1340(CA)-1400

1
The Age of Geoffrey Chaucer

• 1340(CA)-1400

2
Hundred Years War (1337-1453)

• War with France
• Based on possible ascension to French throne.
• With death of Charles IV of France, no direct
  male heirs existed.
• Dispute over the throne between
• Philip VI of Valois (cousin of Charles IV)
• the daughters of Charles IV
• Edward III of England (grandson of Philip of IV
  of France)

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Hundred Years War (1337-1453)

• Tension augmented by complicated landholdings and
  fealty of British monarchs.
• Beginning with William I of England (the
  Conqueror), British monarchs held land in France
  and were required to swear fealty to the Kings of
  France.
• Because they had holdings in France, they also
  controlled a significant portion of France over
  time.
• Henry II (1154-1189) held Normandy, Anjou, Maine,
  Nantes, Aquitaine and parts of Brittany.

4
Hundred Years War (1337-1453)

• Edward III of England (1327-1377)
• Ruled at the beginning of the Hundred Years War
• His mother and grandmother were both daughters of
  kings of France.
• Claimed a right to the French throne as a direct
  male descendent after the death of Charles IV of
  France.

5
Later Kings of Hundred Years War

• Continued into rule of Richard II (1377-1399)
• Last ruler of Chaucers lifetime and of the House
  of Plantagenet
• Henry IV (1399-1413)
• First of the House of Lancaster (branch of the
  House of Plantagenet through John of Gaunt)
• Henry V (1413-1422)
• Henry VI (1422-1461)
• Briefly ruled France
• Suffered from insanity, which led to the War of
  the Roses and eventual rise of the House of York

6
Religious Influences

• Church Power in the Middle Ages
• Primary landowners in Britain
• Had the ability to levy taxes and influence the
  creation of secular laws and impose Church laws.
• Saint Thomas à Becket Controversy
• Henry II (1154-1189) and relationship with the
  Catholic Church
• Named his friend Becket the Archbishop of
  Canterbury, despite qualifications and concerns
  of his advisors
• After instatement, Becket changed his allegiance
  and lifestyle, which led to conflict with Henry
  II and Beckets martyrdom.

7
The Crusades (1095-1291)

• Begun by Pope Urban II to re-take Jerusalem (The
  Holy Land) from Muslims and Jews, who also have
  religious claims to the city.
• Pope Gregory VIIs Just War Doctrine justified
  war, based on persecution of Christians in
  Jerusalem.
• This justification was expanded on by Pope Urban
  II, who urged rich and poor to take up the holy
  cause. He expressed that this was Gods work, and
  as a result all who fought would be granted full
  forgiveness of sins and those who died in battle
  would be granted immediate entry to Heaven.
  (Speech at the Council of Clermont).

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The Crusades (1095-1291)
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The Crusades (1095-1291)

• Role as pilgrimage the crusaders not only fought
  for God, but used this as a pilgrimage to advance
  their faith.
• During this time, pilgrimages were an important
  showing of faith, one that increased through the
  association with the Crusades.
• Rich and poor were expected to complete
  pilgrimages in accordance with their abilities.
  There were smaller pilgrimages within countries
  and regions, i.e. the shrine of Saint Thomas à
  Becket at Canterbury.

10
Cultural Influences

• The Black Death
• Outbreak of the Bubonic Plague in Europe in 1347,
  which resulted in a great loss of life across the
  continent.
• It hit Britain in 1349 and resulted in the death
  of about one third of the population.
• Everyone was susceptible, but the lower classes
  suffered the greatest losses in terms of numbers.
  This is probably due to the poorer living
  conditions and greater exposure to rats and fleas.

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Effects of the Black Death

• The Decline of the Feudal System
• Growth of the Middle Class and increased social
  mobility due to large loss of life.
• Serfs move to estates and towns.
• Increase of violence and interest in violence
• Because of the large numbers of lives lost,
  people became desensitized.
• Art and literature frequently mirror society, so
  it reflects this coarse outlook, both in humor
  and content.

13
Chaucers Career

• Poet patronized by royalty
• Prince John of Gaunt
• Son of Edward III
• Uncle of Richard II
• Father of Henry IV
• His wifes sister became John of Gaunts third
  wife.
• Family was intertwined with the royal family.
• Primary careers
• Lawyer
• Comptroller for the port of London
• Diplomat, traveled extensively in France and
  Italy.
• Member of the Parliament of Kent
• Wrote in addition to other work.

14
Literary Significance

• The Father of English Literature
• The Canterbury Tales feature almost every type of
  Medieval narrative
• Development of Language
• Wrote in Middle English
• Extensive writing led to standard language, which
  developed into Modern English

15
The Canterbury Tales

• Cross-section of Medieval British society.
• Tales told by members of clergy, nobility,
  working class, knights, men and women.

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The Frame Story

• Influenced by Boccacio and the Italian
  Renaissance
• Traveled to Italy in career as diplomat
• Italian Renaissance begins ca. 1300, and its
  influence spreads north into the rest of Europe.
• The Decameron written by Boccaccio (1351),
  collection of stories told by young nobles who
  flee an outburst of the plague in Florence and
  are encamped at a country villa.
• Story that allows for telling of other stories or
  tales within the plot.
• Chaucer originally planned to write 120 tales for
  his Canterbury Tales, but died after writing only
  24.

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The Canterbury Tales The General Prologue

• 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,
• Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
• Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
• The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
• Hath in the Ram his halve cours yronne,
• And smale foweles maken melodye,
• That slepen al the nyght with open ye
• (so priketh hem Nature in hir corages),
• 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,
• The hooly blisful martir for to seke,
• That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.
• General Prologue in Middle English