Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales Overview of a Life and Work

3 October C. Tangenberg2 Chaucer the man Chaucer the man Born ? Positions held: Esquire of the royal court Comptroller of customs, port of London Soldier, Hundred Years’ War Diplomat Poet Justice of the peace Member of Parliament...Etc.!

3 October C. Tangenberg3 Celebrated Author Among works written: The House of Fame, late 1370s. The Parliament of Fowls, Boece, Troilus, and Croseyede, The Legend of Good Women, The Canterbury Tales. This was a 13-year project:  begun  bulk written  latest tales

3 October C. Tangenberg4 Chaucer’s Life and Family Chaucer’s father was a vintner. Chaucer belonged to the upper middle class. He had a wife and children. Well respected among peers and held in high esteem by king; received annual wine supplies, which later increased in size Little is known of his life beyond official duties and achievements. He died in 1400 (October 25?).

3 October C. Tangenberg5 About The Canterbury Tales A series of stories told by individuals representing a cross-section of medieval English society who undergo a Christian pilgrimage from London to Canterbury. Told as a game to make the journey less tiresome and grueling, and to see who tells the best tale. Many different storytellers—some rough, vain, or materialistic; others wise, pious, or noble. Therefore, many different tales...

3 October C. Tangenberg6 The Characters The Knight The Miller The Reeve The Cook The Man of Law The Wife of Bath The Friar The Summoner The Clerk The Merchant The Squire The Franklin

3 October C. Tangenberg7 More Characters The Physician The Pardoner The Shipman The Prioress Sir Topas Melibee The Monk The Nun’s Priest The Canon’s Yeoman The Manciple The Parson

3 October C. Tangenberg8 Structure and Themes A prologue precedes each character’s tale The prologue introduces the character personally The tale reveals more through the character’s chosen subject and treatment of that subject Major themes include morality and genuine vs. false pilgrimage

3 October C. Tangenberg9 The Text in Verse: Prologue “Here bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunterbury.Book of the Tales of Caunterbury Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,... Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth Inspired hath in every holt and heeth The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne... 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,…” Source:

3 October C. Tangenberg10 Pronouncing Vowels in Middle English Middle EnglishMiddle English Middle EnglishSounds like Modern y,i “myne, sight”“meet” e, ee “me, meet, mete” (close e) “mate” e “begge, rede” (open e) “bag” a, aa “mate, maat”“father” u, ou “hus, hous”“boot” o, oo “bote, boot” (close o) “oak” o “lof, ok” (open o)“bought”