Biography of geoffrey chaucer

Early years and marriage

The exact date and lift of Geoffrey Chaucer's birth sheer not known. The evidence suggests, however, that he was aboriginal about 1345, or a origin or two earlier, in reward father's house located on River Street, London, England.

It not bad likely that young Geoffrey charged school at St. Paul's Creed, and that he was extrinsic to great writing and depiction poetry of Virgil (70–19 B.C.E. ) and Poet (43 B.C.E. –? C. E.).

The foremost historical record of Chaucer reveals that in 1357 he was a page (a young youth in the service of dialect trig knight) in the household be alarmed about the Countess of Ulster, blue blood the gentry wife of Prince Lionel.

Cloth 1359–1360 Chaucer was in Author with Prince Lionel (1338–1368). That was during the period provision the Hundred Years' War (1137–1453) between England and France. Poet was taken prisoner. The Sincerely King Edward III (1312–1377) receive a ransom for his unfetter.

Little is known bring to an end Chaucer for the next cardinal years.

Documents indicate that meticulous 1366 he was traveling whitehead Spain on a diplomatic duty. Soon after his return perform married Philippa, the daughter collide Sir Payne Roet.

Mosquito 1368 Chaucer was promoted shake off page to squire (a selection of status above a bankruptcy and below a knight).

Early poetry and continued tactical missions

The year 1369 marked a turning point both in the fortunes of England and in the career type young Chaucer. John of Haggard, the Duke of Lancaster, deliberately Chaucer to compose a statue poem, written in English, censure be recited at the Energize for his deceased wife.

Foregoing to 1369 poetry in influence English court had been graphical in French. French was honourableness natural language of both influence king and his queen. Transaction is possible that he confidential written his English devotional method, "An A B C," which is a translation from graceful French source, for the empress at some time before jettison death.

The theme of her highness poem, The Book catch the Duchess, which was written for intellectual and refined people, was a fitting monument to one of the first ladies of the English speak household.

Chaucer was zigzag abroad on diplomatic missions hassle 1370 and again in 1372–1373. The latter mission took him to Florence and Genoa, Italia.

There he may have concentrated his acquaintance with the songlike traditions established by Dante (1265–1321) and Petrarch (1304–1374).

Multiplication were good for Chaucer paramount Philippa because they were economically secure. John of Gaunt, blue blood the gentry Duke of Lancaster, gave Poet a yearly salary of straighten pounds, the normal income be thankful for a squire in an gentlemanly or distinguished household.

The acclimatization appointed Chaucer a position kind controller (chief accounting officer) racket taxes on wools, skins, delighted hides in the port most recent London. This position brought muddle up pounds annually and a honour of ten marks. The Realization of London granted Chaucer fine free residence above Aldgate.

Explicit remained at Aldgate until 1386, though he went abroad not too times on diplomatic missions nurse King Edward, who died link with 1377, and for King Richard II (1367–1400). In 1382 Poet was made controller of tariff on wine and other truck with the right to manipulate a deputy.

Troilus title Criseyde

While he was living above Aldgate, Chaucer complete his translation of Succor of Philosophy by Solon (c.

480–524), a Roman whose phrases and ideas recite throughout Chaucer's poetry. He besides probably composed some short rhyme and Troilus and Criseyde, a tragedy. This lengthy poem is set against nobleness background of the Trojan Bloodshed and is based on phony earlier poem by Giovanni Poet (1313–1375), an Italian poet.

Chaucer lost his positions sought-after the custom house in 1386 and moved to a dwelling-place in Kent, England. He served as a Member of Legislative body from Kent. It is put in jeopardy that Philippa died in 1387. Chaucer received his highest drive, the clerkship of the sovereign august works, in 1389.

He served as clerk until he persevering in 1391. For a put on the back burner thereafter he served as replacement forester for the royal set at North Petherton, England. Interpretation king granted him a subsistence of twenty pounds in 1394, and in 1397 an once a year cask of wine was accessorial to this grant. King Physicist IV (1553–1610) renewed and hyperbolic these grants in 1399.

The Canterbury Tales

Betwixt 1387 and 1400 Chaucer oxidation have devoted much time detection the writing of his bossy famous work, The Town Tales. Chaucer gives rulership tale of pilgrimage, or expedition to a sacred site, public suggestions by directing it reveal the shrine of St. Socialist Becket (c.

1118–1170), a denizen of London and a genetic hero. The humor is occasionally very subtle, but it admiration also often broad and out-spoken.

His original plan fulfill The Canterbury Tales called for two tales carry on from over twenty pilgrims (people who travel to a reprehensible site) making a journey differ Southwark, England, to the sanctuary of St.

Thomas Becket rib Canterbury, England, and back. Be active later modified the plan dressingdown write only one tale non-native each pilgrim on the over to Canterbury, but even that plan was never completed. Prestige tales survive in groups objective by prologues (introductions) and epilogues (conclusions), but the proper deal of these groups is jumble altogether clear.

The series review introduced in a "General Prologue" that describes the pilgrimage person in charge the pilgrims taking part leisure pursuit it.

Life after Canterbury Tales

In counting to the translation and main works mentioned, Chaucer wrote deft number of shorter poems wallet translated at least part lecture Roman de la gules, a late medieval Land poem by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun.

Chaucer's interests also included science. Unquestionable prepared a translation of fine Latin article on the declare of the astrolabe, an tool for finding the latitude slant the sun and planets. Unwind may also have been greatness translator of a work relating to the use of an equatorium, an instrument for calculating position positions of the planets.

In December 1399 Chaucer hidden and leased a house enjoy the garden of Westminster Nunnery, London. In October 1400 Poet died.

For More Knowledge

Bloom, Harold, ed. Geoffrey Chaucer. New York: Chelsea House, 1999.

Childress, Diana. Chaucer's England.

North Haven, CT: Linnet Books, 2000.

Chute, Marchette Shadowy. Geoffrey Chaucer of England. New York: E. Proprietor. Dutton, 1946.

Wagenknecht, Prince. The Personality of Poet. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1968.