Biography of Geoffrey Chaucer

Inspiration and compose

Year of birth: 1343 25 October 1400 Geoffrey Chaucer is the writer to whom we owe the ennobling Poetics of English. Was born in London in 1343, but you do not know the precise day of his birth. His family wine business deals, and it is just average as high as attests to his own upbringing: he knows, indeed, Latin and French, the two languages that are studied by descendants of upper middle class families. Paternal influence enters as a page in the House of the Countess of Ulster. This opens the doors of the English nobility: in 1359 he joined the army of Edward VIII and part for France. In 1360 it was kidnapped during the siege of Rheims, and it will be thanks to the intervention of King that money is freed. Not much is known about him from 1361 to 1366, when the King of Navarre subscribes to safe conduct on its behalf for entry into Spain. They start so many diplomatic missions around Europe that participates for ten years. In 1366 marries Philippa Pan that has been serving before the Countess of Ulster and then the wife of King Edward III. Chaucer's marriage can be considered good not only from an economic point of view, but also relational: his wife is the sister of the wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, who will be a trusted friend of the writer throughout his life. By the marriage of their children, the exact number you do not know it, but you know the biography of four of them: Thomas, who had an outstanding career as an officer, Elizabeth, a nun, Agnes, information officer at the coronation of Henry IV, and Lewis. During this period Chaucer ensures a stable position at Court as valet and traveling for work in France and in Italy. Just in Italy made up for his first original work; has already translated the French text "Le roman de la rose" Although not completely. The new work is entitled "the book of the Duchess" dedicated to Bianca Lancaster, last wife of the Duke of Lancaster, who died in 1369. The work is inspired by the poetry of Ovid, one of his favorite Roman poets. As mentioned, he was responsible for the finishing of English poetry: his countrymen prefer to use French as a literary language. In the decade between 1370 and 1380 travels in Italy, France and Flanders for a series of political missions. In Italy, for example, will be in Genoa for a port concession and Florence to get money for the Crown. The King and the Duke of Lancaster always reward him with large sums of money, and in 1374 receives the post of conductor at the port of London. In this period his economic condition has stabilized, and even with the advent of the new King, Richard II, his charges are confirmed. Unfortunately the amount of work that has taken the leaves little time for writing. At the same time, however, his travels in Italy allow them to come into contact with Petrarch and Boccaccio; the latter in particular will have a major influence on his work as a writer. In recent years writes the poem left unfinished, "The House of Fame". In may, 1380 was accused of sexual assault by a woman; prosecution from which will be completely exonerated. He continues to work as a controller at the port until 1385, when no one knows for sure whether if he is to leave office or be sent away. Thus becomes a Justice of the peace in Kent and in 1386 enters Parliament. In 1387 Philippa wife dies and the political situation unfavorable to both Richard II that the Duke of Lancaster, to which Chaucer is politically and humanly very close, ends up work against. The situation worsens in 1388, when it is sued for debt and is forced to deal with it by reselling the Royal Board. Only in 1389, when King Richard II manages to regain control of power, the situation of Chaucer is stabilized. The crisis seems to be prolific from a creative point of view: writes, in fact, what is considered his masterpiece "the Canterbury Tales". A series of stories to introduce which uses the frame used by Boccaccio in his Decameron. " In this case it is a group of thirty pilgrims on their way to the tomb of Saint Thomas Becket. Also from Boccaccio draws inspiration for other works: "Troilus and criseyde." His writings are broadly of the translations: "Boethius" and "The treatise on the astrolabe", both dated 1392. Before his death he devoted himself to a long review of "Canterbury Tales". Geoffrey Chaucer died on 25 October 1400 at the age of 57 years.
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