The “Skinny” on Geoffrey Chaucer

1343-1400 (approx)

• Bridged Medieval and Renaissance periods

• Traveled extensively in Italy; exposed to continental poetry

• Considered the Father of English poetry

• First “modern” author

Historical-Cultural Context

• The Three Estates: – Estate of Temporal Rulers:

King, Prince, Duke (Chivalry)

– Estate of Spiritual Rulers: Clergy

– Estate of Providers (Plowmen, for example)

Role of Church

• No secular society as we understand it today

• Pre-Reformation (no Protestants)

• Literacy rates low (rote learning, oral tradition, pictures-icons-visuals)

• Church dominated all aspects of life

• No sense of separation of church and state

The Canterbury Tales

• Chaucer adopts persona of pilgrim: differentiate between Chaucer the Pilgrim and Chaucer the Poet

• Chaucer himself slightly noble, if you will; discreet, subtle

• 30 Pilgrims journey to Canterbury (includes Chaucer and 29 others)

• Each Pilgrim to tell two tales on the way to Canterbury; two tales on the way home

• Meet at an Inn and begin their journey

• Prologue is an Introduction

• Pilgrims include full range of society