Background Information

Fill in this worksheet to find out more about Chaucer’s life and his
writing.
GEOFFRY__ Chaucer was a medieval __WRITER_____. Unlike many other writers at the

time, he wrote his main works in ___ENGLISH____. Usually poems and other literary

works were written in ___LATIN____ or ____FRENCH___.

The English language he wrote in is called ___MIDDLE____ English, which was used

between the years _.1100______ and __1500_____. During this long period there were

three ____LANGUAGES___ in active use. The ___COMMON____ man spoke English;

French was spoken by __NOBLES,THE KING____ and the ___KING’S__COURT__

_______; Latin was the language of the _____CLERGY__ and _______.

Chaucer’s main work is called _____THE CANTERBURY TALES____________________.

He began writing this in _1387______ but did not complete it before his _DEATH______

in __1400_____. It is a _____COLLECTION__ of tales told by fictional

_CHARACTERS______ who are on a ____PILGRIMAGE___ to the shrine of

__________SAINT THOMAS BECKET__________ at Canterbury. There are

_____24__ pilgrims on the journey and each one has to tell a ___TALE____ to keep

everyone entertained and ___AWAKE____ along the way. However Chaucer died before

he could complete all of the tales so only ____24___ have been written.

People often went on journeys like this at this time, often in the hope of being

___FORGIVEN____ and to pray for their _______ to be ____HELPED___. However

some people, usually _POOR______ people, went on pilgrimages so that they could

_______ about it.

People in Chaucer’s time liked to _LISTEN______ to stories and _THEY______ were

very expensive. Most of the tales are written in ____VERSES___ _______ although

some are in ____PROSE___.

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Chaucer’s pilgrims are going on a pilgrimage to _____THE CANTERBURY

CATHEDRAL______________. This is where the Archbishop of Canterbury,

________ST. THOMAS BECKET________ was murdered in 1170 by followers of Henry

the second. They murdered him __AT THE ALTAR OF____________ the cathedral

itself. After this tragic event the cathedral became a place of pilgrimage, a place thought

have the power of miraculous healing. It was decorated lavishly with gold and jewels and

people would flock there in the hope of being healed and

_________________THEN__________ to be forgiven.

______PILGRIMAGES_______ were extremely popular in the 12th and 13th centuries. At

this time Christianity was extremely ___POPULAR_____________ and people wanted to

defend, spread and recognise the power of Christianity. ___________SITES______ for

pilgrimage were founded all over Europe and men even went on

_____PILGRIMAGES___________ to the Holy Land, where Jesus lived and died, to

spread the word and defend __________CHRISTIANITY_____ against those of other

religions. People went on pilgrimages for genuine reasons of faith, love and devotion - to

seek ____PARDON_________ from God, to heal their

___ILLNESSES________________ or ask __________________ of the saints

represented by the shrines they visited.

AL.VALERIO ULGIATI 1 CLASSICO A

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