Performer Heritage – P65 Geoffrey Chaucer

 Geoffrey Chaucer Born London 1343 (son of rich wine merchant)

 Went to war in France (taken prisoner and ransomed by the King in 1360)
 Had close contact with Royal family while growing up – travelled freely between England and France
 Travelled to Italy -> became interested in Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio
 Jobs included Controller of Customs in London and a Member of Parliament (MP) for Kent
 Was trusted by the Royals
 1386 = difficult year because he lost all his jobs and was without an income (reddito)
 Began work on Canterbury Tales
 1389 was appointed Clerk of the King’s works at Westminster and his yearly pension was doubled
 Died Westminster in 1400 and was first poet to be buried in “Poet’s Corner” in Westminister Abbey Cathedral.

The father of English Literature

Chaucer is regarded as the father of English Literature and the first major secular poet
Why?
1. One of 1st English poets to have his name known
2. His language (dialect of London) became the basis of Modern English
3. Canterbury Tales gave a portrait of English society at that time

Works divided into 3 periods:

1. The French Period: poems modelled on French Romance styles and subjects
2. The Italian Period: shows greater maturity of perception and skill
3. The English Period: greater realism and includes The Canterbury Tales

Cultural Insight:
By 14th century a new middle class existed based on merchants and landowners (called yeomen). The wool trade in
particular gave many people work. Cloth making was the country’s main industry, but there were also artisans,
bakers, shoemakers, tailors, carpenters etc. They organized themselves into groups called “guilds” (from geld,
meaning payment). They regulated quality of the goods, prices and wages, rules of apprenticeship. Organised fairs
where their members could sell their produce. On feast days they prepared biblical plays.

The Canterbury Tales (P 66)

Plot
 Set in Spring
 30 people. Mixed (men, women, clergy, artisans, merchants) going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury to shrine of
Thomas Becket
 Meet at Tabard Inn, London
 The host of the inn suggests each pilgrim should tell 2 stories going to Canterbury and 2 coming back
 Prize for the best story – penalty for giving up. All agree

Structure and Style

 Long narrative poem. Uses rhyming couplets.
 General Prologue (introduces the pilgrims) + 24 tales. Tales usually preceded by a prologue
(introduces theme of tale) and sometimes followed by an epilogue
 Reporting pilgrim is Chaucer himself - tells us with irony what he sees and thinks
 Tales often have realistic elements and in almost all = strong ideal and moral

Setting
 Dynamic frame: No logical order of events – all “on the road”
 Departure: London represents worldly pleasures (secolare) Destination: Canterbury - Holy
 Canterbury = symbol of heaven and the end of life. The pilgrimage becomes a metaphor for life – we
are all pilgrims on the journey to the celestial city.
 Chaucer’s work remains unfinished and Canterbury not reached by the pilgrims
Characters
 A portrait of English society (rep of feudal society, clergy, middle classes). No aristocracy (would not have
travelled in group) or peasants (contadini) who could not afford trip
 In the general prologue Chaucer did not follow social hierarchy (gerarchia) of presentation and mixed men
and women showing growing importance of women in middle classes
 New factor in The Canterbury Tales = “Individualism” (character has reactions and is dynamic)

Themes
 Main theme = journey in form of pilgrimage. Human energy also awakened by Spring
 Set in Springtime. Prologue talks first of the event in nature and then also spiritually. Spring restores nature,
while the Saint (Becket) restores the sick (a non-seasonal restoration)
The Prioress P67
Her name = Madam Eglantyne, she is shy (coy and reserved), she can sing well, speaks French, well mannered,
pleasant, friendly and sensitive and loves animals. She is beautiful with a small nose, grey eyes, small mouth. She is
dressed elegantly with a cloak and she is wearing jewellery - coral bracelet, some beads and a brooch.

The Merchant P69

He is fashionable (He is wearing a colourful cloak, Flemish beaver hat and has a forked beard – all trendy at the time).
He trades in furs and other cloths (tessuti). Speaks about his trade routes and of making money. He seems rich, but,
in reality, he is in debt (which he carefully hides). Chaucer says the Merchant is an “excellent fellow all the same” but
he is using irony. No name given.