Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400 CA.) Flashcards
Father of English literature
1.Chaucer’s father was a deputy to Kings Butler, that led to teenage Chaucer serving in the Court of countess Elizabeth of _______ ,the Duke of ____________ wife.
Elizabeth of Ulster, the Duke of clearances wife.
- In which year Chaucer was sent to fight off in the Hundred years war in France ?
a) 1357 b)1358
c) 1359 c)1360
1359
- In hundred years war , Chaucer was captured by France and was ransomed by which king ?
a) Edward II. b)Edward III
c) Richard d) John of Gaunt
b) Edward III
- Chaucer married ___________ the lady in waiting to the queen.
Phillipa de Roet
- Chaucer spent most of his life in Royal service acting as a diplomat throughout _______, _____ and_______ where he was introduced to the writings of Dante, Petrarch, and Bocaccio.
France, Spain , and Italy.
- In England he held several government appointment, serving as Representative of ______, in House of common.
Representative of Kent in house of common.
- In which Chaucer lost his wife , which cut him off her royal annuities ?
a) 1386 b)1387
b) 1388 c)1389
1387
- In Oct 25th , 1400 where was Chaucer buried ? What is it called now ?
Buried in the Grounds of Westminster Abbey , part of the grounds called poets corner.
- Chaucer was the first poet to be buried in poets corner. Name the poet buried next to him ?
Edmund Spencer
- Chaucer was fluent in what languages ?
Latin
French
Italian
- Why did Chaucer choose to write in English despite being fluent in French, Spanish and Italian ? The language of literature
Middle English poems were composed in Latin or Spanish, the language spoken by nobility.
But Chaucer’s middle English was wide spread among commoners. Wasn’t a language for literature until Chaucer made it to be.
This bold choice of his made common language acceptable in literature.
- He wrote several dream vision poems including
The Book of Duchess
Parliment of fowls
The House of Fame.
- Which dream narrative of 13th century influenced Chaucer to use a dream sequenced framework to book, as main narrative ?
French dream narrative, Roman de la Rose.
- The general dream narrative was
the poet, or dreamer, related a fantastical experience, usually while escorted by a wise guide.
- Chaucer liked to depict his dream narrative to be
His narrator falling asleep while reading a book, when then inspired the contents of the dream.
- Chaucer’s subject matter for his dream narrative were wide raged covering
Country love, bereavement, and fame
- Which Italian writers work inspired Chaucer to pen the narrative poem “Troilus and Criseyde”
The basic plot of doomed lovers “Troilus and Criseyde” during Torjan war was borrowed from Boccaccio’s - “Filostrato”
- “Troilus and Criseyde” poem is notable for seven-line iambic pentameter called _______
Rime (rhyme) Royal
With that she gan hire face for to wrye a
With the shete, and wax for shame al reed; b
And Pandarus gan under for to prie, a
And seyde, ‘Nece, if that I shal be ded, b
Have here a swerd and smyteth of myn hed!’ b
With that his arm al sodeynly he thriste c
Under hire nekke, and at the laste hire kyste. c (22-28
In this stanza the temporary opposition between Criseyde and Pandarus is emphasised by the rhyme between ‘wrye’ (cover, shield) and ‘prie’ (peer, peep), as Pandarus deliberately intrudes beneath her flimsy protection: first with his gaze, then with his arm and finally with his mouth. The sense of this intrusion is given greater force by the final couplet’s rhyme on ‘thriste’ and ‘kyste’, focusing attention on Pandarus’ activity. Whereas Criseyde is the subject of verbs only in the first two lines, both of which are more passive, to do with covering (‘gan…to wrye’) or changing expression (‘wax’). The opposition between Pandarus and Criseyde is further brought out in his offer to her. It seems too hyperbolic to be taken seriously and the regular iambic pentameter of the line (26) in contrast to the less regular rhythms of the rest of the stanza contributes to that impression. The offer is then immediately undercut by the thrusting of his arm. The final line places particular stress on ‘nekke’ offering a counterpoint to the ‘hed’ that Pandarus said should be struck off for his deception, emphasising Pandarus’ position of control and undercutting any notion of Criseyde truly taking vengeance on Pandarus.
- Chaucer was the first English poet to use _______ in poem
Meter in poem, a practice widely imitated by others including Shakespeare and John Milton
- Chaucer completed only _____ of his initially planned 120 Canterbury tales.
a) 23 b)24
c) 25 c)26
24
- He framed his tales by introducing thirty Pilgrims traveling together from London to ________ Cathedral
London to Canterbury Cathedral
23.name the innkeeper host ___________asked each pilgrim to tell four stories,to pass time .two on the way, two on return.
Harry Bailey
