English poet Geoffrey Chaucer wrote the unfinished work, The Canterbury

Tales. It is considered one of the greatest poetic works in English.

Synopsis
Poet Geoffrey Chaucer was born circa 1340 in London, England. In 1357 he
became a public servant to Countess Elizabeth of Ulster and continued in
that capacity with the British court throughout his lifetime. The Canterbury
Tales became his best known and most acclaimed work. He died October
25, 1400 in London, England, and was the first to be buried in Westminster
Abbeys Poets Corner.
Early Life

Public Service
By 1368, King Edward III had made Chaucer one of his esquires. When the
queen died in 1369, it served to strengthen Philippas position and
subsequently Chaucers as well. From 1370 to 1373, he went abroad again
and fulfilled diplomatic missions in Florence and Genoa, helping establish
an English port in Genoa. He also spent time familiarizing himself with the
work of Italian poets Dante and Petrarch along the way. By the time he
returned, he and Philippa were prospering, and he was rewarded for his
diplomatic activities with an appointment as Comptroller of Customs, a
lucrative position. Meanwhile, Philippa and Chaucer were also granted
generous pensions by John of Gaunt, the first duke of Lancaster.

Poet Geoffrey Chaucer was born circa 1340, most likely at his parents
house on Thames Street in London, England. Chaucers family was of the
bourgeois class, descended from an affluent family who made their money
in the London wine trade. According to some sources, Chaucers father,
John, carried on the family wine business.

In 1377 and 1388, Chaucer engaged in yet more diplomatic missions, with
the objectives of finding a French wife for Richard II and securing military
aid in Italy. Busy with his duties, Chaucer had little time to devote to
writing poetry, his true passion. In 1385 he petitioned for temporary leave.
For the next four years he lived in Kent but worked as a justice of the peace
and later a Parliament member, rather than focusing on his writing.

Geoffrey Chaucer is believed to have attended the St. Pauls Cathedral

School, where he probably first became acquainted with the influential
writing of Virgil and Ovid.

When Philippa passed away in 1387, Chaucer stopped sharing in her royal
annuities and suffered financial hardship. He needed to keep working in
public service to earn a living and pay off his growing accumulation of debt.

In 1357, Chaucer became a public servant to Countess Elizabeth of Ulster,

the Duke of Clarences wife, for which he was paid a small stipend
enough to pay for his food and clothing. In 1359, the teenage Chaucer went
off to fight in the Hundred Years War in France, and at Rethel he was
captured for ransom. Thanks to Chaucers royal connections, King Edward
III helped pay his ransom. After Chaucers release, he joined the Royal
Service, traveling throughout France, Spain and Italy on diplomatic
missions throughout the early to mid-1360s. For his services, King Edward
granted Chaucer a pension of 20 marks.

Major Works

In 1366, Chaucer married Philippa Roet, the daughter of Sir Payne Roet,
and the marriage conveniently helped further Chaucers career in the
English court.

The precise dates of many of Chaucers written works are difficult to pin
down with certainty, but one thing is clear: His major works have retained
their relevancy even in the college classroom of today.
Chaucers body of best-known works includes the Parliament of Fouls,
otherwise known as the Parlement of Foules, in the Middle English
spelling. Some historians of Chaucers work assert that it was written in
1380, during marriage negotiations between Richard and Anne of Bohemia.
Critic J.A.W. Bennet interpreted the Parliament of Fouls as a study of
Christian love. It had been identified as peppered with Neo-Platonic ideas
inspired by the likes of poets Cicero and Jean De Meun, among others. The
poem uses allegory, and incorporates elements of irony and satire as it
points to the inauthentic quality of courtly love. Chaucer was well

acquainted with the theme firsthandduring his service to the court and his
marriage of convenience to a woman whose social standing served to
elevate his own.
Chaucer is believed to have written the poem Troilus and Criseyde
sometime in the mid-1380s. Troilus and Criseyde is a narrative poem that
retells the tragic love story of Troilus and Criseyde in the context of the
Trojan War. Chaucer wrote the poem using rime royal, a technique he
originated. Rime royal involves rhyming stanzas consisting of seven lines
apiece.
Troilus and Criseyde is broadly considered one of Chaucers greatest works,
and has a reputation for being more complete and self-contained than most
of Chaucers writing, his famed The Canterbury Tales being no exception.
The period of time over which Chaucer penned The Legend of Good
Women is uncertain, although most scholars do agree that Chaucer seems to
have abandoned it before its completion. The queen mentioned in the work
is believed to be Richard IIs wife, Anne of Bohemia. Chaucers mention of
the real-life royal palaces Eltham and Sheen serve to support this theory. In
writing The Legend of Good Women, Chaucer played with another new and
innovative format: The poem comprises a series of shorter narratives, along
with the use of iambic pentameter couplets (seen for the first time in
English).
The Canterbury Tales is by far Chaucers best known and most acclaimed
work. Initially Chaucer had planned for each of his characters to tell four
stories a piece. The first two stories would be set as the character was on
his/her way to Canterbury, and the second two were to take place as the
character was heading home. Apparently, Chaucers goal of writing 120
stories was an overly ambitious one. In actuality, The Canterbury Tales is
made up of only 24 tales and rather abruptly ends before its characters even
make it to Canterbury. The tales are fragmented and varied in order, and
scholars continue to debate whether the tales were published in their correct
order. Despite its erratic qualities, The Canterbury Tales continues to be
acknowledged for the beautiful rhythm of Chaucers language and his
characteristic use of clever, satirical wit.

A Treatise on the Astrolabe is one of Chaucers nonfiction works. It is an

essay about the astrolabe, a tool used by astronomers and explorers to locate
the positions of the sun, moon and planets. Chaucer planned to write the
essay in five parts but ultimately only completed the first two. Today it is
one of the oldest surviving works that explain how to use a complex
scientific tool, and is thought to do so with admirable clarity.
Later Life
From 1389 to 1391, after Richard II had ascended to the throne, Chaucer
held a draining and dangerous position as Clerk of the Works. He was
robbed by highwaymen twice while on the job, which only served to further
compound his financial worries. To make matters even worse, Chaucer had
stopped receiving his pension. Chaucer eventually resigned the position for
a lower but less stressful appointment as sub-forester, or gardener, at the
Kings park in Somersetshire.
When Richard II was deposed in 1399, his cousin and successor, Henry IV,
took pity on Chaucer and reinstated Chaucers former pension. With the
money, Chaucer was able to lease an apartment in the garden of St. Marys
Chapel in Westminster, where he lived modestly for the rest of his days.
Death
The legendary 14th century English poet Geoffrey Chaucer died October
25, 1400 in London, England. He died of unknown causes and was 60 years
old at the time. Chaucer was buried in Westminster Abbey. His gravestone
became the center of what was to be called Poets Corner, a spot where such
famous British writers as Robert Browning and Charles Dickens were later
honored and interred.
Chaucer was the first great poet writing in English, whose best-known work
is 'The Canterbury Tales'.
Geoffrey Chaucer was born between 1340 and 1345, probably in London.
His father was a prosperous wine merchant. We do not know any details of
his early life and education.

In 1357, he was a page to Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster, wife of Edward

III's third son. Chaucer was captured by the French during the Brittany
expedition of 1359, but was ransomed by the king. Edward III later sent him
on diplomatic missions to France, Genoa and Florence. His travels exposed
him to the work of authors such as Dante, Boccaccio and Froissart.
Around 1366, Chaucer married Philippa Roet, a lady-in-waiting in the
queen's household. They are thought to have had three or four children.
Philippa's sister, Katherine Swynford, later became the third wife of John of
Gaunt, the king's fourth son and Chaucer's patron.
In 1374, Chaucer was appointed comptroller of the lucrative London
customs. In 1386, he was elected member of parliament for Kent, and he
also served as a justice of the peace. In 1389, he was made clerk of the
king's works, overseeing royal building projects. He held a number of other
royal posts, serving both Edward III and his successor Richard II.
Chaucer's first major work was 'The Book of the Duchess', an elegy for the
first wife of his patron John of Gaunt. Other works include 'Parlement of
Foules', 'The Legend of Good Women' and 'Troilus and Criseyde'. In 1387,
he began his most famous work, 'The Canterbury Tales', in which a diverse
group of people recount stories to pass the time on a pilgrimage to
Canterbury.
Chaucer disappears from the historical record in 1400, and is thought to
have died soon after. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.

To
Chaucer's
Name
eternal
Trophies
And
load
the
antique
Stone
with
wreaths
of
Father
of
Verse!
who
in
immortal
First taught the Muse to speak the English Tongue.

raise.
Bays.
Song,

(Westminster Abbey by Rev. John Dart)

Similarly, Mathew Arnold has gone to the extent by saying that With him
is born our real poetry. Chaucer has been regarded as the pioneer in
poetry, drama, novel, characterization, versification, realism, and humour.
Now lets explore how he contributed to various fields of literature:
Chaucers Contribution to Language
One of the most important contributions that Chaucer made is his
contribution to the English language. It was all due to his treatment of
English language in his poetry that English secured a prominent position
amongst the languages of the world not only today but in that time as well.
It was Chaucer, who preferred English language over Latin and French. It
was a fashion and vogue of the time to use Latin and French languages in
church, courts and in any literary work, but Chaucer refused to adopt these
languages for his poetry. Though, the English language was in raw form, yet
he ventured upon using the English Language for his poetry. It was not as
polished and full of vocabulary as Latin and French. Lowell says in this
regard:
Chaucer found his English a dialect and left it a language.

Chaucers Contribution to English Language & Literature

Introduction
It was Rev. John Dart, who called Chaucer as the father of poetry in the
history of English literature due to his unforgettable contributions to the
English language and literature. There is something in the literary works of
Chaucer that John Dart was compelled to compose a very lengthy poem in
his praise. He praises Chaucer in the following lines:

He transformed the East Midland dialect into a full-fledged language of

England. Chaucer knew that Latin and French, due to its complex grammar,
would lag behind English language. He was pretty sure about the bright
future of English language. That is why; he adopted English language in his
poetry. Sir Walter Raleigh remarks that he purified the English of his time
from its dross! He shaped it into a fit instrument for his use.

Geoffrey Chaucer
Chaucers Contribution to Poetry
Chaucers second and prominent contribution to the English language &
literature is his contribution to the English poetry. In the age of Chaucer,
most of the poets used to compose allegorical poetry. It was a poetry, which
had no relationship with the reality of the time. In the beginning, Chaucer
also followed his predecessor and wrote poetry in their manner. But later
on, he came to know that any piece of literature must deal with real life.
That is why; The Canterbury Tales is the product of this change. It deals
directly with life as it was in his age. He describes every character in its true
colours. He does not exaggerate or underrate any character. Rather, he
paints every character in words as it was before him. Grierson and Smith
are of the opinion that Chaucers pilgrims are all with today, though some
of them have changed their names. The king now commands a line
regiment, the squire is in the guards, the shipman was a rum-runner, while
prohibition lasted and is active now in the black market, the friar is a jolly
sporting publican, the pardoner vends quack medicines or holds sances,
and the prioress is the headmistress of a fashionable girls school.
Chaucers Contribution to Versification
In the field of versification, the English poets owe much to Chaucer. He was
the first poet, who tried his hands on English poetry. During his time, poetry
was in its raw shape. He made several experiments in versification and gave
it a new shape. His contemporaries were sued to too much alliteration in
their poetry. Chaucer could not withstand with it and brought about drastic
changes in alliteration. In the old fashioned alliteration, the number of
syllables was irregular. Chaucer discarded this method of alliteration and
introduced a new one, which had regular number of syllables, end rhyme
and absence of frequent repetition.

In Chaucers poetry, we also find that he has used lines of ten syllables and
the lines are in couplets. Every line in a couplet rhyme with each other.
Chaucer is also famous for his new form of stanza, which is called
Chaucerian stanza. He was the first poet, who introduced it into the English
literature. It is a stanza of seven lines having octosyllabic meter. Its rhyme
scheme is aba bb cc. Chaucer used this type of stanza in The Books of the
Duchesse. Chaucer is also regarded as the originator of heroic couplet.
Heroic couplet is widely used in The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer and later
on by his successors like Pope and Dryden. Pope and Dryden perfected the
Heroic Couplet to a great extent.
Chaucers Contribution to Drama
Chaucers another contribution that resulted in the birth of secular drama
was his contribution to the drama. His poetry had something that
contributed to the development of drama. Characterization in The
Canterbury Tales is said to be the first element of drama that gave rise to
drama. Drama is a collection of dialogues through the mouths of living
characters. Characters in The Canterbury Tales are free to talk about
everything and the author has very little intervention in their dialogues. This
sort of feature is certainly an important element of drama. In drama, the
author does not intervene in the dialogues of characters. A critic asserts in
this regard:
A dramatist in all but the fact if the drama had been known in Chaucers
time as a branch of living literature, he might have attained as highly an
excellence in comedy as any English Continental writer.
Chaucers Contribution to Novel
Though, there were no signs of novel in the age of Chaucer, yet he was the
first poet who augured the era of novel. His poetry is replete with such
elements as characterization, plot construction, narration, realism, humour
and pictorial qualities that fit into the genera of modern novel. G.K
Chesterton asserts in this regard:

If Chaucer is the father of English poetry, he is certainly the grandfather

of the English novel.
Like a modern novelist, his description, narration and ways of storytelling
are aligned with any novelist. He does not lag behind them at any stage.
That is why; The Canterbury Tales is regarded as the prologue to modern
fiction. It has almost all the characteristics that we find in any novel. It has
vivid characterization, point of view, humour, realism, pictorial quality and
much more that may fit into the genera of novel. Chaucers Troilus and
Cryseyde is considered a novel in verse. It has everything that we associate
with novel. It has characterization, plot construction, action, conflict,
physiological analysis and setting, which we normally find in any novel.
S.D Neill has the opinion that:
Had Chaucer written in prose, it is possible that his Troilus and Cryseyde
and not Richardsons Pamela would be celebrated as the first English
Novel.
Chaucers Contributions: Other Aspects
Chaucers major contributions also contain his lavish use of humour in his
poetry. He may be regarded as the best and first humourist in the history of
English literature. His Canterbury Tales reflect his tendency for humour to a
great extent. In every characterization, he finds something humourous,
which compels him to make fun of him. He makes fun of Fiar, Prioress and
other characters in such a manner that the reader cannot help laughing.
Aldous Huxley says in this regard:
Where Langlands cries aloud in anger threatening the world with hell
fire, Chaucer looks on and smiles.
Unlike his contemporary poets, Chaucer does not follow the way of
didacticism. He wants to bring about smiles on the faces of his readers. That
is why; he endeavours to refrain from didacticism in his poetry.
Thus, the above discussion reveals clearly Chaucers contribution to the
English language and literature.

In 1359-1360 Chaucer went to France with Edward III's army during the
Hundred Years' War. He was captured in the Ardennes and returned to
England after the treaty of Brtigny in 1360. There is no certain information
of his life from 1361 until c.1366, when he perhaps married Philippa Roet,
the sister of John Gaunt's future wife. Philippa died in 1387 and Chaucer
enjoyed Gaunt's patronage throughout his life.
Between 1367 and 1378 Chaucer made several journeys abroad on
diplomatic and commercial missions. In 1385 he lost his employment and
rent-free home, and moved to Kent where he was appointed as justice of the
peace. He was also elected to Parliament. This was a period of great
creativity for Chaucer, during which he produced most of his best poetry,
among others Troilus and Cressida (c. 1385), based on a love story by
Boccaccio.
Chaucer took his narrative inspiration for his works from several sources
but still remained an entirely individual poet, gradually developing his
personal style and techniques. His first narrative poem, The Book of the
Duchess, was probably written shortly after the death of Blanche, Duchess
of Lancaster, first wife of John Gaunt, in September 1369. His next
important work, The House of Fame, was written between 1374 and 1385.
Soon afterward Chaucer translated The Consolation of Philosophy by
Boethius, and wrote the poem The Parliament of Birds.
Chaucer did not begin working on The Canterbury Tales until he was in his
early 40s. The book, which was left unfinished when the author died,
depicts a pilgrimage by some 30 people, who are going on a spring day in
April to the shrine of the martyr, St. Thomas Becket. On the way they
amuse themselves by telling stories. Among the band of pilgrims are a
knight, a monk, a prioress, a plowman, a miller, a merchant, a clerk, and an
oft-widowed wife from Bath. The stories are interlinked with interludes in
which the characters talk with each other, revealing much about themselves.
According to tradition, Chaucer died in London on October 25, 1400. He
was buried in Westminster Abbey, in the part of the church, which
afterwards came to be called Poet's Corner. A monument was erected to him
in 1555.

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England:
MS Hunter 197 (U.1.1)

Canterbury

Tales
1476

This is a fifteenth-century manuscript of Chaucers magnum opus, in which

a diverse group set off on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. In having the
characters tell stories to while away the time en route, Chaucer provides the
perfect framework for a series of narratives, told in a wide variety of styles
and genres, that together mirror all human life. It has been universally
celebrated for its dramatic qualities and inimitable humour. The work,
however, was never completed and Chaucer died leaving it unrevised. It
survives in ten fragments; there are no explicit connections between these or
any real indication of the order in which Chaucer intended that they should
be read. Even modern editions today differ in the order in which the tales
are presented.
Over eighty complete and fragmentary manuscript copies of the poem
survive today. The colophon of this volume supplies the information that it

was made by Geoffrey and Thomas Spirleng and completed in January

1476. Written on paper in an ordinary business hand, the manuscript's
leaves are generously sized but the layout of the text is economical with no
attempt at expensive decoration. Geoffrey Spirleng was a civic official in
Norwich. He and his son probably copied the poem out for their own use.
Their version is somewhat eccentrically ordered; they originally missed out
two tales that then had to be added in at the end. Shown to the left is the
page with the original colophon, crossed out by Spirleng after he realized
that he had not quite finished after all. It is followed by the first of the
appended tales, that of the Clerk (shown below right). As well as
inadvertently omitting part of the text, Spirleng furthermore copied out the
Shipman's and Prioress's tales twice. Shown below are the beginnings of his
two versions of the tale of the Shipman. Such mistakes unwittingly offer us
a fascinating glimpse into late medieval scribal practises. Copying the same
tales out twice indicates that Spirleng worked on his manuscript over a long
period of time, while his problems with ordering have been attributed to the
fact that he used two separate (and differently ordered) manuscripts as copy
texts for his own book.