The History of Geoffrey Chaucer

The medieval author of The Canterbury Tales is most remembered for his poetry, but he also wrote prose, worked in public service jobs and was inadvertently a keen historian of the era

Biographical History

Geoffrey Chaucer could have been born any time between 1328 and 1346 in England, but 1340 is usually accepted as the correct year. He died in 1400 and was the first person to be buried in the Poet's Corner of the Abbey at Westminster. He was probably educated at Cambridge, and spent most of his life in various public service positions. He was married and had at least two children, but these details are sketchy at best since Chaucer was a common name at the time and there was more than one Geoffrey.

Poetry

Chaucer distinguished himself as a poet and standardized the rhyme royal form. This form has stanzas with seven lines, each with ten syllables. The rhyme scheme of the stanzas is ababbcc. Chaucer also frequently used the heroic couplet form.

The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales is Chaucer's masterpiece. After an introduction, various characters making the pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral tell their colorful tales. Because of Chaucer's great descriptions of medieval life and personalities of the characters, this is still considered a masterpiece even though it was never finished.

Prose

Chaucer is remembered as a poet, but there are two examples of his prose that have survived. One is a translation of Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy, and the other is his Treatise on the Astrolabe. The latter was written for a 10-year-old called "little Lewis" who is believed to have been Chaucer's son by a mistress.

Chaucer's Language

Geoffrey Chaucer probably spoke and wrote in French from childhood through his early adult years. His major works were written in Middle English.

References

• Harvard University: Geoffrey Chaucer

Resources

• A Brief Chronology of Chaucer's Life and Times