Geoffrey Chaucer ,“Chaucer Age”,Summary: The Canter bury Tale

 

Geoffrey Chaucer

Father of English ,1^st English poet, Father of English Literature

Introduction:

Geoffrey Chaucer is today one of the most highly regarded English poets, but during his lifetime his writing was largely subsidiary to his role in public affairs in 14th-century England. He undertook diplomatic missions to the European continent for several kings, and he served as a clerk for the maintenance of royal buildings.

Birth:

Geoffrey Chaucer was born in 1340, most in London, England.  Chaucer was only boy of his family.

Family:

 His father was a wine merchant. According to some sources, Chaucer’s father, John, carried on the family wine business. His father became tremendously wealthy when he inherited the property of a relative, who had died in Black Death 1349.

Schooling:

Geoffrey Chaucer is believed to have attended the St. Paul’s Cathedral School, where he probably first became acquainted with the influential writing of Virgil and Ovid.

Public Service:

v  He served the countess; husband Prince Lionel, son to king Edward III.

v  He severed in hundred year’s war between England & France.

v  He was flaunting in France and Italian. He worked as a diplomat.

v  His diplomatic travel brought him twice to Italy, where he might have met Boccaccio whose writing influenced Chaucer’s work and Petrarch.

v  He served noble kings (Richard II, until 1399, then Henry IV)

v  In 1374vhe appointed as a controller of the customs of hides, skins and wools in the all part of London. He held the position at the customhouse for two twelve years, after that he left London for Kent, the country in which Canterbury is located.

v  He served as a justice of peace for Kent then clerk of the work at various holding of the king.

v  Westminster and the tower of London .he retired in the early 1390’s then started work at “The Canterbury Tale.” Which he began in 1387.

Works:

At the time of his retirement he already wrote:

v  Troilus

v  Criseyde

v  The Legend of Good Women

“Chaucer Age”
(Important Happenings in his age)

v  Black Death re- engaged England during Chaucer’s childhood. Wipeout thirty to fifty percent population.

v  Labor force gained leverage and was able to bargain for better wages, which led resentment from the nobles and propertied classes.

v  Merchants increasing their power over the legal establishment.

v  Hundred Year war created profit for England.

v  When Chaucer, was growing up London was pretty much run by a merchant oligarchy, which attempted to control both the aristocracy and lesser artisan classes.

v  Dr. GM Trevelyan calls 14^th century as “Chaucer’s England”.

v  Chaucer the poet and teller of tales, who makes the living land of the 14^th century, live still in 20^th century.

New ways of writing:

Chaucer used a quite different way to tell a story . he put his stories into the mouth of a group of people.

This group is going on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket at Canterbury, so that he could tell every sort of story in a natural way.

 Summary:

The Canter bury Tale

All the Pilgrims are in proper Holiday mood. The total number of them is 30, all gathered in Tabard Inn. The jovial decided that, they shell amuse themselves on the way by telling two tales and same on the way back.

When they reach Tabard again the rest of them shall stand supper to the best teller of tale. He will be judge. He planned 120 tales, but live to write only 24, three are unfinished.

Dryden said:

“Here is God plenty”

He designs his characters as real:

v  Knight as a true medieval hero.

v  Squire a charming young man.

v  Monk worldly and wealthy Jolly Friar.

v  Summoner

v  The Pardoner

v  Clerk

v  Wife of Bath etc.

Chaucer’s plan and Death:

                                                  Chaucer’s plan for Canterbury Tales was each character tell four tales, but this work left incomplete because of his death on October 25, 1400.

Publication:

                    William Caxton England’s first printer, published “The Canterbury Tale” in the 1470 and it continue to enjoy a rich printing history that never truly faded.

English Renaissance poetry critic George Puttenham had identified Chaucer as the father of English Cannon.