1. Introduction to Chaucer and Canterbury Tales

2. Chaucer’s Life Chaucer Lived: 1343-1400 He was a Middle English poet
He was considered to be the greatest literary figure of his age and one of the most important of English poets

3. Chaucer’s Work Divided into three literary periods
1. The French Period ( )
2. The Italian Period ( )
3. The English Period ( )
*Canterbury Tales began around 1386
French Poetry
Italian prose/literature
Canterbury Tales

4. Canterbury Tales Chaucer summarized the: Ideas Attitudes
Literary themes and forms
of the middle ages
Gave English literature the mark of a definite personality

5. Canterbury Tales Chaucer is known for: Humor Realism
Psychological insight
Accuracy of his observation
Grace and technical excellence of his style
Poets of the 15th century, notably Spenser, looked upon Chaucer as their master
Wrote in the Middle English dialect- London
Edmund Spenser- Edmund Spenser (c. 1552–13 January 1599) was an English poet and Poet Laureate. Spenser is a controversial figure due to his zeal for the destruction of the Irish culture yet is one of the premier craftsmen of Modern English verse in its infancy.
Poet Laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events. Wikipedia.com

6. Canterbury Tales
Pilgrimage involved: a visit to the shrine of English martyr, Thomas Becket, The Archbishop of Canterbury.
Becket was murdered by King Henry II’s men in 1170 in Canterbury Cathedral (in Kent)
The Cathedral was the seat of Anglicanism (English Catholicism), about 60 miles from London
Anglican v. roman catholic

7. Canterbury Tales Time: April, 1387
Place of Departure: Tabard Inn at Southwark, located on the South bank of the River Thames opposite London
Reasons for visiting the shrine:
Forgiveness of sins
Healing through power of shrines
Spring aroused a wanderlust in their hearts

8. Canterbury Tales
The story-telling plan: Each of the 31 pilgrims (not including the host and Chaucer) will tell two tales to Canterbury and two tales on their return from the shrine; hence, there will be 124 tales
Chaucer, however, either lacked time or ambition, because only 24 of the tales were completed