-than-life Wife of Bath
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The Wife of Bath energetically refutes religious
mens attempts to control and condemn her. She
thoroughly enjoys her life, including five
husbands. She has no regrets about enjoying life
to the full But, lord crist! whan that it
remembreth me Upon my yowthe, and on my jolitee,
It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote.
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The crudest character is the Miller
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The millere was a stout carl for the nones Ful
byg he was of brawn, and eek of bones. That
proved wel, for over al ther he cam, At
wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram. He was
short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre Ther was
no dore that he nolde heve of harre, Or breke it
at a rennyng with his heed. His berd as any sowe
or fox was reed, And therto brood, as though it
were a spade. Upon the top right of his nose he
hade A werte, and theron stood a toft of herys,
Reed as the brustles of a sowes erys His
nosethirles blake were and wyde. A swerd and
bokeler bar he by his syde. His mouth as greet
was as a greet forneys. He was a janglere and a
goliardeys, And that was moost of synne and
harlotries. Wel koude he stelen corn and tollen
thries And yet he hadde a thombe of gold,
pardee. A whit cote and a blew hood wered he. A
baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowne, And
therwithal he broghte us out of towne.
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Probably his bagpipe sounded like Salterello
at http//www.noiseofminstrels.co.uk/noises.htm
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The Millers loud, crude, low-class personality
is a good set-up for his lewd, obscene, raucous
tale, in which adultery, deceit, and
gullibilitylead to disgusting and painful
kisses.