The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer

Father of English Father of English poetrypoetry

One of the greatest One of the greatest English poets in his English poets in his lifetimelifetime

Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer

Father of the Father of the English languageEnglish language

Wrote in the Wrote in the vernacularvernacular– Language of the Language of the

common mancommon man Traditionally Traditionally

literature was literature was published in French published in French or Latinor Latin

MasterworkMasterwork

The Canterbury The Canterbury TalesTales– Framework storyFramework story

Inside story framed Inside story framed by outside storyby outside story

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales

124 projected tales124 projected tales– Only 24 existOnly 24 exist

Only first half of Only first half of frame existsframe exists

The FrameThe Frame

The PrologueThe Prologue– SettingSetting

Southwark, EnglandSouthwark, England The Tabard InnThe Tabard Inn April 11, 1387April 11, 1387

Reasons to attend a Reasons to attend a pilgrimagepilgrimage

Seek divine assistanceSeek divine assistance– Obtain a miraculous cureObtain a miraculous cure

Give thanks for something already Give thanks for something already receivedreceived

PenancePenance Show religious devotionShow religious devotion Social purposesSocial purposes

The Tabard InnThe Tabard Inn

29 pilgrims show up for the journey29 pilgrims show up for the journey– 1414thth century heroes and rogues century heroes and rogues

Medieval lifeMedieval life Medieval valuesMedieval values

Destination of PilgrimageDestination of Pilgrimage

CanterburyCanterbury Shrine of the Holy MartyrShrine of the Holy Martyr

– St. Thomas a BecketSt. Thomas a Becket Implications of religious corruptionImplications of religious corruption Rumors surrounding his murderRumors surrounding his murder

Journey Across Medieval Journey Across Medieval SocietySociety

The TalesThe Tales

Each tale can stand on its ownEach tale can stand on its own The tales reflect various aspects of The tales reflect various aspects of

Medieval literatureMedieval literature– Romance and ComedyRomance and Comedy– Rhyme and ProseRhyme and Prose– Crude Humor and Religious MysteriesCrude Humor and Religious Mysteries

The NarratorThe Narrator

Chaucer is the author and will serve Chaucer is the author and will serve as the narratoras the narrator– Will join the pilgrimsWill join the pilgrims– Offers an unbiased opinionOffers an unbiased opinion– Tell facts; provide insightTell facts; provide insight

Condition of each pilgrimCondition of each pilgrim– Profession and degreeProfession and degree– ApparelApparel– Physical descriptionPhysical description

ChaucerChaucer

WorldlyWorldly– Has experienced many things and many Has experienced many things and many

people in his lifetimepeople in his lifetime EducatedEducated

– Began Writing in twentiesBegan Writing in twenties PoetryPoetry Translations of French PoetryTranslations of French Poetry

RealisticRealistic– Offers insight into human characterOffers insight into human character

CharacterizationCharacterization

Direct Direct CharacterizationCharacterization– Directly told what a Directly told what a

character is likecharacter is like

Indirect Indirect CharacterizationCharacterization– Information is Information is

provided about the provided about the character, character, appearance and appearance and speech, which speech, which enables us to enables us to determine what the determine what the character is likecharacter is like

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales

Considered by historians and scholars to Considered by historians and scholars to be the best contemporary picture of 14be the best contemporary picture of 14thth century Englandcentury England

Admirable CharactersAdmirable Characters The KnightThe Knight

– ChivalrousChivalrous– 15 Mortal battles15 Mortal battles

Fought wherever he was Fought wherever he was neededneeded

– ModestModest– Stained TunicStained Tunic– Rendering ThanksRendering Thanks

The Oxford ClericThe Oxford Cleric– Spent $ on booksSpent $ on books– ThinThin– Threadbare clothingThreadbare clothing– SomberSomber– Would gladly teach and Would gladly teach and

gladly learngladly learn– Interest in knowledge, Interest in knowledge,

not $not $ Not interested in Not interested in

working for the churchworking for the church Not interested in finding Not interested in finding

a quick way to make a quick way to make moneymoney

Acceptable/Flawed Acceptable/Flawed CharactersCharacters

SquireSquire– A knight in trainingA knight in training

Fights wellFights well JoustsJousts ridesrides

– Interested in the Interested in the ladiesladies Dresses to impressDresses to impress Fights to impressFights to impress Acts to impressActs to impress

– Has the potential to Has the potential to be like his fatherbe like his father

YeomanYeoman– Proper foresterProper forester– Proper equipmentProper equipment– Wears greenWears green– Medal of St. Medal of St.

ChristopherChristopher Patron saint of Patron saint of

forestersforesters Patron saint of Patron saint of

travelerstravelers

Acceptable/Flawed Acceptable/Flawed CharactersCharacters

MerchantMerchant– Claims to be an Claims to be an

expertexpert– Offers opinionOffers opinion– Knows the seaKnows the sea– Knows currencyKnows currency– Was in debtWas in debt

HypocriteHypocrite Claims to be what he Claims to be what he

is notis not

TradesmenTradesmen– Started union for Started union for

workersworkers Protected memberProtected member Hurt non-membersHurt non-members Created a monopolyCreated a monopoly

– Worked HardWorked Hard Because of wivesBecause of wives

– Equipment is high Equipment is high quality and well quality and well taken care oftaken care of

Acceptable/Flawed Acceptable/Flawed CharactersCharacters

The CookThe Cook– Knew all skills of a professional cookKnew all skills of a professional cook

Roast, seethe, broil, fryRoast, seethe, broil, fry Bake a tasty pieBake a tasty pie

– Had an “ulcer” on his kneeHad an “ulcer” on his knee– Blancmange, creamy chicken dish, was Blancmange, creamy chicken dish, was

one of his specialtiesone of his specialties– Poor hygienePoor hygiene– Possibly contaminates foodPossibly contaminates food

CorruptCorrupt PrioressPrioress

– OverweightOverweight– Ate foods of wealthAte foods of wealth– Spoke terrible FrenchSpoke terrible French

Appear smarter than Appear smarter than those around herthose around her

– Sang with an intoning Sang with an intoning through her nosethrough her nose

Appear sensualAppear sensual– Sympathies lied with Sympathies lied with

animalsanimals Fed them foods of wealthFed them foods of wealth

– JewelryJewelry Love conquers allLove conquers all

– Physical appearancePhysical appearance Red lipstickRed lipstick Exposed freakishly large Exposed freakishly large

foreheadforehead

MonkMonk– OverweightOverweight– HuntedHunted

Not considered holyNot considered holy Decorated sleeves with Decorated sleeves with

furfur– Would ride or hunt in free Would ride or hunt in free

timetime– Ignored rules of St. Benet Ignored rules of St. Benet

and St. Maurand St. Maur Founded and followed Founded and followed

monastic rulesmonastic rules– Did not studyDid not study– Was not tormentedWas not tormented– Refused to put life on a Refused to put life on a

shelfshelf

CorruptCorrupt FriarFriar

– Intimate with womenIntimate with women Arranged marriagesArranged marriages Offered giftsOffered gifts lispedlisped

– OverweightOverweight– Offered absolution for a Offered absolution for a

giftgift Blackmailed peopleBlackmailed people

– Knew innkeepers and Knew innkeepers and barmaidsbarmaids

– Avoided sick and needyAvoided sick and needy– Kept $ collected for the Kept $ collected for the

churchchurch

Sergeant at the LawSergeant at the Law– Knew every criminal Knew every criminal

and every crimeand every crime Implies he is a criminalImplies he is a criminal

– Manipulated or took Manipulated or took advantage of peopleadvantage of people Used position and Used position and

power to make moneypower to make money Used intelligence to Used intelligence to

take advantage of less take advantage of less intelligentintelligent

– Dress is gaudy and Dress is gaudy and tackytacky

CorruptCorrupt FranklinFranklin

– House open to allHouse open to all Really open to only richReally open to only rich

– GluttonGlutton In a society that is In a society that is

impoverishedimpoverished– Lived for his pleasure Lived for his pleasure

alonealone Implies he does not care Implies he does not care

about others or if his about others or if his pleasures interfere with pleasures interfere with the pleasures of othersthe pleasures of others

– Hired help fears himHired help fears him Severe treatment if he is Severe treatment if he is

not happy with their not happy with their workwork

SkipperSkipper– Sent prisoners homeSent prisoners home

More of a pirateMore of a pirate All walked the plankAll walked the plank

– No mercyNo mercy– No conscienceNo conscience

– Stole wineStole wine– Dagger on a lanyard Dagger on a lanyard

around his neckaround his neck Symbolizes violenceSymbolizes violence

– DaggerDagger– NooseNoose

Time periods may Time periods may differ:differ:

Human nature Human nature changes little, if at changes little, if at

all!!!all!!!