 Born in London,1343  Middle-class family; father was a wine merchant  Chaucer read a great deal & received some education and legal training  Became a page to an eminent family  Became a government official serving three kings: Edward III, Richard II, Henry IV

 Chaucer was a prisoner during  the 100 Years War—the king  (Edward III)  contributed to his ransom  Continued to serve the king & have his protection. Served as an ambassador, justice of the peace & in Parliament  Although writing playing a major role in Chaucer’s life, work came first

 Chaucer is often referred to as the ‘father of English poetry’  With few exceptions, it was not fashionable for serious poets to write in English – the language of literature was still Latin  Chaucer composed in the vernacular – everyday language spoken in London

 Chaucer was the first of the great English writers to be gathered into what is known as Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey.

 Chaucer traveled to Italy in 1372 & 1378  He was influenced by the poetry of Dante & Petrarch, and the stories of Boccaccio  Both Boccaccio’s Decameron & Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales use a framing device – a group who fled plague ravaged Florence & a group on a religious pilgrimage – it is within these frames that the characters tell their stories

 The Canterbury Tales, begun in 1387, was never completed  Still, just the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales is sufficient to place Chaucer among the greatest of English authors

 The Canterbury Tales provides a portrait of late medieval English life, introducing the audience to a diverse group of travelers on a spring pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.

 The Canterbury Tales is written in iambic pentameter, reflecting the natural rhythm of spoken language  Written in rhyming couplets that are not end-stopped; so-called “open couplets”

 There is speculation that the poet/narrator is Chaucer himself  The narrator introduces us to 29 other pilgrims (travelers), each of whom is to tell four stories and asks us not to “condemn” him for giving an honest account.

A kind of writing that ridicules human weakness, vice or folly, or what the author sees as dangerous religious, political, moral or social standards.

Direct  Tells us directly what the characters are like  Describes how the characters look and dress

Indirect  Presents the characters words & actions  Reveals characters private thoughts & feelings  Shows how others respond to the characters