2. Geoffrey Chaucer
Chaucer was born in the early 1340s to a fairly rich, well-to-do, though not aristocratic
family.
His father, John Chaucer, was a vintner and deputy to the king's butler.
Chaucer was fluent in several languages, including French, Italian, and Latin.
Chaucer did not attend one of the schools on Thames Street near his boyhood home,
then he was at least well-educated at home. Certainly his work showcases a passion for
reading a huge range of literature, classical and modern.
Chaucer first appears in public records in 1357 as a member of the house of Elizabeth,
Countess of Ulster.
Chaucer's first published work was The Book of the Duchess, a poem of over 1,300 lines
in 1370.
By 1366 Chaucer had married Philippa Pan, who had been in service with the
F Countess of Ulster.
he had two sons and two daughters.
A • Thomas Chaucer died in 1400; he was a large landowner and political
M officeholder, and his daughter, Alice, became Duchess of Suffolk.
I • Little is known about Lewis Chaucer, Geoffrey Chaucer's youngest son.
• Of Chaucer's two daughters, Elizabeth became a nun, while Agnes was a
L lady-in-waiting for the coronation of Henry IV in 1399.
Y Public records indicate that Chaucer had no descendants living after the
fifteenth century.
3. General Prologue
The General Prologue is the key to The Canterbury tales that
narrates about the gathering of a group of people in an inn that
intend to go on a pilgrimage to Canterbury (England) next
morning.
In the General Prologue, the narrator of The Canterbury Tales,
who is one of the intended pilgrims, provides more or less
accurate depictions of the members of the group and describes
why and how The Canterbury Tales is told. If we trust the
General Prologue, Chaucer determined that each pilgrim should
tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two tales on the way
back. The host of the inn offers to be and is appointed as judge
of the tales as they are told and is supposed to determine the
best hence winning tale.
As mentioned before, The Canterbury Tales was never finished.
The Knight’s Tale
about two young knights that strive for Emily, who is the sister
of queen Hippolyta who is married to duke Theseus, lord and
governour of Athens
discussions on love, courtly manners, brotherhood and loyalty
death is the end of every worldly sore
4. The Miller’s Prologue
The Miller’s Tale
The Miller offers to tell the next tale and is
convinced that he will beat the Knight
about a carpenter
The Reeve, who is a carpenter by trade, urges the
Miller not to make jokes about carpenters
the language is rude
The Reeve’s Prologue
about an old carpenter who has a young wife and is
The Reeve’s Tale
duped by the suitor of his wife, the suitor is eventually
all people find Miller’s story amusing except the
duped by another suitor
grumbling Reeve, who takes the story personally as he
is a carpenter by trade
about a haughty miller who deceives two students
but is deceived in return: the deceiver is deceived
The Cook’s Prologue
The Cook’s Tale
the Cook reflects on the Reeve's tale
about an apprentice Perkin Reveller who was a thief,
a drunk and a rioter
this tale is never finished
5. The Man of Law’s Introduction
The Man of Law’s Prologue
The Man of Law’s Tale
The Man of Law’s Epilogue
about Constance, the daughter of the emperor
of Rome
she is shipped to Syria to marry the sultan who
is willing to convert to Christianity to
overcome legal difficulties
the sultan's mother is not amused by her son's
conversion and pushes Constance back into
the sea
Constance remains faithful and even converts
the hosts that give her shelter
at the end, her Christian faith is her protection
and her reward
6. FRAGMENT III
The Wife of Bath
presents herself as the
authority on marriage
and marital life. She About a greedy friar
comments on the social who has no shame
and legal position of About the trade and cajoling churchly
women in marriage and earnings of a donations out of his
daily life. She claims nameless summoner people and friends.
she has her knowledge who attempts to The Summoner
from experience, not blackmail and old obviously seeks
from scriptural widow by serving a some revenge for the
authority. false summons. Friar's tale.
Eventually the
summoner is cursed
to hell by the old
woman.
7. FRAGMENT IV
About a marquis called Walter. Lord Walter is a bachelor who is asked by his
subjects to marry in order to provide a heir. Lord Walter assents and marries a poor
girl called Griselda. After some time, Walter starts testing Griselda's patience.
Ultimately, the clerk's tale is about unconditional female submissiveness.
About a sixty-year old knight who decides he should marry a wife. The meaning of
love, marriage, truth and faithfulness are being discussed.
9. FRAGMENT VI
1. The Physician's Tale
A knight called Virginius has a wife and a beautiful virtuous
fourteen-year-old daughter called Virginia. One day, a false judge
named Appius sees Virginia and decides he will have her
regardless the cost. However, Virginius rather kills his daughter
instead of handing her over to the judge
2. The Pardoner's Tale
about three frequently drinking young men who become
acquainted with the killings of Death. They decide to find,
stop and kill Death.
10. FRAGMENT VII
about a merchant, his wife and a frequently visiting monk called Dan John, who
pretends to be the merchant's cousin. The interchangeability and exchangeability
of sex and money are emphatically elaborated in the Shipman's Tale.
The Prioress Tale is a hymn to Mary and Jesus, Christianity, motherhood and anti-
Semitism.
about a knight called Sir Thopas who wishes to love a fairy queen. He rides to
fairyland on horseback, but finds the entrance blocked by a three-headed giant
called Sir Oliphant who challenges Sir Thopas to fight.
11. a young man named Melibee whose wife and daughter was wounded by his three
old enemies who broke into his house when he took a walk to the field. Melibee
was going to be a madman, thus his wife advised him to take counsul. At the end
of the story, Melibee forgive those enemies.
about a merchant, his wife and a frequently visiting monk called Dan John, who
pretends to be the merchant's cousin. The interchangeability and exchangeability
of sex and money are emphatically elaborated in the Shipman's Tale.
about a rooster called Chauntecleer that lives with seven chickens and several
other animals in the yard of a poor old widow.
12. The Second Nun’s Prologue
The Second Nun’s Tale
about the life of Saint Cecilia who
The Canon’s Yeoman’s gods
refuses to worship Roman Prologue
she is arrested, interrogated, executed
The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale
and martyred for her Christian beliefs in virgin
about Canon and his servant, Yeoman
the two catch up with the pilgrims and ask the Host
to permit them to join the company, the Host asks
the Yeoman about the narrating qualities of his
master.
the Yeoman says his master is a skillful alchemist who
knows how to turn base metal into precious metal, the
Canon is not amused by the revelation of his Yeoman,
gives his horse the spurs and leaves the company
leaving his Yeoman too
The Yeoman decides to tell a tale about the trickery
of canons
13. The Manciple’s Prologue
The Manciple’s Tale
about Phoebus, who possesses a white crow
Phoebus has a wife who is (symbolically) kept
in a golden cage
despite his efforts to keep his wife clean,
she commits adultery
