Free Essays on Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer A king's esquire normally married one of the inmates of the Queen. Geoffrey Chaucer married Philippa Roet, a lady-in-waiting in the Queen’s household. Philippa left her work and both of them resided in London. Geoffrey Chaucer became a father in 1367 with his first son being born. He chose the name of Thomas. Later he had another son, whom he named Lewis. He was very ambitious and enjoyed traveling and was away quite often on diplomatic missions. This I believe would leave him very little time to spend with his children. He was made the Comptroller of Customs at Aldgate. He and Philippa settled in their Aldgate house. He did not look at this house as a place to play with his children, but a place to read his many books. As soon as he finished his daily work, he would rush home, not to rest and spend time with his kids, but to read another book. Their mother Phillipa died in 1386, leaving him to raise his two boys. This did not bring him any closer to his sons. The first love of his life was not his children or wife, it was his books. One of the closest things he did for his son Lewis was to write a book for him called The Treatise of the Astrolabe. Insofar as his influence on his writings, I believe that his traveling had the most influence on his style. He began by following the French trends in writing. After being influenced by different Italian authors, mainly Boccaccio he changed to the Italian style of writing. His visit to Florence introduced him to a totally new style of literature, which is considered to have influenced his writing to quite an extent. Geoffrey Chaucer may have been a success in his writings, but his quality of life did not seem to me to be such a big success. As he lay dying on his death bed, his only thoughts were not of his family, but of a feeling of sin against his moral ethics that he felt because of his poetry dealing with the love of man and woman.... Free Essays on Geoffrey Chaucer Free Essays on Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of the â€Å"The Canterbury Tales,† shows his views of medieval society through various characters in â€Å"The Canterbury Tales.† Chaucer’s expresses his views of society through characters in â€Å"The Canterbury Tales.† Chaucer’s views of medieval society are based on his opinions on certain people. Throughout â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† Chaucer tends to criticize or praise certain types of people over others. Generally, Chaucer highly criticizes Ecclesiastical people. For example Chaucer greatly criticizes the Pardoner by pointed out that he is a fraud. (Starting line 702 â€Å"He said he had a gobbet of the sail†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) The monk is also criticized because he is part of the church but does not follow the rules of the church. On the other hand, Chaucer praises many characters in â€Å"The Canterbury Tales.† Chaucer generally praises people that are honest and don’t cheat or rip-off anyone. The parson and the Plowman are probably the two most highly praised characters in â€Å"The Canterbury Tales.† These two brothers are praised by Chaucer beca use they are honest down to earth good people. For example, (lines 475-480 â€Å"A holy-minded man†¦.teach it† and lines 528-536 â€Å"He was an honest worker†¦.the poor†). Some of the main reason that Chaucer criticizes or praises certain people over others is the effect of their actions. He feels it is worst for an ecclesiastical person to mess with ones soul and salvation than steel a good, such as grain. In â€Å"The Canterbury Tales,† Chaucer greatly shows his respect and ideas of certain types of individuals. Chaucer used a few different types of techniques and styles in his writing of â€Å"The Canterbury Tales.† In order to individualize each character in such great detail Chaucer describes their physical appearance so than a reader can visualize each character to better understand them. Chaucer’s frame choice, a springtime journey to the Canter... Free Essays on Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer A king's esquire normally married one of the inmates of the Queen. Geoffrey Chaucer married Philippa Roet, a lady-in-waiting in the Queen’s household. Philippa left her work and both of them resided in London. Geoffrey Chaucer became a father in 1367 with his first son being born. He chose the name of Thomas. Later he had another son, whom he named Lewis. He was very ambitious and enjoyed traveling and was away quite often on diplomatic missions. This I believe would leave him very little time to spend with his children. He was made the Comptroller of Customs at Aldgate. He and Philippa settled in their Aldgate house. He did not look at this house as a place to play with his children, but a place to read his many books. As soon as he finished his daily work, he would rush home, not to rest and spend time with his kids, but to read another book. Their mother Phillipa died in 1386, leaving him to raise his two boys. This did not bring him any closer to his sons. The first love of his life was not his children or wife, it was his books. One of the closest things he did for his son Lewis was to write a book for him called The Treatise of the Astrolabe. Insofar as his influence on his writings, I believe that his traveling had the most influence on his style. He began by following the French trends in writing. After being influenced by different Italian authors, mainly Boccaccio he changed to the Italian style of writing. His visit to Florence introduced him to a totally new style of literature, which is considered to have influenced his writing to quite an extent. Geoffrey Chaucer may have been a success in his writings, but his quality of life did not seem to me to be such a big success. As he lay dying on his death bed, his only thoughts were not of his family, but of a feeling of sin against his moral ethics that he felt because of his poetry dealing with the love of man and woman.... Free Essays on Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer was born between the years 1340 and 1345 to John Chaucer and Agnes de Copton. He was born in London in the Chaucer’s house in Upper Thames Street (Catholic). John Chaucer had connections with the courts and helped educate Geoffrey. As Chaucer grew up, he served as a page in the house of Countess of Ulster. Afterward, he took his place in the army under the command of Prince Lionel, third son of King Edward III. While fighting the French, Chaucer was captured in Rethel and ransomed for 16 pounds. After the war ended in 1360 with the Treaty of Bretigny, Chaucer returned to England where he became the page for King Edward III. Chaucer married Philippa Roet, daughter of Sir Paon de Roet, in 1366 (www.librarius.com). Chaucer and Philippa’s first born son was Thomas, born in 1367. Thomas later became the speaker of the House of Commons. His older sister, Elizabeth, enter the Barking Abbey as a novice, with Philippa’s brother-in-law, the Duke of Gaunt, providing 50 pounds as her religious dowry. The youngest, Lewis, died while very young. Chaucer served as a valettus and later as a squire in the court of Edward III. He was â€Å"hired† on June 20, 1367 and was granted a payment of 20 marks per annum for life. During these times, he was also employed on many diplomatic missions. In 1368, he was sent to France on a diplomatic mission for the King (www.britianexpress.com). Less than a year later, he was back in France. This time he was fighting in John of Gaunt’s army. In 1372, Chaucer was sent on another diplomatic mission. This time, he was sent to Italy. His orders were to go to Genoa to establish an English port for Genoese trade and to Florence to negotiate a loan for the King. Later, he was appointed Controller of the Customs for hides, skins, and wools in the port of London. For his services, the King rewards him by granting him a pitcher of wine per day for life. Also, he is granted an a... Free Essays on Geoffrey Chaucer THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GEOFFREY CHAUCER Geoffrey Chaucer is considered the greatest literary figure of medieval England and an outstanding writer of world literature. He made a huge contribution to all of English Literature by using English in a time when most poetry was written in Anglo-Norman or Latin. He is best known for his collection of stories written in the Canterbury Tales. Chaucer’s birth date is unsure but scholars assume he was born during the 14th century in London around 1340. No information on Chaucer’s birth can be found, most likely because of his lower social class level. Geoffrey was the son of John Chaucer, a wealthy wine merchant and his wife Agnes. The name Chaucer came from a French origin that meant â€Å"Shoemaker.† Little is known about his early years and education but his works show he could read French, Latin, and Italian. In 1356 when Chaucer came to be seventeen he became a page in the household of Prince Lionel, the third son of Kind Edward III. Then in 1359 Chaucer set off on his first military expedition to France during the Hundred Years’ War. He later got captured in war but King Edward paid his ransom. The next six or seven years is a big gap in Chaucer’s life because there are no records to be found of his activities. Scholars think that he may have worked for the king or may have spent time studying law at the Inns of Court and then married Phillippa de Roet in 1366. They had two sons together named â€Å"Little Lewis† and Thomas. Phillippa later died in 1387. Between 1367 and 1378 Chaucer went on several trips mainly to France and Italy. Some trips for diplomatic missions for the king and the others commercial missions. In 1374 he became a government official, serving as comptroller of customs for wool and leather at the port of London. He held this job for the next twelve years. He received most of his income by royal annuities and gifts given to him ...