He is most famous for his creativity in writing the canterbury tales. Little is known about chaucer s personal life, and even less about his education, but a number of existing records document his professional life. As the author of the canterbury tales chaucer is, next to shakespeare, perhaps the most famous english poet, and has been called the father of english poetry he was born between 40 and 43, son of john chaucer, a london vintner, and agnes copton. Enjoy the best geoffrey chaucer quotes at brainyquote.
Geoffrey chaucer poems, quotations and biography on geoffrey chaucer poet page. The canterbury tales is at once one of the most famous and most frustrating works of literature ever written. The canterbury tales is geoffrey chaucer s most famous work, and yet it is incomplete. Students are invited to submit pieces of original writing inspired by geoffrey chaucer s most famous work. Read all poems of geoffrey chaucer and infos about geoffrey chaucer. The book of the duchess and other poems geoffrey chaucer. Geoffrey chaucer, the outstanding english poet before shakespeare. The panel showing characters from the canterbury tales. In 57, he became page to edward iiis daughterinlaw. Geoffrey is considered to be the father of english literature and the first poet to be buried at the poets coroner at westminster abbey.
Geoffrey chaucer biography facts, childhood, family life. Other works include parlement of foules, the legend of good women and troilus and criseyde. Chaucer was smart enough to hold on to the gig for the next twelve years. Geoffrey chaucer circa 45 1400 was a 14thcentury english poet, known as the father of english poetry. Find out more about geoffrey chaucers life and works at the british library. On his journeys he would have seen the works of foreign authors such as dante. We do not know any details of his early life and education. Geoffrey chaucer was born in london sometime between 40 and 44 to john chaucer and agnes copton. Librarius website hosts the full middleenglish hypertext of the canterbury tales and a modernenglish sidebyside translation of all verse tales. He was also involved in the civil service as a diplomat, courtier and bureaucrat. The tale is an example of the fabliau or comic skit, and concerns a. The king then sent him on diplomatic missions abroad.
As well as being arguably the greatest poet of the middle english period. Through his fathers connections, geoffrey held several positions early in his life, serving as a noblewomans page, a courtier, a diplomat, a civil servant, and a. The canterbury tales is a work of poetry featuring a group of pilgrims from. He also contributed importantly in the second half of the 14th century to the management of public affairs as courtier, diplomat, and. Librarius website hosts the full middleenglish hypertext of the canterbury tales and a modernenglish sideby. Geoffrey chaucer was born around 43, most probably in his parents house on thames street, adjacent to the west bank of the walbrook in london, england. Geoffrey chaucer was born between 40 and 45, probably in london. Chaucers close relationship with john, which continued through most of his life. Benson notes that chaucer was most prolific as a writer when he was. Geoffrey chaucer known as the father of english literature, is widely considered the greatest english poet of the middle ages and was the first poet to have been buried in poets corner of. Geoffrey chaucer has to go down as one of britains finest writers.
The first great english poet, geoffrey chaucer lived in a turbulent period of war, plague, social revolt, religious heresy and murdered kings. The manuscript is now in the huntington library, san marino, california. Chaucer s poetry influenced and inspired many of great britains authors, poets, and playwrights who followed him, including william shakespeare. The canterbury tales is the most celebrated work of chaucer. The pretext for storytelling in boccaccio is a plague in.
But this society was also vibrant, creative and increasingly literate, a time of resurgence for the english language as a. Since its composition in late 0s, critics have continued to mine new riches from its complex ground, and started new arguments about. Quotations by geoffrey chaucer, english poet, born 43. The canterbury tales between 87 and 1400 chaucer must have devoted much time to the writing of his most famous work, the canterbury tales. What was geoffrey chaucers most famous works answers. Brief biography of 14th century poet, geoffrey chaucer with a focus on his most famous work, the canterbury tales.
It is one of the panels from the long mural beside old kent road. Following on from the great success of the canterbury tales writing competition 201718 the chaucer heritage trust will be holding another writing competition for school age students around the country. Chaucer was born in london in the early 40s, the only son in his. Image of chaucer from an early manuscript of the canterbury tales. Before william shakespeare, geoffrey chaucer was the preeminent english poet.
It is considered one of the greatest poetic works in english. It is impossible to determine the exact year that chaucer wrote or published most of his works. Chaucer gives his tale of pilgrimage, or journey to a sacred site, national suggestions by directing it toward the shrine of st. Chaucer must have devoted much time to the writing of his most famous work. In the middle ages people believed their sins would be forgiven if they went on journeys called pilgrimages. However, in the original middle english the text is. Before the likes of shakespeare, chaucer dominated the literary scene, most famous for his work the canterbury tales. Asked in authors, poets, and playwrights, geoffrey chaucer. Chaucer most famous work, the canterbury tales, also has similarities with italian literature. The book of the duchess is a 1,334line poem, the earliest of chaucers major poems. Among chaucers many other works are the book of the duchess, the house of fame, the legend of good women, and troilus and criseyde.
He wrote most of his work in a prolific period when he was working as a customs controller in london. Geoffrey chaucer geoffrey chaucer poems poem hunter. Geoffrey chaucer s most famous work was the canterbury tales, as previously stated, the collection of stories were written in the late 0s using middle english, which was rare at this time because latin and italian were more prominent. His life goes undocumented for much of the next ten years, but it is believed that he wrote or began most of his famous works during this period. Other early works by chaucer were anelida and arcite and the house of fame. Top 25 quotes by geoffrey chaucer of 161 az quotes. He lived during the beginning of the hundred years. The decasyllabic couplet chaucer used for most of the canterbury tales later. Geoffrey chaucer was born sometime between 40 and 45, most likely in london. The life and success of geoffrey chaucer essay 893 words.
Geoffrey chaucer was the first writer to use english language in his works. Chaucer s first major work was the book of the duchess, was a dirge for blanche of lancaster. A short biography of geoffrey chaucer local histories. Chaucer was known not only as an author but also as an astronomer and philosopher. Among chaucers many other works are the book of the duchess, the. The canterbury tales is the most famous and critically acclaimed work of geoffrey chaucer, a latefourteenthcentury english poet. However geoffrey chaucer is most famous for his work, the canterbury tales. The aim of this volume is to allow historians who are experts in the fields of economic, social, political, religious, and intellectual history the chance to interpret one of the most famous works of middle english literature, geoffrey chaucer s general prologue to the canterbury tales, in its contemporary context. To which are added an essay on his language and versification, and an introductory discourse, together with notes and a glossary, in three volumes, p. While pursuing his career, chaucer was writing his poems and reading them aloud at court, no doubt amid great laughter. The house of fame omacl the parliament of fowles omacl the legend of good. However chaucer also wrote a technical book called treatise on the astrolabe. His most famous work is the canterbury tales, a series of fictional tales related by pilgrims on their way to canterbury, and part of its fame and importance is that it was revolutionary as an english literary work.
Geoffrey chaucer biography life, death, wife, school. Geoffrey chaucer s father, john chaucer, was a vintner. And as far as literature goes, it remains my favorite mistake. Chaucers early work is heavily influenced by love poetry of the french tradition.
Geoffrey chaucer was one of the best english poets of all time, considered a father of english language and literature. Perhaps the most famous and bestloved of all of the tales in chaucer s canterbury tales, the millers tale is told as a comic corrective following the sonorous seriousness of the knights tale. Chaucer finished no more than a quarter of his proposed project. Geoffrey chaucer is most well known as the father of literature for his works in the english language. Geoffrey chaucer, the canterbury tales when geoffrey chaucer died in 1400, he was more famous for having been the clerk of the kings works than for writing the canterbury tales. During this time, he wrote most of his major works. Book of the duchess, a memorial of blanche, duchess of lancaster, for her widower, john of gaunt. In 87, he began his most famous work, the canterbury. His the canterbury tales ranks as one of the greatest poetic works in. English poet geoffrey chaucer wrote the unfinished work, the canterbury tales. He is most famous for writing canterbury tales which had 24 inappropriate stories but was not completed. We dont know the exact year that geoffrey chaucer wrote his famous work the canterbury tales.
This is the granddaddy of all chaucer works and a fascinating look into life in the. In 86, chaucer became controller of customs and justice of peace and, in 89, clerk of the kings work. His work is celebrated in theatres today, with his use of language still influencing the modern. What are geoffrey chaucers most famous works, and why. Tales of caunterbury is a collection of 24 stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in middle english by geoffrey chaucer between 87 and 1400.
Works of geoffrey chaucer, father of english literature. The parliament of fowls, the first valentines day poem in english in which the bi. He is most famous as a poet from the middle ages, but was also a philosopher, alchemist and. Book quiz with 10 questions about author geoffrey chaucer.
The exact date and place of geoffrey chaucers birth are not known. English poet geoffrey chaucer wrote the unfinished work, the. Geoffrey chaucer is the most famous writer of medieval england. He maintained a career in the civil service as a bureaucrat, courtier, diplomat, and member of parliament. The book of the duchess, the house of fame, troilus and criseyde, and. To which are added an essay on his language and versification, and an introductory discourse, together with notes and. Chaucer was born around 43 in london to a family of wine merchants. Geoffrey chaucer has been called the father of english poetry. Chaucer likely began his most famous work, the canterbury tales, around 86, an ambitious epic poem in which he planned to include thirty pilgrims telling four stories, each. Geoffrey chaucer s famous quote appears in the general prologue to his best known work, the canterbury tales. They are a series of tales told by a group of pilgrims on their way to canterbury. It was during these years that chaucer began working on his most famous text, the canterbury tales. Geoffrey chaucer is buried in the south transept or south cross of westminster abbey, now known as poets corner.
Geoffrey chaucer biography list of works, study guides. Chaucer s elaborate plan was for each of his 30 pilgrims 29 pilgrims plus chaucer himself to tell a total of four tales each. Geoffrey chaucer immortalised medieval england in the canterbury tales the stories of various people gravitating to canterbury cathedral at the end of a pilgrimage. Skeats edition omacl a hypertext edition librarius. Geoffrey chaucer biography life, death, wife, school, young, book. John chaucer was an affluent wine merchant and deputy to the kings butler. What was geoffrey chaucers most famous work answers. Scholars have been able to work out a time period in which most of the works were published based on the historical record. He was one of the first writers to write in english. Even in todays society, his works continue to touch the hearts of many people.
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