lecture goals general prologue portraits discussion of estates satire and chaucer’s voicing...
TRANSCRIPT
Lecture Goals
• General Prologue Portraits
Discussion of Estates Satire and Chaucer’s voicing
Miller’s Tale
Chaucer Challenge
• Optional contest – extra credit toward course participation grade
• Write your own General Prologue—set at UCSD
• E-Submit to Prof. Lampert-Weissig by 5 pm Oct. 28 ([email protected]) Subject heading: Chaucer challenge
Thinksheet Week 2• Due at the beginning of your section• Double-spaced, typed. ½ to one full page. No more than one page.• • Read through each of the following portraits carefully:• • The Monk (lines 165-207)• The Friar (lines 209-271)• The Clerk (lines 287-310)• The Parson (lines 480-530)• • Pick ONE of these portraits and respond to the following about it:• • 1. Make a list of 3-5 important details in the pilgrim’s portrait.• • 2. What kind of details are these? Ironic? Serious? What is their effect?• How do they work to create this effect?• • 3. How would you characterize the point of view of the narrator? •
Chaucer—social chameleon
• Died. 1400. Wrote in Middle English
• A poet with a good day job
• Master of irony
• “Father of English Poetry”
Chaucer reading
The Canterbury Tales
• Frame Tale—The General Prologue
–Pilgrimage
–First 18 lines
•Spring fever
•Virtuoso poetry
Canterbury Cathedral
The Canterbury Tales
• Frame Tale—The General Prologue
–Pilgrimage
–First 18 lines
•Spring fever
•Virtuoso poetry
Frame Tale
• The Host’s Proposal
• Sentence and Solaas
• Dramatic feel of the CT
Chaucer’s Voicing
• Perspective and Point of View
• Chaucer’s “disclaimer” l. 717 ff
• GP—9th edition, page 243
•
•
Estates Satire
• The Three Estates
• Social Commentary
Three Estates
Selected Portraits
• The Knight l. 43
• The Squire l. 79
• The Prioress l. 118
• The Sergeant of the Law l. 311
• The Summoner l. 625
• The Parson l. 479
Squire
Monk
Friar
Pardoner
Franklin
Cook
Shipman
Physician
Parson (line 479)
Miller (line 547)
The Miller
The Miller
MT:The Miller l. 547
p. 264 (9th)
Miller
Summoner
Riding with Reeve and Pardoner Line 544 ff.
Summoner
The Miller’s Tale
• Follows the Knight’s Tale
KT is a romance in high style
Classical Allusion/Fate
What is the reaction to the KT? Lines 1-5
“Quiting”
• The Miller “quites” the Knight–Absolon “quites” Nicholas
–Estates Satire • Chaucer’s “disclaimer” (GP, l. 745 ff)
–Peasant’s Rebellion 1381• Whan Adam delved and Eve span,
–Who was then the gentleman?
1381 Rebellion—Wat Tyler
•
Genre vs. Genre
• Romance (Knight’s Tale)
• Fabliau (Miller’s Tale)
Cast of Characters
• A. Carpenter l. 80 ff
• B. “hende” Nicholas l. 91 ff
• C. Alison l. 112 ff
• D. Absolon l. 204 ff
The Seduction l. 163 ff
• Physical and direct
• Parody of Courtly Love
The Plot with the Tubs
Absolon at the window
• Woos Alison with “courtly” language l. 590 ff
• Comedy emphasized through meter—line 639
No man his reson herde
• Morality in the fabliaux?
• How can we understand this genre?
How does this tale “quit” the KT?
• Emily and Alison– Line 632 “Teehee” vs.– Emily’s plea for Virginity
Quitting the KT
• Treatment of courtliness/courtly love
• Treatment of chivalry—the tub plot