Week 1

Question 1

When was Chaucer born? And describe the situation of his younger years.

Answer 1

Chaucer lived from 1340-1400. He was born in London into a family of wine merchants. Middle class background.

Chaucer served in wars with France, and travels to France, Italy and Spain on diplomatic missions (1359-1378).

Chaucer was a member of the royal court of Kings Edward III and Richard and Henry IV. He was a close friend of John of Gaunt (1340-1399).

Question 2

What is meant by Chaucer as a civil servant?

Answer 2

1. Controller of the customs
2. Member of Parliament for Kent
3. Clerk of the Works
4. Deputy forester

Question 3

Random events in Chaucer’s life:

Answer 3

1. Captured during military campaign in France (1360)
2. Chaucer granted a gallon pitcher of wine daily for life (1374)
3. Chaucer is acquitted of raptus (1380)
4. Robbed three times
5. Murderer (?) (1400)

Question 4

Name some of Chaucer’s literary works.

Answer 4

1. Romaunt of the Rose
2. The Book of the Duchess
3. The Legend of Good Women

Question 5

What is the structure of the Canterbury Tales? And what is the frame narrative?

Answer 5

1. General Prologue
2. There are 24 individual tales
3. In between tales there are prologues, interruptions and commentary on tales by the pilgrims.

However, the pilgrimage is the frame narrative.

Question 6

An anthology of medieval literature of The Canterbury Tales:

Answer 6

GP = estates satire
Knight’s Tale = courtly romance
Franklin’s Tale = Breton lay
Wife of Bath’s Tale = folk-tale
Miller, Reeve, Merchant = fabliaux, parody of romance
Pardoner’s Tale = exemplum (story told to show a moral point)

Question 7

How are medieval manuscripts made?

Answer 7

Parchment is made from goat, calf or sheep skin. Consists of multiple quires. The book gets binded. Additionally, a quill is used to copy the ‘examplar’ (= original).

Question 8

How many manuscripts does the Canterbury Tales have?

Answer 8

80+ manuscripts including:
Hengwrt MS
Ellesmere MS

Question 9

Why is the Canterbury Tales unique?

Answer 9

It is a rich work in several ways:
1. Language used to full potential
2. Character variation
3. Various themes, subjects and genres
4. Anthology of medieval literature
5. Mostly love poems, as Chaucer’s first reputation was as a love poet

Question 10

When did Chaucer start writing TCT and when was it finished?

Answer 10

1387-1400.

Never finished.

Question 11

Why was it a radical for Chaucer to write in English?

Answer 11

In that time, French was mainly dominant. English was a radical choice.

Question 12

Old English and Middle English

Answer 12

Old English: 600 AD to 1100

Middle English: 1100 to 1500

Question 13

Vellum

Answer 13

Calf skin (parchment)

Question 14

Stylus

Answer 14

Pointed rod, for scratching the letters

Question 15

Miniatures

Answer 15

The capital letters (“red letters”)