Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

John MarkleyAnd Cody Danks

Was written by Geoffrey Chaucer Written around 1386-1395, in England It was first published in the early fifteenth

century The setting is the late fourteenth century,

after 1381 and takes place at the Tabard Inn (Southwark-near London) as well as on the road to Canterbury.

Some of the Characters are: The Narrator, The Knight, The Miller, The Friar, The Prioress, The Monk, The Summoner, The Host, The Physician, The Clerk, The Squire, and The Man of Law, to name a few. CD

The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales(Cont.)

At the Tabard Inn, a group of 29 pilgrims, as well as the narrator are gathered.

They are all traveling to the shrine of martyr Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury.

They decide to share stories with each other on the way to Canterbury as well as on the way back to the Tabard Inn.

CD

The Prologue The prologue introduces the reader to the

narrator, and many key parts of information pertaining to the book.

The narrator also introduces the setting and the characters.

As well as telling the reader what is happening. He tells why there are so many people there and what they are doing (traveling to Canterbury).

The main purpose of the Prologue is to inform the reader of things they will need to know before actually reading the book.

CD

His birth is unknown but was born in 1343.

As a lad he was taken in by Elizabeth, the countess of Ulster.

1359 he went to the war of France.

Became a prisoner but then freed because of King Edward III’s ransom for him.

1367 secretly married Philippa Then he joined the royal service.

Geoffrey Chaucer’s Childhood

JM

He become an esquire of the king. In 1368 he wrote one of his first famous poems “The Book of

the Duchesse” in honor of the wife of John the Gaunt. June 1370 he went on a ship for the king and no one knows

where he went. Returned around 1372 from Florence and Padua on a secret

king business. In 1374 he was living life rich with a ton of money coming

into him. In February 1377 he was sent to Paris to for peace

negotiations between England and France.

Chaucer’s Business

JM

He moved to ports of London after returning from Paris.

After moving to ports of London he spend his day writing poem and tales.

His most famous ones are “Tale of Glisilde” and “Canterbury Tales.”

Then spent his days rich, and writing, and died in 1400.

Chaucer’s Ending

JM

Works Cited “The Canterbury Tales.”Sparknotes: Today’s Most Popular Study Guides.

Web. 29 October 2010. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/canterbury>.

Jokinen, Anniina. "The Life of Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343-1400) [Chaucer Biography]." Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature. 3 Sept.

2006. Web. 01 Nov. 2010. <http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/chaucerbio.htm>.