The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer

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The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer
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Early Life

• Born c. 1340
• Family of wine makers and merchants
• Mid-teens
• Placed in the service of the Countess of Ulster
• Obtain more education
• Schooled in court and society
• Learned
• Latin and Greek
• French and Italian

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Other Jobs Chaucer Held/Learned from

• Controller of Customs on Wools, Skins and Hides
  for the Port of London
• Businessmen, Sailors, Travelers, City Folk and
  Common Laborers
• Clerk of the Kings Works
• Construction and repairs affecting the royal
  residences
• Guildsmen and Court Officials
• Deputy Forester of the Kings Forests
• Away from the city
• Peasants, Foresters, Local Clergy and other
  Country Folk
• Representative of the Shire of Kent in Parliament
• The Rich, the Influential and the Upper Middle
  Class
• Higher ranking Church Officials

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The Language

• Prior to Chaucer England texts were in
• Latin
• (the language of the church)
• French
• (the language of the nobility)
• The Canterbury Tales
• Wrote in the language of the people.
• Medieval English
• Changed the history of literature.

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• Late 14th century world spoken word.
• Books
• Copied by hand
• A rare luxury
• Educated elite
• Read
• Preferred to hear texts as entertainment.
• The Canterbury Tales
• Earthy humor (Peasants)
• Vivid dialogue
• (Upper Class)
• A success!

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Chaucers Plan

• Prologue
• Introduction of Characters (Pilgrims)
• A series of stories
• Linking dialogues
• Commentaries
• A pilgrimage based on a dare
• Each character (23) would tell 2 stories there
  and 2 stories coming back

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Characterization

• Job
• Type and color of clothing
• Accessories
• (jewelry, pets, other portables)
• The way they act
• Income
• Secrets
• Their status in society
• The way they speak / their slang/accent
• Mode of transportation

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Why Canterbury?!
Canterbury Important religious center in
England
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Answer 1 Religion

• Important part in medieval life.
• Plague
• Warfare
• High Infant Mortality Rate
• Short Life Expectancy
• A whole life in harsh conditions
• Best thing you had to look forward to was dying
  and going to heaven

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Answer 2 Pilgrimage Site

• People of all classes went on pilgrimages to holy
  sites.
• Asked for help with medical, financial or other
  problems.

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• Answer 3
• The
• Shrine
• of
• St. Thomas
• À Becket

Canterbury Cathedral A site for pilgrims to
offer prayers to St. Thomas.
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Who was Becket?

• Becket was a trusted adviser and friend of King
  Henry II.
• Henry named Becket
• Archbishop of Canterbury.
• Greater power in England for the Church of Rome

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Beckets outspoken style angered the King.Henry
complained, Will no one rid me of this
meddlesome priest? 3 knights rode to
Canterbury where they found Becket at the altar
of Canterbury Cathedral
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and murdered Becket at the altar! The death
of Becket angered the peasants(felt his Saxon
heritage made him one of them)
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A modern cross made from swords marks the site
of the martyrdom.
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So, travel back to London, to an area called
Southward, and stop at the Tabard Inn
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to hear the story begin!