Concetti Chiave
- Geoffrey Chaucer, born around 1343 in London, was the son of a wealthy wine merchant and had close ties with the royal family.
- Chaucer's travels to France and Italy exposed him to influential works by Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio, shaping his literary style.
- He held various positions, including Controller of the Customs on Wool and Hides and Member of Parliament, until losing his offices in 1386.
- Chaucer is celebrated as the father of English literature, with his works contributing significantly to the development of standard English.
- His literary career is divided into three periods—French, Italian, and English—each showcasing different influences and styles, culminating in the "Canterbury Tales."
Biography
Geoffrey Chaucer was born about 1343, the son of a rich wine merchant in London. Geoffrey followed (ha seguito) Edward III’s son to (il figlio di Edward III’s nella) war in France where he was taken (fù preso) prisoner and ransomed (riscattato) by the King himself (in persona) in 1360. So Chaucer grew up (crebbe) in close (in stretto) contact with the royal family and travelled from England to France. The King sent him (lo inviò) on various missions.
In 1389 he was appointed (è stato nominato) Clerk of the King’s Works (responsabile dei lavori del re) at Westminster. He was (fù) the first poet to be buried (sepolto) in the Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey.
The father of English literature
Chaucer is regarded (considerato) as the father of English literature. His language became (divenne) standard English. The feature (caratteristica) of Chaucer’s works is their variety. His poems are usually divided into three periods: the French, the Italian and the English.
The French period is so called (chiamato) because it includes poems modelled on French romance styles and subjects (sul modello di stili e temi del romanticism francese):
• The Romaunt of the Rose
• The Boke of the Duchesse
The Italian period shows (espone) a greater (maggiore) maturity of perception:
• The Parlement of Foules
• The House of Fame
• The Legende of Good Women
• Troylus and Criseyde
The English period is marked (caratterizzato) by greater realism and includes Chaucer’s masterpiece:
• Canterbury Tales
Domande da interrogazione
- Chi era Geoffrey Chaucer e quale fu il suo ruolo nella letteratura inglese?
- Quali furono i principali periodi della produzione poetica di Chaucer?
- Qual è l'opera più famosa di Chaucer e in quale periodo fu scritta?
Geoffrey Chaucer, nato intorno al 1343, è considerato il padre della letteratura inglese. La sua lingua divenne l'inglese standard e le sue opere sono note per la loro varietà.
Le poesie di Chaucer sono solitamente divise in tre periodi: il periodo francese, il periodo italiano e il periodo inglese, ciascuno caratterizzato da stili e temi distinti.
L'opera più famosa di Chaucer è "The Canterbury Tales", scritta durante il suo periodo inglese, caratterizzato da un maggiore realismo.
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