Geoffrey Chaucer ,Biography and Career

Biography and Career

1. Birth Date: Generally accepted to be around 1340–1343.
2. Birthplace: Born in London, England.
3. Family Background: Son of John Chaucer, a wealthy vintner (wine merchant), and Agnes Copton.
4. Major Title: Widely known as the "Father of English Poetry".
5. Critical Title: Matthew Arnold called him the "Morning Star of the Renaissance".
6. Language Legacy: He is credited with turning the East Midland dialect into the standard English language.
7. Education: Likely attended St. Paul’s Cathedral School, where he was exposed to Virgil and Ovid.
8. Public Service: Began as a page to Elizabeth de Burgh, Countess of Ulster, in 1357.
9. Military Service: Fought in the Hundred Years' War and was captured in France in 1359.
10. Royal Ransom: King Edward III paid 16 pounds to ransom him from capture.
11. Marriage: Married Philippa Roet in 1366, which helped his social and professional standing.
12. Patron: His primary patron was John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster.
13. Controller of Customs: Appointed to this role in London in 1374 for wine and wool.
14. Diplomatic Missions: Traveled to Italy (1372–1373), which introduced him to the works of Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio.
15. Parliamentary Role: Served as a Member of Parliament for Kent in 1386.
16. Clerk of the King’s Works: Appointed in 1389, overseeing the maintenance of the Tower of London and Westminster Palace.
17. Justice of the Peace: He held this legal position in Kent.
18. Death Date: Died on October 25, 1400.
19. Burial: The first poet buried in Westminster Abbey, establishing what is now known as Poet’s Corner.
20. Reigns Lived Through: He lived through the reigns of Edward III, Richard II, and Henry IV.

Literary Periods

21. Three Periods: His career is divided into French, Italian, and English periods.
22. French Period: Focused on courtly love and allegorical translations (e.g., The Romaunt of the Rose).
23. Italian Period: Noted for the influence of the Italian Renaissance and authors like Dante and Boccaccio.
24. English Period: Marked by his most original work, centering on English life (e.g., The Canterbury Tales).

Major Works (Other than Canterbury Tales)

25. The Romaunt of the Rose: A translation of the French allegorical poem Le Roman de la Rose.
26. The Book of the Duchess (1369): An elegy written for Blanche of Lancaster, wife of John of Gaunt.
27. Verse Form of Book of the Duchess: Written in octosyllabic couplets.
28. The House of Fame: A dream allegory heavily influenced by Dante’s Divine Comedy.
29. The Parlement of Foules: A poem about courtly love, often associated with Valentine’s Day.
30. Occasion for Parlement of Foules: Celebrate the marriage of Richard II and Anne of Bohemia.
31. Troilus and Criseyde: A tragic romance set during the Trojan War.
32. Source for Troilus and Criseyde: Based on Boccaccio’s Il Filostrato.
33. Genre of Troilus and Criseyde: Often considered the first psychological novel in English.
34. The Legend of Good Women: Written as a penance for portraying women poorly in Troilus.
35. Heroic Couplet: He used the heroic couplet for the first time in English in The Legend of Good Women.
36. A Treatise on the Astrolabe: A prose scientific work written for his son, Lewis.
37. Anelida and Arcite: An early unfinished poem exploring themes of courtly love.

The Canterbury Tales - General Features

38. Genre: A frame narrative (stories within a story).
39. Literary Genre: Also classified as Estate Satire, mocking various classes of medieval society.
40. Setting: The journey from the Tabard Inn in Southwark to the shrine in Canterbury.
41. Destination: The shrine of St. Thomas Becket.
42. Season: The pilgrimage begins in April (Spring).
43. Total Pilgrims: Originally 29 pilgrims, plus Chaucer (the narrator) and the Host.
44. The Host: Named Harry Bailey, the owner of the Tabard Inn and judge of the stories.
45. The Plan: Each pilgrim was to tell four stories (two going, two returning).
46. Intended Total: Chaucer originally planned 120 stories.
47. Actual Total: Only 24 stories were completed.
48. The Contest Prize: A free supper at the Tabard Inn upon their return.
49. Selection Method: Pilgrims drew lots (straws) to see who would tell the first tale.
50. First Tale: Told by the Knight.
51. Last Tale: Told by the Parson.
52. Prose Tales: Only two tales are in prose: The Parson’s Tale and The Tale of Melibee.
53. Unfinished Tales: The Cook’s Tale and the Squire’s Tale are notably incomplete.
54. Chaucer’s Interruption: The Host interrupts Chaucer’s own Tale of Sir Thopas because it is "doggerel".

The Pilgrims

55. The Knight: Idealized character; fought in 15 battles; followed chivalry and truth.
56. The Squire: The Knight’s son; 20 years old; "fresh as the month of May".
57. The Yeoman: An expert woodsman; wore a medal of St. Christopher.
58. The Prioress: Named Madame Eglantine; had careful table manners; loved small dogs.
59. Prioress’s Motto: Her brooch said Amor vincit omnia (Love conquers all).
60. The Monk: Robust and loved hunting; ignored old-fashioned monastic rules.
61. The Friar: Named Hubert; a "wanton and merry" man who accepted bribes for penance.
62. The Merchant: Forked beard; spoke seriously about his profits but was secretly in debt.
63. The Clerk of Oxford: A poor student; loved books and Aristotle; spoke little but wisely.
64. Sergeant of the Law: Wary and wise; seemed busier than he actually was.
65. The Franklin: A wealthy landowner; had a daisy-white beard; lived for pleasure.
66. The Five Guildsmen: Haberdasher, Carpenter, Weaver, Dyer, and Upholsterer.
67. The Cook: Had an ulcer on his leg; famous for his "blancmange".
68. The Shipman: From Dartmouth; ignored his conscience; made his enemies "walk the plank".
69. Doctor of Physic: Grounded in astronomy; made money during the plague; loved gold.
70. Wife of Bath: Named Alison; deaf in one ear; had five husbands.
71. The Parson: A truly holy man; the "ideal" member of the clergy; "practiced what he preached".
72. The Plowman: The Parson’s brother; an honest worker who loved God and his neighbor.
73. The Miller: Big-boned; red beard; hairy wart on his nose; played bagpipes.
74. The Manciple: A savvy buyer for a law school; uneducated but outsmarted lawyers.
75. The Reeve: Slender and irritable; an excellent estate manager; rode at the back.
76. The Summoner: Repulsive face with carbuncles (sores); loved garlic and onions.
77. The Pardoner: Sold fake relics; yellow, waxy hair; a voice like a goat.

Key Tale Details

78. The Knight's Tale: A romance about Palamon and Arcite fighting for the love of Emily.
79. The Miller's Tale: A fabliau (crude comedy) about a carpenter's young wife, Alison, and two students.
80. The Reeve's Tale: A story about a dishonest miller, told to spite the Miller pilgrim.
81. The Wife of Bath's Tale: A knight must discover that women most desire "sovereignty" over their husbands.
82. The Clerk's Tale: Tells the story of Griselda, who remains patient through her husband’s cruel tests.
83. The Pardoner's Tale: An exemplum about three rioters who go in search of Death and kill each other for gold.
84. The Nun's Priest's Tale: A beast fable about Chanticleer the rooster and a fox.
85. The Prioress's Tale: A miracle story about a "little boy" who continues singing after his throat is cut.
86. The Second Nun's Tale: Relates the life and miracles of St. Cecilia.

Historical Context

87. The Black Death (1348–1349): Killed one-third of England’s population, leading to major social shifts.
88. Peasants' Revolt (1381): A major rebellion against high taxes and serfdom, which Chaucer witnessed.
89. The Lollards: Followers of John Wycliffe who translated the Bible into English and challenged Church authority.
90. The Three Estates: Medieval society was divided into the Church, the Nobility, and the Peasantry.

Poetic Innovations and Literary Criticism

91. Rhyme Royal: A 7-line stanza (ababbcc) popularized by Chaucer in Troilus.
92. Heroic Couplet: Iambic pentameter lines rhyming in pairs.
93. Matthew Arnold's Praise: Said "With [Chaucer] is born our real poetry".
94. Matthew Arnold's Critique: Stated that Chaucer "lacks high seriousness".
95. Edmund Spenser: Described Chaucer as the "well of English undefiled".
96. John Dryden: Called Chaucer the "Father of English Poetry".
97. Dryden on Characterization: Said of the General Prologue, "Here is God's plenty".
98. Lowes on Language: "Chaucer found his native tongue a dialect and left it a language".
99. Realism: Chaucer is praised for his detailed and psychological realism in portraying characters.
100. Retractions: At the end of the Tales, Chaucer apologized for his "worldly" stories and asked for God’s mercy.