Background Introduction Canterbury Tales - PowerPoint Presentation

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Background Introduction

Canterbury Tales

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Geoffrey Chaucerc. 1343-1400

Considered the father of English poetry

Wrote in the vernacular – common language of the people (English)

Served as a soldier, government servant, and member of

Parliament, royal messenger under King Edward III.

Traveled often with nobles

Thus, he would have learned Latin and some Greek as well as perhaps some French and

Italian

Introduced

iambic pentameter

First writer buried in Westminster Abbey

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In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer wrote about the people he had met along through his travels. If you were doing the same thing today, think about the variety of types of people you know and have encountered.

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Chaucer’s Plan ...

A Prologue followed by a series of stories and linking dialogues and commentariesEach character would tell 2 stories going and 2 stories coming homeuh… coming home from WHERE?Canterbury of course. After all, his work IS called : The Canterbury Tales

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London

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But why go to Canterbury?

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One Answer: Religion

Canterbury has always been an important religious center in England.St. Augustine (seen in stained glass from the Canterbury Cathedral) was sent by Pope Gregory the Great to establish the Catholic faith in the countryReligion played an important part in medieval life.

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Why was religion important?

It’s the Middle Ages

Plague

Warfare

High Infant Mortality Rate

Short Life Expectancy

…and if you were a peasant, you lived your

whole

life in harsh conditions

About the best thing that you had to look forward

to

was dying and going to heaven

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Also, Canterbury was a Pilgrimage Site

People of all classes went on pilgrimages to holy sites to ask for help with medical, financial or other problems.

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The Journey Begins . . .

Chaucer uses a religious pilgrimage to display all segments of medieval England.The Canterbury Tales begins with a Prologue, Narrator, presumably Chaucer himself, meets 29 other pilgrims at the Tabard Inn, located in a suburb of London.As the pilgrims prepare for their journey, the host of the Inn, Harry Bailey, sets a challenge: Each pilgrim tell two stories on the way to Canterbury and two stories on the return trip. The person who tells the best tale will be treated to a feast hosted by the other pilgrims.

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The Journey Begins . . .

The Canterbury Tales is actually a story about stories, twenty-four different tales set within the overarching tale of the pilgrimage.Definition:Frame Story – a story within a storyThe Outer Frame Story is about the pilgrims meeting at the Tabard Inn preparing for a journey to Canterbury.The Inner Frame Story would be all the stories told by the assembled pilgrims along their journey to and from Canterbury.

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Snapshots of an Era. . .

In the Prologue, Chaucer sketches a brief but vivid portrait of each pilgrim, creating a lively sense of medieval life. The description may literally describe an article of clothing, but figuratively imply something about that character.Definition: Satire - a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule.Like sarcasm . . . He says one thing, but means another.Our job is to read and comprehend the literal description of each pilgrim, and then, we must figuratively interpret what Chaucer is trying to imply about that pilgrim’s character.

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Snapshots of an Era. . .

Satire (continued . . . ):Also, so that we might better understand his satirical characterization, Chaucer creates SATIRIC NORMS.A SATIRIC NORM is a character that represents the perfect ideal.We can then see how BAD everyone else is by comparing them to this Satiric Norm.

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Snapshots of an Era. . .

In the Prologue, Chaucer examines three segments of Medieval England:1. The Old Feudal order – these are all of the pilgrims associated with the feudal class system.Knight, Squire, Yeoman, Plowman . . . 2. The Merchant Class – this was the rising middle class of the time; towns and cities were emerging and therefore necessitated the need for skilled services:Merchant, Man of Law, Guildsmen, Cook . . . 3. The Ecclesiastical (Church) Class – these were all of the members of the church. Chaucer is most critical of this segment of his society.Prioress, Monk, Friar, Pardoner . . .

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A Literary Tour. . .

Chaucer uses the popular genres of his time when he creates the inner stories of the various pilgrims:Romances (tales of chivalry)The Wife of Bath’s TaleFabliaux (short, bawdy, humorous stories)The Miller’s TaleThe stories of saint’s lives, sermonsThe Parson’s TaleAllegories (narratives in which characters represent abstractions such as Pride or Honor).The Pardoner’s TaleChaucer wrote much of the Tales using his own form, the heroic couplet, a pair of rhyming lines with five stressed syllables each.

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Literary Analysis

CharacterizationDirect characterization presents direct statements about a character, such as Chaucer’s statement that the Knight “followed chivalry, / Truth, honor. . . .”Indirect characterization uses actions, thoughts, and dialogue to reveal a character’s personality. By saying “he was not gaily dressed,” for instance, Chaucer suggests that the Knight is not vain and perhaps takes the pilgrimage seriously enough to rush to join it straight from battle.

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Literary Analysis

Each character in The Canterbury Tales represents a different segment of society in Chaucer’s time. By noting the virtues and faults of each, Chaucer provides

social commentary

, writing that offers insight into society, its values, and its customs. While reading, draw conclusions from the characters about Chaucer’s views on English society.

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So, let’s travel back to London, to the area called Southward, and stop at the Tabard Inn.

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We’ll meet the characters and hear their stories.

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Knight

distinguishedfollowed chivalrytruthful, honorableridden into battlehonored for his gracesfought in many battlesmodest, not boorisha true, perfect knight

NOT satirized He represents all that is good about knighthood and nobility.Good example from the nobility.

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Squire

lovercurly locksfought in nearby battles so he could get home to see the ladiessang, danced, wrote poetrycould “joust and dance”

“loved so hotly that till dawn grew pale/He slept as little as a nightingale”

was courteous and serviceable when father was around

IS satirized for his insincerity

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Yeoman

wore coat & hood of greenwas servant to knight, yet a freemanfeathers were perfectly made in arrowsknew his business as an archer and did it well

showed proper religious respect by wearing St. Christopher medal

was a “proper forester”

NOT satirized.

Good example from the middle class

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Prioress (Nun)

coy (falsely modest, flirtatious)known as Madam Eglantyne (common heroine for romance novels of the Middle Ages)tried to exude grace, manners, and sophistication, but spoke a very poor quality of Frenchowned hunting dogs (not proper for her) yet was overly upset when a mouse diedfed dogs roasted flesh and fine food while people were starving

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Prioress (Nun)

glass-gray eyes (deceptive)forehead was “fair of spread” (but a span from brow to brow--very large woman)cloak had a graceful charm (another reference to large features)jewelry with “Amor vincit omnia” (Love conquers all) which may have meant romantic love, not God’sIS satirized

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Monk

riding a horse, which he was not to doignored rules of his orderwas “progressive” but supposed to be poorlazyowned dogs, which he was not to do

expensive clothing (fur on sleeve) when monk is to be poor

fat (opposite of his vows)

glittering, bulging eyes (physiognomy)

IS satirized

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Friar

“fixed up” marriages“intimate” with city damesclaimed to have licence from Pope to hear confessions--charged money as penancegifts to girlsknew taverns and barmaids wellwhite neck, lisp (physiog.)wanton (lecherous)

would butt down doors with his headbegged money even from poorest, whom he was to helpcharged money on “settling days”IS satirized strongly

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Merchant

forking beard (physiognomy)gave many opinionsdabbled in exchangesseemed stately but...was in debt and no one knew it from the way he talked

IS satirized

Note that the satire here is not as strong as it was for Monk, Friar, and Prioress. Why was the satire so light for the middle class and the nobility, yet so harsh for religious?

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Oxford Cleric (Student)

hollow lookthreadbare clothingcould not find a job in the churchwas too unworldly for secular employmentborrowed money from friends, never repaid

was “book smart” but “life dumb”

IS satirized

This demonstrates the patronage of church positions, which often were bought and sold.

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Sergeant at the Law

one of 20 “traveling judges” in Chaucer’s daywas an experienced lawyerexpert on real estate lawall was “fee-simple” to his strong digestionfound loopholes in law to deprive heirs of their land

could argue cases either way with impunityIS satirized

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Franklin

wealthy landowner lived for pleasure, particularly “Epicurean” delightsEnjoyed his food, had a table prepared all day long

IS satirized

Again, note how light the satire is of this wealthy man compared to others

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Haberdasher, Dyer, Carpenter, Weaver, and Carpet-Maker

treat all of these as a single char- acterthe key to under-standing them is their wivesthey LOOK great (new looking gear which was bought used)

• their wives “declared it was their due” whether the men believed it or notwives wanted to be called “Madam” and to be “seen” -- like a queenthey ARE satirized

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Cook

could distinguish London ale by flavor (which was quite cheap -- like being able to distinguish Faygo from Food Club cola, etc.)had ulcer on his knee (probably from cooking at open pot)

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Cook

made good thick soup

made good blancmange (yellow-white, thick, creamy chicken soup--much the color of what might be in the ulcer)

IS satirized

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Skipper

rode a farmer’s horse well (an insult)skin was tanned (a mark of low breeding)stole wine while the trader slept

ignored conscience

made his prisoners “walk home”

IS satirized

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Doctor

grounded in astronomy, as most doctors in the Middle Ages were“All his apothecaries in a tribe...”

“...each made money from the other’s guile.” did not read the Bible

kept the gold he won in pestilences

IS satirized

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Wife of Bath (woman from Bath)

tight, red clothinghad five husbands, all at the church doorgap-teethlarge hipsheels spurred“knew the remedies for love’s mischances

had a unique interpretation of Scriptures which gave her control in her marriagesIS satirized

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Parson

holy-mindedpoorlearneddevoutpatient

noblea shepherdvirtuous rich in holy thoughtserved the poorgave own moneypracticed what he preachedNOT satirized

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Plowman

honest worker, good and truefollowed the Gospelsteadily went about his workhelped poor from love

always paid his tithes in full when due

rode a mare

NOT satirized

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Miller

great stout fellowboasted he could heave any door off the hinge or break it with his headred beardwart on end of noseweighed 224 poundstold filthy tavern stories“stole” grain with his “thumb of gold”

played bagpipesled processionhated the ReeveIS satirized

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Manciple

buyer of food for the 30 Knights of the Temple (lawyers)got to market early to get best valueswas illiterate

wise in practical matters, though

lived debt free on what he “saved”

IS satirized

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Reeve

supervisor of the serfscalfless legsno one ever caught him in arrearsknew the serfs’ dodges, so they feared himbetter at bargains than his lord

was a carpenterrode at back of processionhated the MillerIS satirized

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Summoner

face like a cherubincarbuncles and pimplesblack scabby brows, thin beardfrightened the childrenate garlic, onions, leeks

drank wine ‘til all was hazy

took bribes: quart of wine or “favors” from women

threatened excommunication

IS satirized

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Pardoner

from Charing Crosshair yellow, longbulging eyeballscarried pardons from Rome, he saidgoat-like voicecould not grow a beard

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Pardoner

“I judge he was a gelding, or a mare.”

pillow case = veil

gobbet of Peter’s sail

pigs’ bones

sang Offertory well

always worked

IS satirized

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Host

served finest victualsbright eyes, wide girthsuggested the tale-telling contestprize would be a meal for the winner paid for by the otherseveryone stayed at inn

return trip would mean another round of meals and lodging

he would be sole judge of the tales

accompanied the pilgrims to Canterbury

IS satirized

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Nature of the Tales

commonly told storiesstories were interactive with others’ talesFriar told a tale to insult the Monk and vice versaReeve told a tale to insult the Miller, etc.