Geoffrey Chaucer was one of the first European writers to portray humor in his literary works. Geoffrey Chaucer was born in London, England, around the year 1343. Geoffrey’s father and grandfather were wine merchants (and vintners) who owned several taverns for travelers called inns (Bell Book & Candle). Geoffrey wrote comical poetry during that time period, but it wasn’t until he joined the court of King Edward III that Geoffrey became known as a humorist instead of just another medieval poet (Bell Book & Candle).
Geoffrey began writing down his poems about daily life while staying at the castle with King Edward III. He wrote The House Of Fame , Parlement Of Foules , The Parliament Of Fowls , The Legend Of Good Women , Troilus And Criseyde , and Boece (Bell Book & Candle). Geoffrey’s works show the humor involved with daily life during Geoffrey’s time period. Geoffrey Chaucer died in London around 1400, but his humorous literature has survived through today (Bell Book & Candle). Geoffrey Chaucer humor can be seen in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales . Geoffrey wrote The Canterbury Tales to entertain the people of England at a festival for St. Cecilia, who was the patron saint of music (Sweeney 46-47).
Geoffrey chose 30 pilgrims to make up his fictional cast of characters (#1 below), each one representing or associated with a certain occupation or skill set according to medieval times (Sweeney 47). Geoffrey Chaucer humor can also be seen in Geoffrey’s tales themselves, as Geoffrey poked fun at the people and customs of his time (Sweeney 48-49). Geoffrey Chaucer even used some satire throughout The Canterbury Tales to poke some backhanded humorous remarks toward those whom Geoffrey felt deserved it (Sweeney 52-62).
#1: The General Prologue
The General Prologue is a prologue written by Geoffrey Chaucer that precedes many of the tales told by the pilgrims on their journey to Canterbury. In this section, Geoffrey introduced all 30 characters, each with their own personality and background. This section not only gave Geoffrey an opportunity to introduce his cast of characters and for readers to become better acquainted with them, but it was also Geoffrey Chaucer humor based on Geoffrey’s view of the medieval world. Geoffrey Chaucer humor came through in this section as Geoffrey poked fun at the people and their backgrounds as he presented them (Sweeney 50).
#2: The Miller
The Miller, sometimes called by his full name, John, was a crude man known for his drinking and boasting among friends (Bell Book & Candle). Geoffrey Chaucer uses irony to poke some humorous remarks toward the Miller in Geoffrey Chaucer humor. The Miller didn’t know Latin very well and took Geoffrey’s words out of context to make it seem like Geoffrey was insulting him when that wasn’t Geoffrey’s intention (Sweeney 52-55). The dirty nature of the told by the Miller about the carpenter in Geoffrey Chaucer humor was very unorthodox for Geoffrey’s time period, but Geoffrey appreciated the rawness of the Miller’s tale. Geoffrey Chaucer also used irony when he wrote that at least half of each audience listening to The Miller’s tale were offended by it, yet none of them spoke up about said offense (Sweeney 55).
Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor in The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer’s work, The Canterbury Tales,” is known for its social commentary and clever poems. Throughout the tales, the reader learns that Geoffrey Chaucer was not afraid to poke fun at people or to become satirical about certain issues. Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor can be found in several of his works, though it is most prevalent inThe Pardoner’s Prologue. ” This particular piece shows Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor by making light of a serious subject – death – through mistaken identity.
Geoffrey Chaucer even uses the same wordplay he used in The Summoner’s Tale” when he has his character mistake Death fora schrewe. ” The Pardoner begins to yell at Death, saying O false theef, wreak thou thy woodnesse''; Geoffrey Chaucer's humor can be seen here as Death is portrayed as atheef” -a robber. Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor is also found in “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue,” where Geoffrey Chaucer uses alliteration to show comedic exaggeration.
The Wife of Bath references the old saying about how wives should be submissive and obedient; Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor comes from the idea of women being likened to animals by taking this phrase literally. As Geoffrey Chaucer wrote during his own time period (14th century), he was able to make light of serious subjects like death by making jokes that would not mean anything nowadays but were poignant back.
Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor is found throughout Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales;'' it is skillfully interwoven into Geoffrey Chaucer's writing to make the work all the more enjoyable. Geoffrey Chaucer humor can be found in Geoffrey Chaucer'sThe Pardoner’s Prologue,” where Geoffrey Chaucer uses mistaken identity to comedic effect, and in Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue,” where Geoffrey Chaucer humorously writes about women obediently changing their husbands’ dirty linens like dogs or other animals.
What factors might contribute to instances of Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor? Geoffrey Chaucer wrote during a time when death was taken much more seriously than it is today. He likely learned about death while attending school at either Cambridge or Oxford or while reading manuscripts (such as the works of Geoffrey Chaucer humor) at one of those schools. Geoffrey Chaucer’s writing style changed throughout his life, which is evident by looking at Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor in Geoffrey Chaucer’s works The Canterbury Tales and Geoffrey Chaucer’s book The House of Fame.
Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor appears much more often in The Canterbury Tales than it does in Geoffrey Chaucer’s other writing. What are some examples of Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor? The Pardoner’s Prologue has several examples of Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor, including one where he uses word play to show that Death was uncertain about who it was dealing with. This section begins with Death speaking to the Pard: “Certes I knew yow not,” quod he.
Geoffrey Chaucer humor is evident here because Geoffrey Chaucer has Death say yow'' instead ofyou”; Geoffrey Chaucer humor can be found throughout The Canterbury Tales, though it varies depending on the person Geoffrey Chaucer is poking fun at in any particular piece.. The Wife of Bath also uses Geoffrey Chaucer humor when she talks about how women should be submissive to their husbands, referencing an old saying that women should be like dogs and only change their dirty bedsheets once a year. Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor shows up here as well, but this comes out through exaggeration rather than mistaken identity or wordplay.
`The Canterbury Tales,” is known for its social commentary and clever poems. Throughout the tales, the reader learns that Geoffrey Chaucer was not afraid to poke fun at people or to become satirical about certain issues. Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor can be found in several of his works, though it is most prevalent in “The Pardoner’s Prologue. ” This particular piece shows Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor by making light of a serious subject – death – through mistaken identity.
Geoffrey Chaucer even uses the same wordplay he used in The Summoner's Tale'' when he has his character mistake Death fora schrewe. ” The Pardoner begins to yell at Death, saying O false theef, wreak thou thy woodnesse''; Geoffrey Chaucer's humor can be seen here as Death is portrayed as atheef” -a robber. Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor is also found in “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue,” where Geoffrey Chaucer uses alliteration to show comedic exaggeration.
The Wife of Bath references the old saying about how wives should be submissive and obedient; Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor comes from the idea of women being likened to animals by taking this phrase literally. As Geoffrey Chaucer wrote during his own time period (14th century), he was able to make light of serious subjects like death by making jokes that would not mean anything nowadays but were poignant back. Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor is found throughout Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales;” it is skillfully interwoven into Geoffrey Chaucer’s writing to make the work all the more enjoyable.
Geoffrey Chaucer humor can be found in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Pardoner's Prologue,'' where Geoffrey Chaucer uses mistaken identity to comedic effect, and in Geoffrey Chaucer'sThe Wife of Bath’s Prologue,” where Geoffrey Chaucer humorously writes about women obediently changing their husbands’ dirty linens like dogs or other animals. What factors might contribute to instances of Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor? Geoffrey Chaucer wrote during a time when death was taken much more seriously than it is today.
He likely learned about death while attending school at either Cambridge or Oxford or while reading manuscripts (such as the works of Geoffrey Chaucer humor) at one of those schools. Geoffrey Chaucer’s writing style changed throughout his life, which is evident by looking at Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor in Geoffrey Chaucer’s works The Canterbury Tales and Geoffrey Chaucer’s book The House of Fame. ; Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor appears much more often in The Canterbury Tales than it does in Geoffrey Chaucer’s other writing. What are some examples of Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor?
The Pardoner’s Prologue has several examples of Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor, including one where he uses word play to show that Death was uncertain about who it was dealing with. This section begins with Death speaking to the Pard: Certes I knew yow not,'' quod he. Geoffrey Chaucer humor is evident here because Geoffrey Chaucer has Death sayyow” instead of “you”; Geoffrey Chaucer humor can be found throughout The Canterbury Tales, though it varies depending on the person Geoffrey Chaucer is poking fun at in any particular piece..
The Wife of Bath also uses Geoffrey Chaucer humor when she talks about how women should be submissive to their husbands, referencing an old saying that women should be like dogs and only change their dirty bedsheets once a year. Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor shows up here as well, but this comes out through exaggeration rather than mistaken identity or wordplay. Geoffrey Chaucer humor in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales can be found when Geoffrey Chaucer pokes fun at the Summoner, the Friar, or when Geoffrey Chaucer talks directly to his audience.
Geoffrey Chaucer humor varies depending on what Geoffrey Chaucer is trying to get across; Geoffrey Chaucer uses Geoffrey Chaucer humor in his writing to make it more entertaining for its audience. What are some examples of Geoffrey Chaucer’s humor? Geoffrey Chaucere’s “The Pardoner’s Prologue” has several examples of Geoffrey Chaucer humor, including one where he uses word play to show that the Pardoner was not familiar with Death.
