The Life and Success of Geoffrey Chaucer

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Recommended: The Canterbury tales middle English

Geoffrey Chaucer was a man with an interesting life to say the least. From imprisonment and royal service to being renowned as one of the greatest poets and writers of the 1300s. Chaucer's life had many mysteries to it as well such as what intrigued him to write The Canterbury Tales, one of his most famous works.
Geoffrey Chaucer's year of birth is a bit of a mystery for no one knows for sure which year he was born. What is known is he was born around 1340 – 1345. He was believed to be the child of Agnes, niece of Hamo de Compton, and his father John Chaucer. Records show that around 1357, Chaucer was in service to Elizabeth, countess of Ulster, and wife of Lionel, Duke of Clarence. Her record shows that she paid for Chaucer's clothing and expenses in small sums in April, May, and December.
In 1359 Chaucer went to the war in France. While in France, Chaucer was held captive in the area of Reims. March 1st of 1360, King Edward III contributed £16 to his ransom. Records show that King Edward III paid Chaucer a pension of twenty marks for his past and future services on the 10th of June 1367. This means Chaucer must have been in King Edward's service about a year or two after his capture. Also during this time, Chaucer married his wife, Philippa de Roet, furthering his career in the English court even more.
In 1370 Chaucer went abroad to fufill diplomatic missions in Florence and Genoa up until 1373. While in Genoa he had helped establish an English port. His reward was being appointed Comptroller of Customs, a very sought out position. While abroad he familiarizied himself with the work of the Italian poets, Dante Alighieri and Petrach. Chaucer admired Dante greatly. Sometimes he even cited and quoted Dante. While it...

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...ets alike.
Poets' Corner has gained other poets since Chaucer's time such as Edmund Spenser, Charles Dickens, and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Other poets had memorials made in their place even though they rested elsewhere. Shakespeare, buried at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616, had a memorial finally placed in Poets' Corner in 1740.
Geoffrey Chaucer was very influential in both royal stature, to a certain degree, and his literary works, which are used in classrooms today. He led a successful life as he was lucky enough to escape impriosonment when in Reims during the war in France. King Edward III started Chaucer's major political influence, which very well may have had major impact on his stories popularity. His writing of The Canterbury Tales keep him a topic of conversation to this day. He deserved to be the first person to begin Poet's Corner in Westminister Abbey.

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