Answer the questions

Answer the questions.

1. Describe the political situation of England in the 14th century.

—The 14th century, despite some gains, was a bleak age. At its beginning and close were kings whose reigns ended in failure. In between, however, came the 50-year reign of the popular and successful Edward III. During the century the importance of the Commons in Parliament continued to grow. But dominant factors of the age were war and plague. The increased scale, cost, and frequency of wars from the 1290s onward imposed heavy burdens on state and society. Conflicts between England and France continued intermittently throughout the century, those from 1337 onward being called the Hundred Years’ War. The Black Death struck in 1348–49; it became endemic, recurring several times in the second half of the century, and brought with it profound economic and social change.

2. How did people react to growing feudal oppression?

4. What was the result of the protest against the Catholic Church?

5. What do you know about the poets William Langland and John Wycliffe?

6. Give the main facts of Chaucer's life.

7. Speak about the three periods of Chaucer's creative work.

8. What is his masterpiece?

9. Give some information about Chaucer's masterpiece with your own words and express your attitude toward his literary work. (Do not copy and paste the information from the Internet).