Chaucer’s biography
1- He was born
in London in
the early
1340s.
2- He was
the only
son in his
family.
5- Chaucer studied law at
the Inner Temple which is
located in London.
8- Chaucer began to serve the
countess's husband, Pince
Lionel (son to King Edward
III). For most of his life,
Chaucer served in the
Hundred Years War between
England and France, as a
soldier and as a diplomat.
10- Ever since the end of the
14th century, Chaucer has
been known as the "father of
English poetry," a model of
writing to be imitated by
English poets. He was one of
the first poets of his day to
write exclusively in English.
12- What are Chaucer
achievements?
Chaucer's great achievement
was to establish English as a
major literary language, and
his poetry has been loved for
generations for its humanity
and humour.
14- Who was Thomas Becket?
Thomas Becket was an
English archbishop and
martyr, famously murdered
by knights of Henry II at
Canterbury Cathedral. After
his death, his tomb and relics
became a focus for pilgrimage
and he was made a saint.
3- Chaucer was a poet and
an author. 'The Canterbury
Tales' is one of his most
famous works.
4- Chaucer is also known as the
Father of English Literature and the
greatest English poet in the Middle
Ages.
6- Chaucer married Philippa de Roet in
1366. Philippa de Roet was lady in
waiting to Queen Phillipa of Hainault.
7- Chaucer could speak
English, French, Latin
and Italian.
9- Why is the author called: The founder of the English Language?
Geoffrey Chaucer is called the father of English literature because he
was the first to write what became generally well-known and
recognized poems and stories in the language of the common people
of his time - medieval English.
He gathered vocabulary of Middle English dialect and started writing
poetry in it due to which we call Chaucer father of English poetry,
language and literature. “The Canterbury Tales” is remarkable
example of it. It fulfills every characteristic of poetry and entitles
Chaucer as “Father of English Poetry”.
11- Why might we consider The Canterbury Tales as a microcosm of
the medieval world?
The Canterbury Talesis a realisticmicrocosm (little world) of Chaucer's
society. Although each pilgrim is an individual,each one also
represents one of the 3 levels of medieval society called “estates.”
Ones estate included social standing (high, medium or low), legal
standing (free or bound), and role or function.
13- Why does the narrator begin his discussion of the various pilgrims
by describing the knight first?
The narrator describes the Knight first because he was the most
distinguished/highest nobility compared to the other people on the
pilgrimage and classifies the pilgrims in order of the feudal system; in
which the knight protected the king, was highly respected and whom
other people worked for.
15- In 1374 the king appointed Chaucer Controller of the Customs
Office for Hides, Furs and Wools in the Port of London, which meant
that he was a government official who worked with cloth importers.
His experience supervising imported fabrics could be the reason why
he describes in detail the garments and fabrics that his characters
wear.
16- Geoffrey Chaucer died in October 25 (1400).
Language in the canterbury tales
1- The Canterbury Tales are
written in Middle English, which
bears a strong visual resemblance
to today's written and spoken
English.
4- Most Middle English
editions of the poem
include a short
pronunciation guide, which
can help the reader better
understand the language.
2- In contrast, Old English can
only be read in modern
translation or by students of
Old English.
5- For particularly difficult words
or phrases, most editions also
include notes in the margin that
give modern versions of the
words, along with a full glossary
at the back.
3- The best way for a beginner
to approach Middle English is
to read it aloud. When words
are spoken, it is often much
easier to recognize what they
mean in modern English.
6- There are several Chaucer
glossaries online, as well as
several print lexicons of
Middle English.
The order of the canterbury tales
1- No one knows exactly what
order Chaucer intended to
present the tales in, or even if
he had a specific order in mind
for all of them.
2- However, certain sets of tales seem to belong together in a
particular order. For example, the General Prologue is obviously
the beginning, so the narrator explicitly says that the Knight tells
the first tale, and that the Miller interrupts and tells the second
tale.
3- The introductions, prologues, and
epilogues to various tales sometimes include
the pilgrims' comments on the tale just
finished, and an indication of who is telling
the next tale.
4- These sections between the stories are called links,
and they are the best evidence for grouping the
stories into ten fragments. But "The Canterbury Tales"
does not include a complete set of links, so the order
of the ten excerpts is questionable.
The Poem
1- The Canterbury
Tales is a story about a
group of people who
go on a pilgrimage.
4- There were 30
pilgrims on the
journey including the
narrator, Chaucer.
2- Pilgrims start at TABARD INN,
Southwark a suburb of London. The
journey ends at the Shrine of St Thomas
A Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.
5- Each pilgrim is a 'representation
abroad of a particular group of
people and is called by the
occupation or position in society
that he or she represents.
7- Harry Bailey, the owner of the Tabard
Inn is in charge of keeping people
entertained and happy. So on the way to
Canterbury he suggests telling 2 stories on
the way to Canterbury and another 2 on
the way back to London Harry would judge
the stories and the best one would get a
meal when they got back to London.
3- The distance between
Canterbury and London was 60
miles, a journey of four days on
foot.
6- For a better understanding of the poet, it is
very important to pay close attention to the
physical characteristics, behavior, possessions
and clothing of each pilgrim. These will give you
important clues to understand the stories.
8- THOMAS BECKET King Henry II appointed Thomas Becket as
Archbishop of Canterbury (Head of the RCC in England) Becket
opposed the king's attempts to establish royal rights over the
church Henry once exclaimed angrily Will no one rid me of this
turbulent priest ? Four Knights took it literally and murdered
Becket in Canterbury Cathedral while he was praying. The
murder shocked the Christians of Europe, Becket was made a
saint. The shrine dedicated to Becket is the destination of 'The
Canterbury Tales'.
Frame Tale
1- It is a narrative that leads the audience into a second narrative, the main story.
2- The GP serves as a story framework for the rest of the stories. It consists of descriptions of
other pilgrims and is considered the most important/interesting part of the entire poem, although
nothing important happens.
3- The GP ends when the pilgrims begin their journey. The first is "The tales of the night."
4- In fact, most of the GP consists of the narrator's visions and the appreciations of the other
pilgrims.
Intended structure
 The meaning of 'The Canterbury Tales' has to do with the accurate depiction of life during the
Middle Ages, such as the interactions between the classes. The Feudal System belonged to the
knight, the squire, the yeoman, Franklin, the plowman, the Miller, the Reeve. People dedicated to
religious life were the nun, the monk, the cleric, the parson, the summoner, the pardoner. Finally,
trades/professions such as merchant, sergeant at the law, five trades men, the cook, the skipper,
doctor, the bath of wife, the munciple, and the host.
 Written in the late 1300s it is a collection of stories told by people making a religious pilgrimage
to Thomas Becket's county of Canterbury.
 This literary work begins with a long prologue with a brief description of each character. It deals
with styles and social positions of the pilgrims.
 Chaucer makes a great effort in the importance of the pilgrims because they represent the life
and the medieval society emphasizing the social rank, the morality and the spiritual condition.
 Chaucer describes clothing, jobs, hobbies, food, humor, and different speeches.
 If we do the math: 30 pilgrims x 2 stories each way (two outward and two return) = 120 + The
GP.
 Chaucer wrote the GP, 23 tales and 1 fragment before his death in 1400.
Reading Questions:
1- What season is described in the opening passage of The Canterbury Tales? Spring. What do people
especially want to do when this season comes, according to the narrator? Go on a pilgrimage.
2- Where especially do English people want to go? Canterbury Cathedral. Why do they want to go
there? To see Thomas a Beckett.
3- How many pilgrims does the narrator claim he meets at the Tabard inn? 29 pilgrims.
4- What do they propose to do during their trip? The pilgrims go to dinner, during which the owner of
the tavern, or Host, makes a proposal to the group: on the way to Canterbury, says the Host, each
pilgrim will tell two tales, followed by two on the way back. The Host will accompany the group and
serve as a judge of their tales.
THE KNIGHT
1. What are some of the places where the Knight has fought? Prussia, Lithuania, Russia, Granada, North
Africa, Anatolia.
2. What does the Knight do to his opponents if he beats them in the tournament ring ("the lists")? He kills
them.
3. What is the Knight's conversation and speech like, according to the narrator? He is distinguished, wise,
eloquent. Never said a boorish thing.
4. What is the Knight's armor (his habergeon) like in appearance? Why do you suppose it look like this?
Fustian tunic stained and dark with smudges. His armor left the mark. Not gaily dressed. Just got back
from war.
5. What pilgrim is the knight’s son? Short gown, long, wide sleeves. He is not a fighter.
THE SQUIRE
1. How does the Squire's appearance contrast with that of the Knight? The squire has very bright clothes,
and the knight's clothes are more plain.
2. How old is the Squire? 20.
3. What talents does he have and how do they contrast with the Knight? Sings, plays the flute, makes
poems, jousts, dances, draws, writes. He is the opposite of his father.
4. Why does the Squire sleep so little? He is up all night "loving hotly.“
THE YEOMAN
1. What's a Yeoman in the medieval world? An attendent.
2. Why is the Yeoman so sun-tanned? He wears a lot of clothes, so he does not show a lot of skin.
3. What does this trait suggest about him, his activities, and how he spends a time? He is covered in
weapons, so he can protect and shoot arrows.
4. Why do you suppose the Knight would want a servant who is good with a bow? He can protect him.
THE PRIORESS
1. What's a prioress? A nun.
2. What is the name of the particular prioress who joins the pilgrimage company?
3. What foreign language does the Prioress speak? Where (according to her accent) did she learn to speak
French? What might this detail reveal about her background?
4. How does the Prioress eat her food? What does this detail suggest about her background?
5. What is the Prioress's attitude toward animals? What does this suggest about her?
6. What does her golden brooch have written on it? What are two ways of interpreting this quotation?
7. What four people accompany the prioress?