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Questions and Answers
What type of people did Chaucer draw upon for his characters in The Canterbury Tales?
What was new about Chaucer's method of treating his subjects in English poetry?
How did Chaucer's metre contribute to the readability of The Canterbury Tales?
What makes Chaucer's portrayal of characters delightful to read in The Canterbury Tales?
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In what way does Chaucer's seven-line stanza stand out in The Canterbury Tales?
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What is the purpose of the pilgrimage in The Canterbury Tales?
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Which social classes are covered by the group of thirty pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales?
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What distinguishes The Canterbury Tales from most classical or medieval examples of frame stories?
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How many tales were planned to be in The Canterbury Tales if everything had gone according to plan?
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Which characters in The Canterbury Tales reflect on the changes in the feudal set-up?
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What is the significance of the group of thirty pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales?
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What makes the framework of The Canterbury Tales unique compared to other classical tales?
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Study Notes
Chaucer's Life and Works
- Geoffrey Chaucer was born around 1340 in London, England, to a family of wine merchants who originated from Ipswich, France.
- His family was of French origin, and their name "Chaucer" means "hose-makers" in French.
- Chaucer's father and grandfather served the King, collecting customs and performing other duties.
Literary Career
- Chaucer began his literary career by translating Roman de la Rose, a French composition.
- He wrote his own composition, The Book of the Duchess, an elegy on the death of Queen Blanche, wife of John of Gaunt.
- Chaucer's early poems, including Pity, Complaint to his Lady, and A.B.C., were modeled on French ideals of poetry.
- He branched into narrative verse with Life of S.Cecilia and Stories of Griselda and Constance, showcasing his growing confidence in language and humor.
- Chaucer wrote Troilus and Cressida, and translated De Consolation Philosophiae of Boethius.
- He drew upon reality, using everyday English people and situations, rather than French, Italian, or Latin literature.
The Canterbury Tales
- The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories linked by the device of a pilgrimage to Canterbury.
- The pilgrims' plan is to pass their time by telling stories, with each pilgrim telling two tales, one on the way to Canterbury and one on the way back.
- The work is unfinished, with only one tale told by each pilgrim, except for the Canon's Yeoman's Tale.
- The General Prologue introduces the pilgrims, celebrating the coming of spring and using imagery similar to Guido delle Colonnes' Historia Destructionis Troiae.
The General Prologue
- The General Prologue is a cross-section of medieval society, featuring a diverse group of pilgrims from various social classes.
- The pilgrims include a Knight, a Squire, a Yeoman, a Monk, a Friar, and a Prioress, among others.
- Chaucer's use of the pilgrimage device allows for a natural and smooth flow of action, entertainment, and characterization.
Chaucer's Style
- Chaucer's poetry is characterized by its conversational tone, gentle humor, and jesting manner.
- He used a new method of treating subjects, with a focus on everyday English people and situations.
- Chaucer's use of language is notable for its ease and flow, removing the monotony and complications of earlier poetry.
- His seven-line stanza and ten or eleven-syllabled couplets are refreshing and innovative.
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Description
Test your knowledge on Geoffrey Chaucer's poetry, focusing on The Canterbury Tales. Explore the socio-historical context of the time period, delve into The General Prologue and The Pardoner’s Tale, and analyze Chaucer’s language in depth.
