1. Geoffrey Chaucer “the father of English literature”the father of English literature

2. Biographical Sketch Born in London around 1340 and died in 1400. First great English humorist and short story writer. A man of varied experience. – Page to royal court. – Fluent in Latin, French and Italian. – Soldier, courtier, diplomat, civil administrator, translator, and scholar. Buried in Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey.

3. Timeline Renaisance begins 1500 AD Canterbury Tales 1400 AD Fall of the Roman Empire 500 AD 1066 -1500 Middle English Period, aka, Middle Ages

4. Middle Ages Religious scene = Age of Faith – The Catholic church is very powerful. – Faith kept people hopeful. Politically = Feudalism – King owned everything – Peasants/serfs at the bottom of the social pyramid. – Orderly system believed to be made in heaven.

5. Socially = Age of Chivalry – Chivalé = horseman (someone who fights while on a horse, like a knight). – Social manners, knights, are are at the top of the pyramid based on social code called chivalry.

6. Middle Ages are also called Medieval Period and the Dark Ages Disregard for learning/education. Fear/superstition about the future. Preceded the Renaissance, which was the flowering of art, science, learning in Western Europe.

7. Feudalism Political and military system in Western Europe during the Medieval Period. Developed after strong central government of Rome collapsed, in response to barbarian disorder and warfare. Peaked from 800-1200 A.D. Disappeared around 1400 A.D. – Economic revival, growth of cities – Invention of gunpowder, long bow and printing press. Involved symbiotic relationship of king, lord, vassal and serf. – Honor (chivalry). – Tenure (landholding).

9. The Canterbury Tales The first collection of short stories in English literature. Chaucer began writing them in his early forties and they were left unfinished. He created a frame story: a story that surrounds another story or group of stories. – In heroic couplets Five beat/10 syllable verses; every two verses rhyme – Canterbury Cathedral = holy shrine – The tales depict the pilgrimage of 30 pilgrims who amuse themselves with stories while travelling to the cathedral. – The pilgrimage takes about three days. – Chaucer goes along for the ride, as an observer.

10. – An ironic, sometimes satirical, look at three important social groups: Feudal society Church society The Middle Class “The Prologue” Our journey begins here: Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is about a group of 14th century pilgrims from all walks of life who travel together for several days telling stories to entertain each other on their way to a shrine in Canterbury. The person who tells the most entertaining story wins dinner at the local tavern, courtesy of the other story-telling pilgrims.

11. http://mpero.wikispaces.com/The+CAnterbur y+Tales+Reading+%26+Responding http://mpero.wikispaces.com/The+CAnterbur y+Tales+Reading+%26+Responding