Home / Authors / Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

Poet

Geoffrey Chaucer was an English poet, writer, and philosopher, renowned for his seminal work 'The Canterbury Tales'. Born in 1343, Chaucer lived through the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, serving in various roles such as a courtier, diplomat, and civil servant. His writings reflect the social and cultural shifts of his era.

Filter quotes by topic

All Men May Canterbury Tales Ifs Als Canterbury Gold Literature Long Death Wells Fortune Heart Inspirational Littles Wisdom Wise Desire Ends Flour

Famous Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

“For there is one thing I can safely say: that those bound by love must obey each other if they are to keep company long. Love will not be constrained by mastery; when mastery comes, the God of love at once beats his wings, and farewell he is gone. Love is a thing as free as any spirit; women naturally desire liberty, and not to be constrained like slaves; and so do men, if I shall tell the truth.”

Ifs Men Love Long I Can Spirit Desire Love Is Company Liberty Gone One Thing Beats Wings Slave Bounds Telling The Truth Inspirational Love Mastery Farewell One Love Long Love Gone Love

Book:The Canterbury tales

Source: The Canterbury tales

“If love be good, from whence cometh my woe?”

Ifs Love Love Is Be Good Woe

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Illustrated)

“Patience is a conquering virtue. The learned say that, if it not desert you, It vanquishes what force can never reach; Why answer back at every angry speech? No, learn forbearance or, I'll tell you what, You will be taught it, whether you will or not.”

Ifs Force Answers Virtue Taught Speech Patience Angry Conquer Desert Forbearance Vanquish

Book:The Canterbury tales

Source: The Canterbury tales

“A whetstone is no carving instrument, And yet it maketh sharp the carving tool; And if you see my efforts wrongly spent, Eschew that course and learn out of my school; For thus the wise may profit by the fool, And edge his wit, and grow more keen and wary, For wisdom shines opposed to its contrary.”

Ifs May Wisdom School Courses Grows Effort Wise Fool Tools Instruments Shining Edges Profit Contrary Wit Carving

Book:Troilus and Cressida

Source: Troilus and Cressida

“If gold ruste, what shall iren do?”

Ifs Gold

Author:Geoffrey Chaucer

“If a man really loves a woman, of course he wouldn't marry her for the world if he were not quite sure that he was the best person she could possibly marry.”

Ifs Men World Persons Courses Best Person

Author:Geoffrey Chaucer

“. . . if gold rust, what then will iron do?/ For if a priest be foul in whom we trust/ No wonder that a common man should rust. . . .”

Ifs Men Should Common Wonder Gold Iron Priests Foul Rust Common Man

Book:The Canterbury tales

Source: The Canterbury tales

“If gold rusts, what then can iron do?”

Ifs Gold Iron Rust Canterbury Tales

Author:Geoffrey Chaucer

“If no love is, O God, what fele I so? And if love is, what thing and which is he? If love be good, from whennes cometh my woo? If it be wikke, a wonder thynketh me”

Ifs Love Is Wonder Be Good No Love

Book:Reading Chaucer's Poems: A Guided Selection

Source: Reading Chaucer's Poems: A Guided Selection

“By God, if women had written stories, As clerks had within here oratories, They would have written of men more wickedness Than all the mark of Adam may redress.”

Ifs Men May Stories Written Mark Adam Wickedness Clerks Oratory Redress

Author:Geoffrey Chaucer

“But manly set the world on sixe and sevene; And, if thou deye a martir, go to hevene.”

Ifs World Manly

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Illustrated)

“If were not foolish young, were foolish old.”

Ifs Young Foolish Folly

Author:Geoffrey Chaucer

“Fie on possession, But if a man be vertuous withal.”

Ifs Men Possession

Book:The Canterbury Tales ... From the Text and with the Notes and Glossary of Thomas Tyrwhitt, Condensed and Arranged Under the Text. A New Edition. [Edited by Thomas A. W. Buckley.] Illustrated by Edward Corbould

Source: The Canterbury Tales ... From the Text and with the Notes and Glossary of Thomas Tyrwhitt, Condensed and Arranged Under the Text. A New Edition. [Edited by Thomas A. W. Buckley.] Illustrated by Edward Corbould

About the Author

Born: 1343
Died: October 25, 1400
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 181

Books & Sources

The Canterbury talesRelated source material

Delphi Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Illustrated)Related source material

Troilus and CressidaRelated source material

Canterbury TalesRelated source material

Canterbury Tales (selected)Related source material

The Miller's Prologue and TaleRelated source material

The Poetical Works of Geoffrey ChaucerRelated source material

Troilus and CriseydeRelated source material

The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer: To which are Added an Essay on His Language and Versification, and an Introductory Discourse, Togeher with Notes and a GlossaryRelated source material

The Canterbury Tales: From the Text and with the Notes and Glossary of Thomas Tyrwhitt : Condensed and Arranged Under the TextRelated source material

Similar Authors

Anthony TrollopeBrowse related quotes
Francis BaconBrowse related quotes
EuripidesBrowse related quotes
Jean de la BruyereBrowse related quotes
Johann Wolfgang von GoetheBrowse related quotes
Charles Caleb ColtonBrowse related quotes
Gilbert K. ChestertonBrowse related quotes
Thomas CarlyleBrowse related quotes
AeschylusBrowse related quotes
Miguel de CervantesBrowse related quotes