GeofferyChaucer杰弗里·乔叟简介ppt.ppt

Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1340～1400), the most prominent literary figure in Middle English period is “ the father of English poetry ” . * * He was born of a prosperous wine-merchants family in London and was most probably educated in Oxford and Cambridge . Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucers family * * He once served as a page to Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster and in 1367 he entered the service of King Edward III , who made Chaucer involved in diplomatic errands for nearly ten years. Geoffrey Chaucer * * In 1386 he was elected member of Parliament, but soon was dismissed. In 1389 he was appointed clerk of the Kings works and the new king Henry IV granted him a pension. Geoffrey Chaucer * * The tomb of Geoffrey Chaucer The great poet died in October, 1400, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Geoffrey Chaucer * * Chaucers important positions made him know well of the upper class life, while his life experience in poverty taught him the miseries of the lower class. However, as a man often rubbed shoulders with the court and nobility, he always gave mercies to these upper class people while exposing the frailties of them. Such a feature is clearly shown in his masterpiece The Canterbury Tales. Geoffrey Chaucer * * The Canterbury Tales * * Chaucers literary works are roughly divided into three periods, according to his three periods of life. Geoffrey Chaucer * * The first period stretches from the 1360s to about 1372 during which time he mainly wrote under the influence of French literature, and he chiefly translated from the French works, such as Roman de la Rose Geoffrey Chaucer * * The second period extends from 1372 to 1386 when Chaucer wrote under the influence of Italian Renaissance. He mainly adapted works from Italian, such as Troilus and Criseide. Geoffrey Chaucer * * The third period covers the last fifteen years of the poets life: from 1386 to 1400, when Chaucer stopped being the mere interprete