week 1 Flashcards
Canterbury Tales (structure) explain
- general prologue, 24 individual tales (planned 120 tales)
- in between tales: prologue, commentary on the tales by the pilgrims, interruptions
- the pilgrimage is the frame narrative = overarching narrative with mini narratives
- each narrative has a different literary genre
Chaucer: general
- Chaucer is well-educated, travelled to France and elsewhere, he had many experiences and learned from foreign poets (like Petrarch)
- throughout his life chaucer came into contact with a wide range of people: middle-class background, kings, queens to nobels –> this is reflected in the CT
- he couldn’t have had such an impressive career if he had not been this intelligent –> this shaped the CT
Chaucer: civil servant
- controller of the customs
- member of the Parliament of Kent
- clerk of the works
- deputy forester
Chaucer: member of royal courts
Edward III (1327-1377)
Richard II (1377 - 1399)
Henry IV (1399 - 1413)
–> he was close to John of gaunt (1340 - 1399) son of Edward III
Chaucer: 1400
he might have been murdered
–> according to Terry Jones ‘who murdered Chaucer’
Chaucer: 1340
born in London into a family of wine merchants
–> he had a middle-class background
Chaucer’s literary work
- Romaunt of Rose = transition of a very elaborate allegory of love
- the book of the duchess (1369) = a knight is heartbroken as he loses his love
- the parliament of fowls (ca. 1380) = love between birds (might be the origin of valentines day)
- triolus and criseyde (1382 - 1385) = classic tale set in troy
- the legend of good women (1385 - 1386) = women telling the tale of harm done by the men they love
- the Canterbury Tales (1387 - 1400) = different from other works
Chaucer: 1357
his first job is as a page in the household of Countess of Ulster
–> well-educated, chaucer knew French, Latin and Italian
Chaucer: 1359 - 1378
he became a soldier and fought in the wars with france, so he has first-and experience in war
–> because of his language knowledge, he goes on political mission (and secret missions) for court
Chaucer: 1360
captured during military campaign in France, ransomed for 16 pounds by the king of England
Chaucer: 1374
Chaucer is granted a gallon pitcher of wine daily for life
–> this shows how beloved and respected he was by the king
Chaucer: 1380
Chaucer is acquitted of raptus of Cecily Champaigne, his attitude towards women and consent will be studied
–> proven innocent
Chaucer: 1390 - 1391
he was robbed 3 times
