chapter 3 the age of Chaucer

Chapter 3

The Age of Chaucer (1350-1400)

An Introduction to Chaucer“Ful wys is he that can himselven knowe!”

Chaucer’s Family

At least 4 generations of middle-class The family made their money from wine and leather Connections with the royal court

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Chaucer’s Early life

Exact date of birth unknown No infomation on his early education 1357 - First recorded appearance

Chaucer and the Hundred Years’ War

1359: Went to France as a knight’s attendant. 1360: Captured during the siege of Reims. Edward III paid 16 pounds for his release.

Marriage and Political Career

1366: Married Phillipa, Queen’s lady-in-waiting. 1367: Began to serve Edward III and became a trusted messenger and minor diplomat.

1368: Held the title Esquire.

Other Jobs Chaucer Held

Controller of Customs for the Port of London Clerk of the King’s Works Deputy Forester of the King’s Forests

Representative of the Shire of Kent in Parliament

Chaucer died October 25, 1400

Burial Place

He was buried at Westminster Abbey, being the 1st poet buried

at the Poets’ Corner.

Chaucer’s Literary Career

1. The French Period 2. The Italian Period 3. The English Period

The French Period (1360-1372)

His job as a diplomat in France enabled him to study

French court poetry. introduced various rhymed verse forms

borrowed techniques from French poetry wrote The Book of the Duchess

translated The Romance of the Rose

The Italian Period (1372-1386)

Diplomatic trips to Italy exposed him to Italian literature and writers like Boccaccio and Petrarch. He adapted Italian techniques and wrote 3 longer poems: Troilus and Criseyde, The House of Fame, The Parliament of Fouls.

The English Period (1386-1400)

Combination of foreign influence with English

literary tradition reached full maturity for profound portrayal of characters

& truthful description of English society. The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales

Started writing it in the 1380s. Planned to let each of the 30 pilgrims to tell 2 stories on the way to Canterbury and 2 on their way back, but only 24 were written.

Pilgrimage at Chaucer’s Age

Pilgrimage season began in

April with the return of spring.

Started at Southwark, London 55 miles of dangerous, muddy rural Roman road