Picture of Chaucer from the Ellesmere Manuscript, an early 15th century illuminated manuscript

Life & Times• Born _____, Died _____

(London, England)• Son of ________ wine

merchant• In his teens, he was placed in

the service of the Countess of Ulster so he could obtain more ________ and be schooled in _____ and _____

• Thus, he would have learned _____ and some _____ as well as perhaps some _____ and _______

Life & Times• In 1359, he was ______ by the

______ at the Siege of Reims during the Hundred Years' War while serving in English army; ________by King Edward III a year later

• Chaucer joined the royal household and became a _____, trusted _______, and ______

• Married Phillipa, a _______ to the Queen.

• Chaucer had 2 sons and possibly a daughter

Career: Royal Messenger

• Chaucer was frequently sent to the continent on secret business for ___________.

• Some of these trips were to ______ where he became acquainted with the works of the great ______ authors: Boccaccio (1313-1375), ____ (1265-1321), and Petrarch (1304-1374)

• He traveled all over England, Italy, _____ and _____ (France) and met many people

Career: Civil Servant• Controller of Customs on Wools, Skins and Hides for the Port of

London– Here he would meet many types of ________, _______, travelers,

________, and ____________

• Clerk of the King’s Works– In charge of __________ and repairs affecting the royal residences; here

he would meet many ________ as well as court _______

• Deputy Forester of the King’s Forests– Away from the city, he met peasants, _______, local clergy, and other

country _____

• Representative of the Shire of Kent in Parliament– Here he met the rich and influential _____, and the upper middle class, as

well as the higher ranking _____ officials

Britain’s First Poet• Began writing in his

____• Published works in the

______, or everyday speech

• First to prove that common language could be as ____ and _____ as the romantic languages

Chaucer’s Legacy• Father of English ____

• Buried in Westminster Abbey

• Chaucer’s tomb is the centerpiece of _____

• Famous work The Canterbury Tales represents cross section of _____

Canterbury Cathedral, England

Key Facts: The Canterbury Tales

• Written by Chaucer 1380s-1390s (____ century)• First printed version 1470• Chaucer wrote about every class of British life that he

had met as a _______.• The Canterbury Tales is considered one of Britain’s

greatest national ______• Narrative poem that centers around _____ to ______;

a story about a ______ competition• Chaucer is the _____ and also one of the ______ • “The ____” is the tavern owner (Harry Bailey)

who serves as a guide and _____

London

Chaucer’s Plan ...• _____ followed by a series of stories and

linking dialogues and commentaries• 29 characters• Each character would tell __ stories

going and __ stories coming home• Tales would be written in _____, rather

than French or Latin, so ordinary _____ could enjoy them.

• Techniques, such as ____ and irony, allowed Chaucer to express his views on British ____

Key Literary Terms

• Frame story

• Prologue

• Characterization

• Satire– Estate satire

• Hyperbole

• Stereotype

Frame Story

• Literary genre

• A narrative structure providing the framework for connecting a series of otherwise unrelated tales

• Introductory material for more significant secondary tale or tales

• Also called frame narrative, frame tale

Prologue

• An introductory section of a literary work. It often contains information establishing the situation of the characters or presents information about the setting, time period, or action.

• In the "General Prologue" of The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer describes the main characters and establishes the setting and purpose of the work.

Characterization• The method used by a writer to develop a

character. The method includes – Description of physical appearance– Presentation of speech, thoughts, feelings and

actions– Presentation of other characters’ thoughts as

they relate to the character

• Direct or indirect characterization

Satire• A literary mode based on criticism of people and

society through ridicule. The satirist aims to reduce the practices attacked by laughing scornfully at them--and being witty enough to allow the reader to laugh, also. 

• Techniques such as irony and hyperbole accentuate the ridicule and add humor.

• Estate Satire - a genre that satirizes the abuses that occur among social classes

The Three Estates: Social divisions in Chaucer’s time: mid-fourteenth century

• First Estate: Church, clergy– Intellectuals: Clerics (clerks)

• Second Estate: Nobility, knights

• Middle Class– Mercantile Class: Merchants, businessmen

• Third Estate or Peasantry: Farmers

• Feminine Estate: Virgin, wife, and widow

Hyperbole

• Exaggeration or overstatement

• Often emphasized by alliterationor rhyming couplets

• In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, look for exaggerations to character traits, interests, concerns, and physical attributes as narrator describes characters on the way to Canterbury

Stereotype

1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.

2. One who is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type.

But why go to Canterbury?

Reason #1: Religion• Canterbury has always been

an important _____ center in England.

• St. Augustine (seen in stained glass from the Canterbury Cathedral) was sent by Pope Gregory the Great to _____ the Catholic faith in the country

• _____ played an important part in medieval life.

Why was religion important?

• Middle Ages was riddled with strife and disease– ____ (“Ring around the rosy…”)– ______– High Infant ______ Rate– Short ______ Expectancy– Harsh ____ Conditions (“peas, porridge, hot…”)

• Medieval people saw much ___ and had little to look forward to except going to ____

Reason #2: Canterbury was a Popular ________ Site

…help with medical,

financial or other

problems.

People of all classes went on pilgrimages to holy sitesto ask for…

Reason #3: Canterbury is the location of the shrine of St. ______ à Becket,

an important ____ century political and ____ figure

Stained glass window from Canterbury Cathedral of St. Thomas a Becket

Becket was a trusted adviser and friend of King Henry II. In 1162, Henry named Becket _______ of Canterbury.

Becket’s _______ angered the King. One day, King Henry complained, “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome ______?” Three ____ rode to Canterbury where they found Becket at the altar of Canterbury Cathedral.

In 1170, King Henry’s men _________ Becket at the altar.

The death of Becket angered the ______,

who felt his ____ heritage made him

one of them.

Soon after, he was _____ by Pope

Alexander. He was also venerated as a

_____ and ____ by the Catholic Church.

____________ Cathedral became a site for _________

to offer prayers to Saint _________.

Today, a modern _____ made from ______ marks the site of the _____.

The fact that Chaucer wrote in English (____ English), rather than French or Latin like many of his fellow writers, meant that ordinary folks could enjoy The Canterbury Tales and their vivid characters.

Chaucer surrounded by his characters.

The late 14th century world was still very much one of the spoken word. Books were copied out by ____ and were a rare luxury until the advent of the printing press ___ years later. While the educated elite could read, they preferred to be entertained by texts read ____.

The Canterbury Tales, with its ____ humor and _____ dialogue, was and still is enjoyed by all ages and classes for its broad and inclusive depiction of Medieval life, culture, and people.

So, let’s travel back to ___ century London, to the area called Southwark,

and begin at the _____ Inn.

We’ll meet the characters and hear their stories.