Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer1343-14001343-1400

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales

Biographical InformationBiographical Information Considered one of the 3 Considered one of the 3

greatest poets of the English greatest poets of the English language.language.

Son of a prosperous London Son of a prosperous London wine merchant who secured a wine merchant who secured a position for him as a page in a position for him as a page in a royal household.royal household.

At 20 years old, during military At 20 years old, during military service, Chaucer was captured service, Chaucer was captured in France and the King paid his in France and the King paid his ransom.ransom.

Biographical InformationBiographical Information He married a woman of He married a woman of

great connections and went great connections and went on to be a civil servant, on to be a civil servant, serving as a customs serving as a customs controller, justice of the controller, justice of the peace and eventually a peace and eventually a member of Parliament.member of Parliament.

In 1387 he began The In 1387 he began The Canterbury Tales, a work he Canterbury Tales, a work he never completed.never completed.

The General Prologue is The General Prologue is said to be “a concise said to be “a concise portrait of an entire nation.”portrait of an entire nation.”

Medieval PeriodMedieval Period

1066, Battle of Hastings1066, Battle of Hastings Normans from France beat the Anglo-SaxonsNormans from France beat the Anglo-Saxons William the Conquerer leads (Norman King)William the Conquerer leads (Norman King) 2 cultures blend: begins feudalism2 cultures blend: begins feudalism

Medieval PeriodMedieval Period

1154, Norman line ends1154, Norman line ends Henry II starts the Plantagenet LineHenry II starts the Plantagenet Line

Executes Thomas Beckett, the Executes Thomas Beckett, the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1170.Archbishop of Canterbury in 1170.

Medieval PeriodMedieval Period

1399-1413, House or Line of 1399-1413, House or Line of LancasterLancaster Hundred Years War 1337-1453, England Hundred Years War 1337-1453, England

wanted to claim France’s land.wanted to claim France’s land.

Medieval PeriodMedieval Period In 1455, Henry VI becomes ill and In 1455, Henry VI becomes ill and

gives the throne to the Duke of York, gives the throne to the Duke of York, starting the York line.starting the York line. War of the Roses- York (white rose) and War of the Roses- York (white rose) and

Lancaster (red rose).Lancaster (red rose). Edward IV becomes the 1Edward IV becomes the 1stst York King. York King.

Story of CanterburyStory of Canterbury

These tales are told during a pilgrimage These tales are told during a pilgrimage journey from London to the shrine of journey from London to the shrine of the martyr, St. Thomas Becket at the martyr, St. Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral, approximately Canterbury Cathedral, approximately 70 miles to the southeast.70 miles to the southeast.

St. Thomas Becket was executed by the St. Thomas Becket was executed by the order of Henry II…order of Henry II…

Thomas BecketThomas Becket Born in 1118 in LondonBorn in 1118 in London Studied in London and at the Studied in London and at the

University of Paris.University of Paris. His father died, leaving him broke His father died, leaving him broke

and the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of Canterbury took him in and financed his took him in and financed his education.education.

He became involved in the He became involved in the political happenings of the time political happenings of the time and was eventually appointed and was eventually appointed Chancellor of England by Henry II, Chancellor of England by Henry II, becoming the second most becoming the second most powerful man in England.powerful man in England.

Thomas BecketThomas Becket He famed for luxury and a magnificent lifestyle.He famed for luxury and a magnificent lifestyle. Henry nominated him the Archbishop of Henry nominated him the Archbishop of

Canterbury and everything changed.Canterbury and everything changed. He was ordained a priest and began living in He was ordained a priest and began living in

great austerity.great austerity. He soon clashed with the king over clerical and He soon clashed with the king over clerical and

king rights.king rights.

Thomas BecketThomas Becket For 6 years they continued to For 6 years they continued to

clashclash Becket's allegiance shifted Becket's allegiance shifted

from the court to the Church from the court to the Church inspiring him to take a stand inspiring him to take a stand against his king. against his king.

Becket had excommunicated Becket had excommunicated the Bishops of London and the Bishops of London and Salisbury for their support of Salisbury for their support of the king. the king.

This news threw King Henry This news threw King Henry (still in France) into a rage in (still in France) into a rage in which he was purported to which he was purported to shout: "What sluggards, what shout: "What sluggards, what cowards have I brought up in cowards have I brought up in my court, who care nothing for my court, who care nothing for their allegiance to their lord. their allegiance to their lord. Who will rid me of this Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?" meddlesome priest?"

Thomas BecketThomas Becket The king's exact words have been lost to history The king's exact words have been lost to history

but his outrage inspired four knights to sail to but his outrage inspired four knights to sail to England to rid the realm Becket. They arrived at England to rid the realm Becket. They arrived at Canterbury during the afternoon of December Canterbury during the afternoon of December 29 and immediately searched for the 29 and immediately searched for the Archbishop. Becket fled to the Cathedral where Archbishop. Becket fled to the Cathedral where a service was in progress. The knights found him a service was in progress. The knights found him at the altar, drew their swords and began at the altar, drew their swords and began hacking at their victim finally splitting his skull. hacking at their victim finally splitting his skull.

The death of Becket unnerved the king. The The death of Becket unnerved the king. The knights who did the deed to curry the king's knights who did the deed to curry the king's favor, fell into disgrace. Several miracles were favor, fell into disgrace. Several miracles were said to occur at the tomb of the martyr and he said to occur at the tomb of the martyr and he was soon canonized. Hordes of pilgrims was soon canonized. Hordes of pilgrims transformed Canterbury Cathedral into a shrine. transformed Canterbury Cathedral into a shrine. Four years later, in an act of penance, the king Four years later, in an act of penance, the king donned a sack-cloth walking barefoot through donned a sack-cloth walking barefoot through the streets of Canterbury while eighty monks the streets of Canterbury while eighty monks flogged him with branches. Henry capped his flogged him with branches. Henry capped his atonement by spending the night in the martyr's atonement by spending the night in the martyr's crypt. St. Thomas continued as a popular cultist crypt. St. Thomas continued as a popular cultist figure for the remainder of the Middle Ages. figure for the remainder of the Middle Ages.

The Story of Canterbury The Story of Canterbury Continued…Continued…

The tales begin with the “General Prologue”, The tales begin with the “General Prologue”, the first lines of which establish the fact that the first lines of which establish the fact that this pilgramage takes place in the spring, the this pilgramage takes place in the spring, the symbolic time of new life and awakening.symbolic time of new life and awakening.

Along the way the poet stops at an inn and Along the way the poet stops at an inn and the Host suggests to the travelers that they the Host suggests to the travelers that they all exchange tales as they travel.all exchange tales as they travel.

He wrote in iambic pentameter: a line of He wrote in iambic pentameter: a line of poetry ten syllables long with an unstressed poetry ten syllables long with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. This syllable followed by a stressed syllable. This later becomes the most popular metrical line later becomes the most popular metrical line in English.in English.

If you had to choose 5 types of If you had to choose 5 types of people to represent our society people to represent our society

today, who would they be?today, who would they be?