Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer (ca.1343-1400) was an English author, philosopher, diplomat,poet,is best knownremembered asauthorThe Canterbury Tales. Hesometimes creditedbeingfirst authordemonstrateartistic legitimacy ofEnglish language.He wascontemporaryGiovanni Boccaccio, Dante,Christine de Pizan. Although born asson ofvintner, he becamepage atcourtEdward IIIEngland. He was inservicefirst Elizabeth de Burgh, CountessUlster,then LionelAntwerp, sonEdward III. He traveled from EnglandFrance, Spain, Flanders,Italy (GenoaFlorence), where he came into contactmedieval continental poetry.
Chaucer married, ca. 1366, Philippa (de) Roet,lady-in-waitingEdward III's queen, PhilippaHainault andsisterKatherine Swynford, who later (ca. 1396) becamethird wifeChaucer's friendpatron, JohnGaunt.
Chaucer wrote poetry asdiversion from his job as Comptroller ofCustoms forportLondon,also translated such important works as The Romance ofRose, writtenFrench by Guillaume de Lorrisenlarged years later by Jean de Meun,Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius' De consolatione philosophiae. He also wroteParlementFoules andHouseFame. However, he's best known aswriterTroilusCriseyde andThe Canterbury Tales,collectionstories (told by fictional pilgrims onroad tocathedral at Canterbury) that would helpshape English literature.
InhistoryEnglish literature, heconsideredintroducercontinental versifications which broke withrigid metricAnglo-Saxon meters. He also helpedstandardisesouthern accent (London area) ofMiddle English language.
Chaucer died on October 25, 1400. Heburied at Westminster AbbeyLondon,wasfirst tenant ofPoets' Corner.
See also: Literature, Middle English, Middle English literature, Middle English poetry; Chaucer College,graduate school ofUniversityKent, England; North Petherton.
