the prologue to the canterbury tales
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The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales. The Monk The Friar The Merchant The Oxford Cleric. The Monk. The Monk. Characterization Diction “one of the finest sort/ Who rode the country” (163-164) Suggests he travels often - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales
The Monk
The Friar
The Merchant
The Oxford Cleric
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Monk
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Monk
• Characterization– Diction
• “one of the finest sort/ Who rode the country” (163-164)– Suggests he travels often– A monk is religious person who lives
away from the world in cloister where he resigns his life to Christ
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Monk
• “His bridle, when he rode, a man might hear
Jingling in a whistling wind as clear,Aye, and as loud as does the chapel bell Where my lord Monk was Prior of the
cell.” (167-170)
– Expensive accessories
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Monk
• “The Rule of good St. Benet or St. Maur/ As old and strict he tended to ignore” (171-172)
– Ignores the rule of proper behavior for a monk
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Monk
• “he spared for no expense” (190)
• “He was not pale like a tormented soul/ He like a fat swan best, and roasted whole.” (203-204)
– Pale=inside all day (cloistered)
– Ate very well
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Monk
• Purpose of the Diction
» Characterizes the Monk as a hypocrite
» Not concerned about the welfare of others
» Self-centered
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Monk
• Our Reaction
– We do not like the Monk
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• Characterization
– Diction
• “a wanton one and merry” (206)
– Wanton=jolly
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• “He’d fixed up many a marriage, giving each/ Of his young women what he could afford her.” (210-211)
– Chaucer implies that the Friar arranges marriages for girlfriends he is tired of
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• “Sweetly he heard his penitents at shrift/ With pleasant absolution, for a gift.” (219-220)
– Absolves peoples sins in exchange for gifts
• Unethical
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• “His neck was whiter than a lily-flower/ But strong enough to butt a bruiser down.” (236-237)
– He is stronger than he appears
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• “He knew the taverns well in every townAnd every innkeeper and barmaid tooBetter than lepers, beggars and that crew,For in so eminent a man as heIt was not fitting with the dignityOf his position, dealing with a scumOf wretched lepers; nothing good can comeOf commerce with such slum-and-gutter
dwellers,But only with the rich and victual-sellers.”
(238-246)
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• Not interested in helping the poor
– The poor cannot offer him anything
• More familiar with the bartenders than the people he should be offering help to.
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• “He was the finest beggar of his batch, And, for his begging-district, payed a rent; His brethren did no poaching where he went. For though a widow mightn’t have a shoe, So pleasant was his holy-d’ye-do He got his farthing from her just the same Before he left, and so his income came To more than he laid out.”(250-257)
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• The Friar has a license to beg
• Takes money from the poor as well as the rich
– Unethical
– Remember, the Friar took a vow of poverty
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• “Of double-worsted was the semi-cope Upon his shoulders, and the swelling fold About him, like a bell about its mould When it is casting, rounded out his
dress.”(264-267)
– Expensive and extravagant clothing– Overweight
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• Purpose of the Diction
– Demonstrates that the Friar is unethical
– Uses his position to better himself
– Takes advantage of people
– Goes against his vows
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Friar
• Our Reaction to the Friar
– We do not like him
– We should not trust him
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Merchant
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Merchant• Characterization
– Diction• “There was a Merchant with a forking beard
And motley dress; high on his horse he sat, Upon his head a Flemish beaver hat And on his feet daintily buckled boots. He told of his opinions and pursuits In solemn tones…”
(274-279)
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Merchant
• Concerned with appearances and social stature
• Thinks highly of his opinions
• Bores others with his commentary
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Merchant
• “This estimable Merchant so had set/ His wits to work, none knew he was in debt” (283-284)
– False appearances
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Merchant
• Purpose of the Diction» Demonstrates the narcissism of
the Merchant» Critics believe that because of
the personal description of the Merchant, Chaucer had a particular individual in mind when writing about this character.
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Merchant
• Witty Ending– “To tell the truth I do not know his
name” (288)
• The merchant is so concerned about his social status and with achieving recognition, yet Chaucer cannot remember his name.
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Merchant
• Our Reaction to the Merchant
– Not much of an opinion
– We laugh at him
– He is somewhat forgettable
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Oxford Cleric
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Oxford Cleric
• Characterization– Diction
• “…his horse was thinner than a rake,And he was not too fat, I
undertake, But had a hollow look, a sober stare; The thread upon his overcoat was bare.
(291-294)• Fits the stereotype of the poor, starving
student
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Oxford Cleric
• “He preferred having twenty books in redAnd black, of Aristotle’s philosophy,Than costly clothes, fiddle or
psaltery.” (298-300)
– More concerned with learning than with physical appearances
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Oxford Cleric
• “Whatever money from his friends he took
He spent on learning or another bookAnd prayed for them most earnestly,
returningThanks to them thus for paying for his
learning.”(303-306)
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Oxford Cleric
• The Cleric repays his debts by praying for those who loaned him money
– More spiritual than the Monk or the Friar
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Oxford Cleric
• Purpose of the Diction– Demonstrates the commitment of the Oxford
Cleric to his studies– Reminds us of the lack of commitment
demonstrated by the Monk and the Friar
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Geschke/British Literature The Canterbury Tales
The Oxford Cleric
• Our Reaction to the Oxford Cleric– Not much of an opinion– Relatively forgettable character