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Canterbury Tales Background

September 15, 2007

Above is a pilgrimage scene from a stained glass window in

Canterbury Cathedral2-20-08

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Canterbury Tales Background

Assignment–Read pages 90-143–Review Questions–All Grammar

Exercises–All Vocabulary

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**What is a Prologue?***

1. An introduction or preface, especially a poem recited to introduce a play.

2. An introduction or introductory chapter, as to a novel.

3. An introductory act, event, or period.

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Canterbury Tales Background• Framing Narrative Device

• Geoffrey Chaucer wanted to tell 120 different stories that was to be told by 30 people

• Originally written in Middle English

• Chaucer wrote about what he knew2-20-08

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Geoffrey ChaucerThe Canterbury Tales Background

• He was familiar with the annual pilgrimages from London Canterbury

• Canterbury is 55 miles Southeast of London

• Canterbury is at the southern tip of England

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Canterbury Tales Background• It was tradition to travel in the Spring/Summer

to the Cathedral of Canterbury

• The pilgrimage was to honor St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury

• Becket was murdered in 1170

• Becket was made a saint, his remains lay entombed in the cathedral2-20-08

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St. Thomas Becket• Archbishop of

Canterbury from 1162 to 1170.

• Saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church.

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St. Thomas Becket• He engaged in a

conflict with King Henry II over the rights and privileges of the Church

• He was assassinated by followers of the king in Canterbury Cathedral.

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Canterbury Tales Background• Written between 1387 and 1400. • Group of thirty people who travel as pilgrims

to Canterbury (England). • **The pilgrims, who come from all layers of

society, tell stories to each other to kill time while they travel to Canterbury.

• **Chaucer intended that each pilgrim should tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two tales on the way back.

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Canterbury Tales Background• He never finished his enormous project and

even the completed tales were not finally revised.

• Scholars are uncertain about the order of the tales.

• As the printing press had yet to be invented when Chaucer wrote his works, The Canterbury Tales has been passed down in several handwritten manuscripts.

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The General Prologue• Geoffrey Chaucer starts the story at the

Tabard Inn, when a group of pilgrims join together

• He describes almost all of the nine and twenty pilgrims in this company, each of whom practices a different trade (often dishonestly).

• On the night before they leave, the Host of the Tabard Inn, Harry Bailey, proposes that he joins them as a guide and that each of the pilgrims should tell tales (two on the outward journey, two on the way back); whoever tells the best tale will win a supper, at the other pilgrims' cost when they return.

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The General Prologue• The pilgrims agree, and Chaucer warns

his readers that he must repeat each tale exactly as he heard it, even though it might contain frank language.

• The next morning the company sets out, pausing at the Watering of St. Thomas, where all draw straws, and the Knight is thus selected to tell the first tale.

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Canterbury Tales Background• Purpose of pilgrimage= to pray for cures, solve

their problems

• 30 pilgrims x 4 tales each = 120 total tales

• Harry Bailey (Tabard Inn)= host/innkeeper, he is the pilgrim 30th, he is also the judge

• ****Chaucer died before finishing, he finished only 24 tales in total2-20-08

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Vocabulary page 97• Solicitous

• Garnished

• Absolution

• Commission

- showing care or concern

- decorated; trimmed

- act of freeing someone of a sin or criminal charge

- authorization; act of giving authority to an individual

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Vocabulary page 97

• Sanguine

• Avouches

• Prevarication

- confident; cheerful

- asserts positively; affirms

- evasion of truth

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Characterization pg 120• Characterization is the technique a writer

uses to create and develop the personality of a character.

• Direct characterization= stated outright

• Indirect= suggested through details of appearance or action or by the character’s statements

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Social Commentary pg 120

• Social commentary= is writing that offers insight into a society, its values, and its customs.

• **Analyze difficult sentences by applying the questions who, what, where, when, why, and how to them.

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The ProloguePg 98 Characters

• Several of the characters are described in minute detail, e.g. social position, their professions, clothing, hair color, jewelry, etc.

• Characters tell stories that suit their personality

• Some characters do tell dirty jokes

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Chaucer

• Experts believe Chaucer is the narrator of The Canterbury Tales

• Time Setting of the Canterbury Prologue takes place not long after 1170, during the height of pilgrimages to St. Thomas Becket’s tomb

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Pg 98 Characters

• What does a miller do?

• He processes grain with two large stones, you place grain in a tube.

• And then horses or oxen would move the stones in order to grind them

• A miller would have been paid in flour2-20-08

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The Knight’s TaleGeneral Prologue Lines 43-78: The Knight

• Gentleman, followed chivalry• Truth, honor,• Very courteous• Fought in the 100 Years War• Participated in many battles• Well traveled and The perfect

noble knight• He wore a tunic of simple cloth

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The SquireLines 79-100: The Squire

• The Knight’s son • About 20 years old, a bachelor• Curly hair• Wears fine embroidered

(colorful) clothes• Practicing to be a knight• “Fresh as the month of May”• Multi-talented: jousting,

dancing, sketching, and writing

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The YeomanLines 103-121: The Yeoman

• The Knight’s servant• Clothed in coat and hood of green.• A sheaf of peacock arrows bright

and keen• He bore a mighty bow• Wore a brace on his arm• Sun-browned face• Wore a St. Christopher Medal• Forester

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Who does the Yeoman remind you of?

Robin Hood

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The PrioressLines 122-166: The Prioress

• Head of a convent• Spoke daintily in French• Very mannered• Very entertaining, pleasant,

and friendly• Dignified• Charitably solicitous (caring)• All sentiment• Elegant nose, small mouth• The Nun is traveling w/3

priests and another nunKnown as

Madam Eglantyne2-20-08

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The PrioressLines 122-166: The Prioress

• She is acting (pretending) to be high class, superior to others, but she is unsuccessful

• In church she sings through her nose

• She tries to speak French, but she speaks in inferior French

• Not worldly enough to pull it off her image that she wants to portray

• Phony 2-20-08

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Prioress= Phony/Fake• The Prioress reminds

me of a local guy and when he opened an Italian Restaurant, he started talking in a fake Italian accent.

Can you think of anyone like the prioress?

Madonna/Britney Spears2-20-08

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The Monk Lines 169-211: The Monk

• What is your impression of a monk?

• Wealthy, has horses and dogs, likes to hunt, an outdoorsman

• Wears jewelry• Fine clothes, fur on his sleeves, and

collar• Bald• Likes to eat, fat and personable• Bulging eyes that glitter• Not a typical monk!

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The FriarLines 212-279: The Friar

What is a friar’s job?• Friars were suppose to beg and give to the poor

• But, this Friar would rather spend time w/ wealthy landowners

• He likes to drink• A festive fellow• Glib (superficial)• Sang well• He knew innkeepers &

barmaids better than lepers2-20-08

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The FriarLines 212-279: The Friar

• Naturally gifted beggar

• He took money from widows

• He took in more than he gave out

• He played a harp• His name was Hubert• He didn’t want to be

with poor people• He took confessions

and gave small penances

• Corruption in the Catholic Church in the 1300’s led to the Protestant Revolt by John Wycliffe

• And then in the 1500’s additional revolts were led by John Calvin and Martin Luther

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The FriarLines 212-279: The Friar

• Friars paid rent to the church for an area to beg

• The Friar was very good at getting money out of people

• Friar didn’t care about the poor

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The MerchantLines 280-294: The Merchant

• Short description• Beard• Beaver hat• Dainty buckled shoes• Expert at currency exchange• Stately in negotiation• No one could tell if he was in

debt or not• Harry Bailey (the host) did

not know his name, because he was traveling w/30 people, and you may not know everyone’s name2-20-08

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The Oxford ClericLines 295-318: The Oxford Cleric/Scholar

• A student from Oxford• Studied philosophy• Both he and horse were thin• Wore a very worn overcoat• Would rather spend money

on books• He had but little gold within

his suitcase

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The Sergeant of the LawLines 319-340: The Sergeant of the Law

• Keen, wise, and dignified• An advisor to St. Paul's • By royal assignment he was

an appointed judge in court• He took large fees• His house was never short of

food and pies• Successful in real estate• Very knowledgeable about

the law2-20-08

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The FranklinLines 341-370: The Franklin

• White beard• Wealthy landowner• Self-satisfied, contented

temperament• He loved to dip his morning

bread in wine.• His bread, his ale were

always good and fine;• No man had cellars better

stocked with wine.

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The Haberdasher, Dyer, a Carpenter,Weaver and Carpet-maker

Lines 371-380:The Haberdasher, Dyer, Carpenter, Weaver and Carpet-maker

• One solemn, great fraternity.• Guild (Union) members• Freshly and new their gear,

and well adorned it was;• Their weapons were not

cheaply shaped with brass,• But all with silver; neatly

made and well• Their belt and their purses

too

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The CookLines 389-397: The Cook

• He boiled chickens with the marrow-bones

• He knew how to recognize a draught of London ale.

• And he could roast and boil and broil and fry,

• And prepare a stew, and bake a tasty pie.

• He had an open sore on his shin (knee)

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The SkipperLines 398-421: The Skipper

• A Successful SAILOR, living far out west;• Came from Dartmouth• He rode a horse the best he could• Lanyard- A dagger hanging on a cord had

he about his neck, under his arm, and down.• Sunburned face• Skipper’s stealing wine and forcing

prisoners to walk the plank • Often drank wine• He calculated the tides, currents, and the

dangerous watersides,• His vessel had been called the Madeleine

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The DoctorLines 422-454: The Doctor

• He was instructed in astronomy, he could calculate planetary positions.

• He cared for and saved a patient many times

• He knew the cause of every sickness,

• In diet he was modest • He did not study the Bible,

much.• His clothes were of blue and

scarlet2-20-08

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The Wife of BathLines 455-486: The Wife of Bath

• Who was somewhat deaf, it is a pity• Gap-toothed • She wanted to be first at Church,

and if someone went up before, she wasn’t charitable

• Good seamstress• Fine dresses and stockings (red),

extravagant hats, and new shoes• Married in church, 5x• She was experienced in love• Well traveled• She traveled to Jerusalem 3x• She was also to Rome and she even to

Boulogne, and to Spain.2-20-08

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The ParsonLines 487-538: The Parson

• A good man • A poor COUNTRY PARSON,• Rich in holy thought and work• A learned man also, a clerk,• Patient, Devout, Gracious• Large parish, he visited the sick

no matter what the weather conditions

• Used metaphors to preach• He set an example to his flock• He was the opposite of the monk

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The PlowmanLines 539-555: The Plowman

• A PLOWMAN, and his brother,• Hard worker• They loaded and transported many

carts with dung, and many other• Living in peace and perfect charity.• He loved God most, and that with his

whole heart• Was not materialistic• He'd thresh and dig, and never thought

of wealth,• He paid his taxes with his labor and

when necessary he would sell his possessions.

• He rode a mare (female horse).2-20-08

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The Miller’s PortraitLines 561-584: The Miller

• Strong• Huge in size (16 stone), big bone• Wrestler• Red Beard/Hair• Nose, Wart w/2 hairs• Sword & buckler at his side• Jester• Stole corn and charged 3x the

price• Gold thumb• Bagpipe• Miller’s name is Robin

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The College MancipleLines 585-604: The College Manciple

• Steward or purchaser • Learned in the art of buying victuals

(food);• Came from the Inner Temple

(Masonic Temple- Mason)• Cash or credit, he knew all the

rituals,• That he knew the markets, watched

them closely, and found himself ahead, he did quite nicely

• Shameless wrangler, belligerent, lecherous

• A vulgar man 2-20-08

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The ReeveLines 605-640: The Reeve

• A slender choleric man• Very close shave• Short hair• Long and lean• Estate Manager• He understood farming and

livestock• No auditor could ever find anything• He knew about cunning and deceit;• They were afraid of him as of the

death.• He had a nice cottage

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The SummonerLines 625-670: The Summoner

• He gets people into church, he summons them

• He had a fiery-red, cherubic face,• He had pimples and nothing could fix it• With black and scabby brows and scanty

beard;• He had a face that little children feared.• He loved garlic, onions, leeks, and loved

to drink strong blood red wine until dizzy.• Then he would talk and shout as if he's

crazy.Then would he utter no word except Latin.

• He was a noble rascal

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The PardonerLines 689-734: The Pardoner

• Straight from the court of Rome had journeyed he.

• Loudly he sang "Come hither, love, to me,“

• Long yellow locks, fell like rat tails• With unbound hair, except his cap,

head all bare.• As shiny eyes he had as a hare.• He had a fine Veronica (relic) sewed

to his cap.• His knapsack lay before him in his

lap, stuffed full with pardons brought from Rome all hot.2-20-08

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The PardonerLines 689-734: The Pardoner

• A voice that sounded like a goat.• Feminine features• I think he was a gelding (castrated) or a

mare.• He sold relics• “For in his bag he had a pillow-case• Of which he said, it was Our True Lady's

veil:• He said he had a piece of the very sail that

good Saint Peter had, on the time he sailed• In that one day he gathered more money

than the parson in two months, that easy”.

• He used flattery and preached with his smooth tongue.2-20-08

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Host- Harry Bailey, Tabard Inn

• High class hostelry• Our Host gave us

welcome• His eyes were bright• His girth a little wide• Bold in speech• Yet wise and full of tact• Merry hearted man

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Past and Past Perfect Tenses• Past tense

• Past perfect tense

is a verb showing an action or a conditionthat began and ended in the past

Indicates an action or a conditionthat ended before another past action began

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Past and Past Perfect Tenses

• This estimable (esteem) Merchant so had set

• His wits to work, none knew he was in debt…

PAST PERFECT TENSE

PAST TENSE

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