Chaucer
When was he born? When did he die?
Geoffrey Chaucer was born in 1340 and died in 1400, in the begining of the 15th century.
Mention 1 characteristic of Chaucer's Middle English
French final ending: "-e" (sonne, erthe, bathe, worke)
Plural verbs ending: "-en" (maken, slepen)
Pronouns: Hem ("them"), "hir" (their)
Most consonants were similar to the ones in Modern English, but with more "choaking" articulations
What are ballads?
Popular short verses, anonymous narrative poems that were passed down orally.
Verses about love, war and the supernatural word.
What was his social background to become a rich writer?
He was a page to the Countess of Ulster
He was married into the family of the Great John of Gaunt
He used to be a soldier before writing
Mention 1 Chaucer's work
The Canterbury Tales
Troilus and Criseyde
Who was William Caxton?
He was the creator of Modern prose
Achievements
He was the first "Modern" writer.
He established London's dialect as the main medium for literature, and the dialect for law-courts.
He settled the basis for English poetry and created new words for the English language.
Mention characteristics of Chaucher's writing style (themes, dialect, etc)
He introduced realism: real life situations of human beings with different personalities, temperaments, ways of thinking.
His writings showed humour, drama, passion and scepticism.
He wrote short poems of love and modern novels
He wrote in the East Midland dialect (London)
What is "The Morte D'Arthur"?
A prose book written by Sir Thomas Malory about mythical figures
A prose book printed by William Caxton about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table