MEDIEVAL LITERATURE

MEDIEVAL LITERATURE

• The Medieval Literature is all those works written during the Medieval Age.

• This literature basically consisted of religious writings.

• The most important event of the Medieval Literature was ``the legend of King Arthur´´

The King Arthur

• He is a prominent figure in European literature where he appears represented as the ideal King

• According to some texts he was a British leader that directed the defense of Britain

• Its first references are in the Celtic literature• The first story of his life is in the

Britannia Regum history of Geoffrey of Monmouth

Geoffrey Chaucer

• He was a philosopher, English diplomat known mainly by being the author of The Canterbury Tales

• He was considered the biggest British poet and the firs poet in being buried in the Poets´Corner of the Westminster Abbey

• He was also famous for being an alchemist and astronomer.

Geoffrey Chaucer

• Some of his works were The book of Silly, House of Fame, Legend of Good Women and Troil and Crisey, but the most famous is The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer

• Chaucer was born in London about the year 1343.• His father and grandfather were vintagers in

London• In 1324 Geoffrey´s father, John, was abducted by

an aunt that wanted to keep a property marrying him to her daughter

• John got married to Agnes Copton, who inherited properties that included 24 shops in London from his uncle

Geoffrey Chaucer

• In 1359 Edward III of England attacked France and Chaucer travelled with Elizabeth’s husband, Leonel of Antwerp, getting in the English army

• In 1360, Chaucer, was captured in the siege of Rheims ,so Edward paid his rescue and later Chaucer was free

Geoffrey Chaucer

• Near 1366 Chaucer got married to Philippa Roet that was the lady in waiting of Queen Felipa de Henao

• Probably Chaucer studied law in the Inner Temple

• He became a member of the Royal Court of Edward III

Geoffrey Chaucer

• In 1378, Richard II sent Chaucer as an envoy to John Hawkwood who was the inspiration of The Knight of The Canterbury Tales

• Chaucer obtained the work as Customs auditor of London´s port in 1374

• He started his better works at this time

Geoffrey Chaucer

• Chaucer moved to Kent, being one of the commissioners of peace for Kent

• He also became member of parliament of Kent

• There is no further reference to the date of Philippa, wife of Chaucer, so she is thought to have died in 1387

Geoffrey Chaucer

• In 1389 Chaucer was appointed master builder of King

• During this work he didn´t write great works, but guided repairs of the Palace of Westminster, St. George's Chapel and continued with the construction of the wharf at the Tower of London

Geoffrey Chaucer

• On June 22nd, Chaucer began working as a curator in the royal forest North Petherton

Geoffrey Chaucer

• It is believed that he could have died of unknown causes on October 25th, 1400, but there is no solid evidence about it as it comes from an engraving on his tomb, built over a hundred years after his death