Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey ChaucerAnd The Canterbury Tales

www.jbhs.ccs.k12.nc.us/.../Geoffrey%20Chaucer%20and%20the%20Canterbury%20Tales.ppt, modified by Rebecca Oberg

Early LifeEarly LifeExact birth date unknown◦ (c. 1343-1400)

Father was a respected wine merchant—worked for many important people, including the king

Father found Chaucer employment as a “page.” Ran errands, delivered messages, carried baggage, etc.◦ Able to observe behavior of

aristocratsBegan to dislike people with

money and many members of the Church

YOUNG ADULT LIFEYOUNG ADULT LIFE

•Served in the English Army• Stationed in France• Taken hostage by the French government• King of England paid ransom (16 pounds)—equivalent to a

year’s pay for most Britains at the time• Chaucer did not gain any more respect for king

•1366—married Philippa de Roet. She died in 1387• Scholars believe they had three children. Little is known about

them:• Thomas• Elizabeth• Lewis

•Began to write negatively about the government and corruption in the Church

Government PositionsGovernment Positions•King wanted Chaucer on his side—gave him high-paying jobs that freed up his time so he could write:•Controller of Customs•Justice of the Peace•Member of Parliament•Diplomat to France and Italy•Supervisor of repairs and construction at Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London•Subforester of the King’s Forest

•Backfired on king—gave Chaucer more time to write, a great deal of money, and even more negative behavior to include in his writing

WritingsWritings•Began producing poetry in his twenties

•Was not received well•First book was called The Romance of the Rose

•Long narrative medieval romance•Chaucer translated much of it to Middle English, though he did not actually write it

•Greatest work is called The Canterbury Tales•Began writing it in 1386•Left unfinished when he died in 1400

DeathDeathDied in 1400Buried in “Poets’

Corner” of Westminster Abbey

First person to be buried there

2nd most famous British author ever (only Shakespeare more famous)

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury TalesFrame story—a series of

stories within a story◦ Prologue is the frame◦ Individual tales are WITHIN

the framePilgrimage to the shrine of

St. Thomas à Becket30 total pilgrims AND

the host (innkeeper)◦ Innkeeper is Chaucer—he

is their host and will judge the contest

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales cont’d cont’dPilgrims come from the three main

segments of medieval society◦ Church◦ Royal Court◦ Commoners

Uses different characters to explain his prejudices about certain groups of people=STEREOTYPING

Each character had flaws OR virtues that were apparent in the tales that they told

The PrologueThe Prologue Sets up the frame Introduces the characters ◦ Stereotypes them

Explains the trip and the contest◦ 50 mile trip from The

Tabard Inn in Southwark, England to Canterbury◦ To pass the time, each

pilgrim will tell TWO tales on the way to the shrine, and TWO on the way back

The Prologue cont’dThe Prologue cont’d•Innkeeper will judge the tales•Winner receives a free dinner when they return to the Tabard•30 pilgrims=how many tales total?•SHOULD be 120•Only 24 tales were finished•Chaucer died before he could finish all of the tales

•Told in 1st person from the Innkeeper’s point-of-view•Scholars think it’s Chaucer speaking

““The Pardoner’s Tale”The Pardoner’s Tale”One of the tales in “The

Canterbury Tales”What is a Pardoner?◦ Church official with a license

from the Pope to grant “indulgences” (forgiveness)◦ Also collected money

(supposed to be for tithing)◦ Corrupt pardoners SOLD

forgiveness for money◦ This pardoner manipulates

people into buying forgiveness from sins—even threatens them

““The Pardoner’s Tale” cont’dThe Pardoner’s Tale” cont’dPreface (introduction) told

in 1st person by Pardoner◦ Describes himself◦ Brags about his FLAW◦ Tells the tale’s theme

“Radix malorem est cupiditas” Greed is the root of all evil

◦ GREED is defined as the love of something beyond one’s own needs◦ It is one of the Seven Deadly

Sins

““The Pardoner’s Tale” cont’dThe Pardoner’s Tale” cont’dThree main characters◦ Referred to as the three

riotersThe devil is portrayed in

many formsCharacters are looking

for death personifiedIncludes a final plea from

the Pardoner for the pilgrims to buy forgiveness from him