Geoffrey Chaucer

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Geoffrey Chaucer

• Background for
• The Canterbury Tales

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Geoffrey Chaucer
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1327 Edward III crowned King
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Born 1341(?) in London

• Parents John and Agnus Chaucer
• Father was a wine merchant
• Family was upper middle-class

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Chaucers Education

• Studied at St. Pauls Grammar School
• Logic
• Latin Grammar
• Classical Roman works such as Seneca
• French
• Learned Arithmetic from his father

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Chaucer and the Royal Family

• At 14, became a Page in the home of Prince Lionel
  and his wife Elizabeth
• Makes friends with Lionels younger brother John
  of Gaunt, who became his lifelong patron
• Continued his education, and learned the ways of
  the Nobility

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Chaucer and the French Invasion

• In 1359, Chaucer goes into service of a Knight,
  carrying lances, dressing the Knight in armor
• On March 1, 1360, the French captured Chaucer
• Edward III paid a ransom for Chaucers release
• By May 1360, Chaucer returned home

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Marriage

• By 1367, Chaucer worked in the household of
  Edward III
• A year later, he had the title Esquire
• Chaucer married Philippa Roet, a lady-in-waiting
  of the Queen
• The Chaucers had three children Katherine,
  Thomas, and Lewis

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The French Period

• Chaucer became a diplomat in France for the royal
  family of England
• In June, 1374, the king appointed Chaucer as
  controller of customs
• Studied French court poetry and translated French
  poetry into English
• Chaucer wrote The Book of the Duchess using
  techniques from French poetry

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The Italian Period

• A diplomatic trip to Italy exposed Chaucer to
  Italian literature and poets Dante, Boccaccio,
  and Petrarch
• Italy was a leader in European commerce as well
  as the arts
• The Italians read literature in their own
  language in England, people read either Latin or
  French

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Celebrity Poet

• For reading a poem at court in 1374, Chaucer was
  granted a gallon of wine per day for the rest of
  his life
• For his diplomatic service, he was allowed to
  live in Aldgate rent free for life
• The king had an elegant red robe made for Chaucer

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This house, like Aldgate, was built as part of
the city gate
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King Richard II

• On June 26, 1377, Edward IIIs 10 year old
  grandson Richard crowned king
• Chaucer negotiated Richards marriage proposal to
  Bohemian princess Anne
• Chaucer served Richard II in many official jobs
  including attendant to Queen Anne, justice of the
  peace, and clerk of the kings works

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Italian influence

• Chaucer adapted Italian techniques to his poetry,
  but wrote in English. Works include Parliament
  of Fowles and Troilus and Criseyde
• Resigned from the Kings works after he was
  robbed and left without his horse

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The Canterbury Tales

• Started writing it in the 1380s
• Uses a frame device so that he could write a
  variety of tales
• Setting is April, with the pilgrims leaving the
  Tabard Inn for Canterbury
• Tavern keeper Harry Bailley was a real person

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The Pilgrims leave
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The Tabard Inn
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A London Street
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Canterbury Cathedral
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Beckets Murder Site
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Site of Beckets Shrine
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The Knights Tale
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Chaucer buried at Westminster Abbey
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Chaucer died October 25, 1400