Facts About Geoffrey Chaucer

• Sponsored into courtly circles from a young age.
• As a squire, he was captured at the siege of Rheims  and ransomed.
• Experienced in military campaigns across Europe, twice serving as a negotiator in Italy.
• Employed as clerk by the king, overseeing the collection of duties.
• Was a Justice of the peace and Knight of the Shire in Parliament.

Chaucer’s work, “The Canterbury Tales,” was a representation and in many ways a critique of society. By and large, there is representation for every social class. Because of his unique and intimate knowledge of the top of society, he was able to draw such a clear and accurate picture of English elite. His participation in the 100 Years’ War allowed him to draw on the mind-frames of various soldiers from different social statures. Because of his services and connections to prominent members of the English court, Chaucer had resources made available to him that would be hard to come by for any other writer. He had access to people from diverse walks of life and was able to study them and add to the construction of his great poetic work. Current students of literature are endowed with a more thorough understanding of Medieval English society because of Chaucer’s experiences imbued into his writings.