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the father of english literature

Geoffrey Chaucer

Literary Style and Innovation

Characters and Their Tales

Themes

The Canterbury Tales

biography

Cultural and Historical Context

Index

CULTURAL AND HYSTORICAL CONTEXT

Medieval England: A Time of Change

Goffrey Chaucer lived in the 14th century, a time of significant social change in England. Society was structured around the feudal system, which divided people into three main classes. The oratores (those who pray) were the clergy, responsible for spiritual guidance. The bellatores (those who fight) were the nobility, including knights and lords, who maintained order and protected the land. The laboratores (those who work) made up the working and merchant classes, providing labor and goods. This period saw changes in the economy, with the rise of towns and a money-based system, challenging the rigid structure of feudalism. These shifts allowed for more social mobility, though it was still limited. This evolving society is reflected in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, where characters from all social classes interact on their pilgrimage to Canterbury.

Pilgrimages were a common medieval practice, combining religious devotion and social interaction. People traveled to sacred sites, seeking spiritual benefits such as penance, healing, or salvation. In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer's pilgrims journey to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket, a martyr believed to offer miraculous healing. Beyond spiritual purposes, pilgrimages were also social events. People of all social classes—nobles, clergy, peasants—traveled together, creating opportunities to meet and interact. The journey allowed for the exchange of stories and experiences, helping to break down social barriers.

CULTURAL AND HYSTORICAL CONTEXT

Pilgrimages in the Middle Ages

Chaucer was inspired by Boccaccio’s Decameron and its frame narrative structure. However, Chaucer's portrayal of medieval English life is more realistic and humorous, contrasting with Boccaccio's focus on Italian society. This gives The Canterbury Tales a unique cultural snapshot that remains relevant and resonant today.

Inspiration from Boccaccio

Chaucer critiques medieval society through his characters, highlighting issues like the corruption of the Church, as seen in The Pardoner’s Tale. He exposes the vices and virtues of people from all classes, reflecting the rise of the middle class, to which he himself belonged. His portrayal of real individuals rather than stereotypes offers a realistic view of society.

Chaucer and Social Critique

CULTURAL AND HYSTORICAL CONTEXT

BIOGRAPHY

Chaucer received a relatively good education, which allowed him to come into contact with various cultural and social circles, including those of the court and the Church.

Geoffrey Chaucer was born around 1343 in London, into a middle-class family. His father, John Chaucer, was a wine merchant, and his mother, Agnes, came from a family of good standing

BIOGRAPHY

His personal and professional experiences gave him a deep understanding of medieval society, from nobles to peasants, from clergy to merchants. the characters often come from diverse backgrounds and situation.

He is often regarded as the “father of English literature. He was buried in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey, an honor reserved for prominent figures of English culture.

Chaucer died in 1400

The couple had at least two children. Despite his relatively high social position, Chaucer also faced financial difficulties at various points in his life.

Chaucer married Philippa Roet, a lady-in-waiting to Queen Philippa of England

This broad knowledge of different social classes is reflected in his works

BIOGRAPHY

During this phase, Chaucer wrote poems influenced by the French tradition, particularly from the Roman de la Rose, which dealt with courtly love. Here, we can already sense his early attempts to combine the French form with more personal.

French phase

His final phase, that of The Canterbury Tales, is the most representative. This collection of stories, narrated by a group of pilgrims, explores medieval society with irony and depth, featuring characters from various social classes.

English phase

In this period, his writing was enriched by elements from the works of Dante, Petrarca, and Boccaccio. His Troilus and Criseyde is an example, a poem that blends themes of love and fate with a humanistic vision similar to Boccaccio's.

Italian phase

BIOGRAPHY

THE CANTERBURY TALES

Eachof the pilgrims is invited to tell two stories on the way out and two on the way back, but Chaucer writes only 24 stories. This narrative device allows Chaucer to present a variety of stories, each with a different theme, reflecting the experiences and opinions of various characters. The narrative frame, therefore, not only unites the stories, but also offers a starting point for exploring medieval society through the eyes of the different pilgrims.

SUMMARY

Chaucer began writing the Canterbury Tales when he was about forty and he hadn’t finish writing it when he died in 1400. The Canterbury Tales was almost certainly based on Boccaccio’s decameron.During Chaucer’s life were in power: Edward II, Richard II and Henry IV.The France had a long war with England called Hundred Year’s war. Chaucer’s life it was also the time of the Black Death or Plague and all people said God is deaf. Thomas Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral and in April pilgrims begin their journey to Canterbury

A group of pilgrims going to see the tomb of Thomas Becket in Canterbury meet at an inn in London and decide to take part in a game. The game consists in each pilgrim telling a story on their way to Canterbury. The one who tells the best story will be given a free meal at the same inn.

Chaucer describes in detail the pilgrims who participate in the journey to Canterbury. Each pilgrim is characterized by specific physical, social and moral traits, which outline his role and personality

The variety of characters from the noble knight to the crafty merchant, from the devout monk to the prostitute serves as a representation of medieval society. The detailed description of the pilgrims not only prepares the ground for the stories, but also allows Chaucer to launch a social criticism, revealing the contradictions and hypocrisies of the society of the time.Written in Middle English, The Canterbury Tales is one of the first works to demonstrate the literary potential of English as a cultured language, rivaling Latin and French. Chaucer contributes to the standardization of the English language thanks to the dissemination of his work

General prologue

THE CANTERBURY TALES

16. The Cook 17. The Shipman (Skipper) 18. The Doctor of Medicine 19. The Wife of Bath (Alisoun)

10. The Franklin 11. The Haberdasher 12. The Carpenter 13. The Weaver 14. The Dyer 15. The Tapestry-Maker

THE CANTERBURY TALES

20. The Parson 21. The Plowman 22. The Miller 23. The Manciple 24. The Reeve 25. The Summoner 26. The Pardoner 27. The Host (Harry Bailey)

Here’s a list of the main characters in English, based on the General Prologue: 1. The Knight 2. The Squire 3. The Yeoman 4. The Prioress (Madame Eglantine) 5. The Monk 6. The Friar (Huberd) 7. The Merchant 8. The Clerk (Clerk of Oxford) 9. The Sergeant of the Law

The overarching theme of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is human nature and the complexity of society, as the work provides a vivid portrayal of 14th-century England. The tales explore a wide range of human experiences, emotions, and social dynamics. Several key themes include: 1. Social Satire and Critique Chaucer critiques the flaws, hypocrisies, and corruption within various social classes and institutions, particularly the Church. For example: • The Pardoner’s Tale exposes greed and hypocrisy. • The Prioress’s Tale reflects the superficial piety of some religious figures. 2. Morality and Virtue Many of the tales deal with moral lessons or the consequences of virtuous and sinful behavior. For instance: • The Clerk’s Tale explores patience and submission. • The Wife of Bath’s Tale challenges traditional notions of morality by advocating for women’s sovereignty in relationships.

THEMES

THEMES

THEMES

3. Love Kand Relationships Themes of love, marriage, and gender dynamics appear prominently throughout: • The Miller’s Tale and the Knight’s Tale depict courtly love and lust. • The Wife of Bath’s Tale discusses power struggles and equality in marriage. 4. Fate and Fortune Several tales touch on the unpredictability of life and the role of fate, such as the Monk’s Tale, which recounts stories of downfall and tragedy. 5. Storytelling and Perspective Chaucer highlights the power of storytelling, as each pilgrim brings a unique perspective, reflecting their personality and social position. This framework explores how individuals interpret universal themes through their own biases. Through humor, irony, and diversity of voices, Chaucer crafts a richly layered exploration of medieval life that remains timeless in its insight into humanity.

Characters and their tales

Characters

The most important characters are:-Chaucer (narrator);makes it quite clear that he is also a character in his book. In the General Prologue, the narrator presents himself as a gregarious character. Later, the Host accuses him of being silent and sullen. Because the narrator writes down his impressions of the pilgrims from memory, whom he does and does not like, and what he chooses and chooses not to remember about the characters, tells us as much about the narrator’s own prejudices as it does about the characters themselves. -The knight; the first pilgrim Chaucer describes in the General Prologue, and the teller of the first tale. The Knight represents the ideal of a medieval Christian man-at-arms. He has participated in no less than fifteen of the great crusades of his era. Brave, experienced, and prudent, the narrator greatly admires him. -The pardoner; Chaucer’s Pardoner excels in fraud, carrying a bag full of fake relics The Pardoner has long yellow hair and is beardless. The Pardoner also has a gift for singing and preaching whenever he finds himself inside a church. -The miller; the Miller has a a big mouth, both literally and figuratively. He threatens the Host’s notion of propriety when he drunkenly insists on telling the second tale. He ruins the Host’s carefully planned storytelling orderand he tells a tale that is somewhat blasphemous, ridiculing religious clerks, scholarly clerks, carpenters, and women. -The host; The leader of the group -The friar; roaming priests with no ties to a monastery, friars were a great object of criticism in Chaucer’s time.

Characters and their tales

The Knight’s Tale Two knights, Arcite and Palamon, fall in love with Emily, the niece of King Theseus of Athens, while they are in prison in the city. Arcite is freed first but is banished from Athens. In disguise he returns to serve his love while Palamon escapes from prison. They meet by accident in a forest and begin to fight. Theseus arrives and stops the fight but sets up a battle to resolve the dispute. Before the battle, Arcite prays to Mars for victory and Palamon prays to Venus for Emily’s heart. Both wishes are granted. Arcite wins the battle but falls from his horse and dies so Palamon wins Emily’s heart. The Pardoner’s Tale Three drunken men set out to find Death and kill him. During the search, they find bags of gold. They decide to keep the treasure but then plot among themselves to kill each other to get more of the gold for themselves. In this way, they all find Death! The Friar’s Tale A summoner on the way to get money from an old woman pretends to be a bailiff when he meets a devil. They see a man cursing his horses saying ‘The devil take you!’ but the devil refuses to take the horses because he realises that the man doesn’t mean it. However, when the old woman curses the summoner, the devil sees that she is sincere and takes the summoner to hell.

Some tales

Geoffrey Chaucer made a groundbreaking decision by writing The Canterbury Tales in East Midland Dialect, which played a significant role in elevating English as a literary language. During the medieval period, Latin and French were the dominant languages for serious literature. By choosing to write in English, Chaucer, not only, made his work more accessible to a wider audience, especially the growing middle class, but he also helped to solidify English as a literary medium, influencing future writers. This choice was instrumental in the development of the English language, establishing it as a powerful tool for storytelling, art, and cultural expression, and making The Canterbury Tales a landmark in English literary history.

The Rise of English as a Literary Language

LITERARY STYLE AND INNOVATION

Poetic Technique

Chaucer employed a distinctive poetic technique in The Canterbury Tales, using iambic pentameter and rhymed couplets. Iambic pentameter is a rhythmic pattern where each line consists of five couples of unstressed (atona) and stressed syllables, which creates a natural flow in the verse. This rhythm was highly effective for storytelling, giving the poems a musical quality while keeping the language accessible. Chaucer also used rhymed couplets, where every two lines rhyme with each other. This technique provided structural unity and helped make the verse more memorable. The combination of iambic pentameter and rhymed couplets gave Chaucer’s writing a distinct and appealing style that contributed to its lasting impact on English poetry.

LITERARY STYLE AND INNOVATION

LITERARY STYLE AND INNOVATION

One of Chaucer’s most notable literary techniques is his variety in tone and style, which he adjusts to suit the personality of each character. For example, the Knight’s Tale is noble and serious, while the Miller’s Tale is comedic. This flexibility allows Chaucer to explore a wide range of themes, from chivalry and romance to vulgar humor and moral lessons. Chaucer also uses a humorous and satirical tone to critique medieval society, particularly the Church. Through characters like the Pardoner and the Friar, Chaucer exposes the corruption and the hypocrisy of the religious institutions. His witty portrayal of these figures allows The Canterbury Tales to offer a sharp, enduring commentary on societal flaws.

Variety in Tone and Style

GRAMMATICA

BORRIELLO DANIELA GALLO MARIAGRAZIA CIRILLO MARIA FRANCESCA

RADICELLA ANTONINO DODARO LUDOVICA FORMISANO FABRIZIO MARIA

From a structural point of view, The Canterbury Tales is part of the tradition of short stories and medieval short narratives. It is one of the most important and influential examples for the following centuries. Chaucer used short and versatile stories inside a single framework, which inspired many literary traditions. The influence of Boccaccio’s Decameron is clear in The Canterbury Tales. Both works use a frame narrative to connect different stories, and both are important examples of framed collections in medieval literature. Later, the development of the short story as an independent genre during the Renaissance and beyond owes much to the structure of The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer's work paved the way for future storytelling styles.

THE STRUCTURE