1. Geoffrey Chaucer’s Major Works
By: Emily Choi, Danielle Hermino, Vishaal Kanitkar and Aayush Verma

2. Parliament of Fowls Background
Composed in the late 1370’s or early 1380’s
Considered one of his most successful works
Written to honor the engagement of Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia

3. Parliament of Fowls Summary
“Parliament of Fowls” is a poem about two lovers on St. Valentine’s day
Style
It is a “dream vision” poem
The story is actually the content of
the narrator’s dream

4. Troilus and Criseyde Background Date of composition is unknown
Believed to be written in the 1380s (but before 1388)
Chaucer’s longest single poem
Divided into 5 “books”
Survives in 16 manuscripts and different fragments

5. Troilus and Criseyde Summary
About “the love affair of a Trojan prince, Troilus, and a young widow,
Criseyde, during the Trojan War”
Style
Iambic pentameter in rhyme royal

6. The Legend of Good Women
Background
Subtitled The Saints’ Legend of Cupid
Last of his “dream vision” poems
Prologue exists in two distinct forms
Poem is easily comprehended even without having previous knowledge

7. The Legend of Good Women
Summary
Story of ten “good women”
Written by the narrator after being summoned by the God of Love
Style
Couplets of iambic pentameter

8. The Canterbury Tales Background An ensemble of about 20 stories
Written in the late 1300’s (most
likely between 1380 and 1400)
“The Canterbury Tales” is Chaucer’s longest work, at over 17,000 lines
Widely regarded as Chaucer’s most famous work

9. A Treatise on the Astrolabe
Background
Written circa 1391
Explains the construction and use of the astrolabe (astronomer’s tool)
His only scientific text
Dedicated to his young son Lewis
Therefore, written in very plain English
Only two of five parts have survived in manuscripts

10. A Treatise on the Astrolabe
Summary
Part I: description of the instrument and its parts
Part II: teaches Lewis how to use the instrument
Part III: tables of information from the work of old astrologers
Part IV/V: astronomical and astrological theory

11. Works Cited
Rossignol, Rosalyn. "Troilus and Criseyde." Critical Companion to Chaucer: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 2 Dec <
Rossignol, Rosalyn. "Troilus and Criseyde." Critical Companion to Chaucer: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 2 Dec <
Regula Meyer Evitt"Troilus and Criseyde." In Sauer, Michelle M. The Facts On File Companion to British Poetry before New York: Facts On File, Inc., Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 2 Dec <
Rossignol, Rosalyn. "The Canterbury Tales." Critical Companion to Chaucer: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec <
Ruud, Jay. "The Parliament of Fowls." Encyclopedia of Medieval Literature. New York: Facts On File, Inc., Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec <
Ruud, Jay. "dream vision." Encyclopedia of Medieval Literature. New York: Facts On File, Inc., Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec <
Rossignol, Rosalyn. "A Treatise on the Astrolabe." Critical Companion to Chaucer: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec <
Racon, Kimberly A. "The Legend of Good Women." In Sauer, Michelle M. The Facts On File Companion to British Poetry before New York: Facts On File, Inc., Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec
Rossignol, Rosalyn. "The Legend of Good Women." Critical Companion to Chaucer: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 Dec