Geoffre Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales.docVIP

Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer, known as the Founder of English poetry, was born in London sometime around 1340. Apart from his role as an author, he was a philosopher,?alchemist, astronomer and civil servant. He came from a rich family. His father and grandfather were both London?vintners. It is said that his father had close connections with Edward III’s third son. Chaucer began to be a page in a nobleman’s household when he was young. In 1359, in the early stages of the?Hundred Years War,?Edward III?invaded France and Chaucer was in France, travelling as part of the English army. He was captured and then ransomed by the king. On his return, he married?Philippa, a maid of Edward IIIs queen, and relative of?John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster. Later, He began to work for the royal court of Edward III. His wife also received a pension for court employment. He travelled abroad many times. Around this time, he got the chance to meet Petrarch and Boccaccio. They introduced him to?medieval?Italian poetry, the forms and stories of which he would use later. Their ideas influenced Chaucer a lot. He had a good command of Latin, French and Italian benefited from his rich experience of traveling abroad. Chaucer obtained the very substantial job of?comptroller?of the customs at London from the year 1374.?He must have been suited for the position as he continued for 12 years. There were no documents for the next ten years, but it is believed that he wrote (or began) most of his famous works during this period. While still working as comptroller, Chaucer appears to have moved to?Kent. He became a Member of Parliament for Kent in1386. In spite of these positions, he still experienced some years of poverty. At his later years, Chaucer lived a poor life. It is mentioned in his writing Complaint to his Purse that he did not have his grants paid when the new king ascended the throne. Chaucer passed away in 1400 and he was buried in Westminster Abby, kno