DO NOW: Journal Entry Examine the photograph of a group of people on the next slide On a piece of paper, pick one of the people in the crowd that stands out to you in each slide Create a Bio of 1 person: Who are they? Where did they come from? What is their profession? Any misc./interesting facts? 5 minutes

Introduction to Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales

The Medieval Period The End of the Anglo-Saxon Era: The Battle of Hastings in 1066 William of NormandyHarold of England French KingAnglo-Saxon King WINSLOSES Normans become the English aristocracy Anglo-Saxons become the peasants Speak FrenchSpeak Old English

Shift in the English Language Old English moves to Middle English (German base)  (French base)

Three Estates in Medieval England Nobility Clergy Peasantry Developing Middle Class

The Clergy Anglo-Saxon Culture VS. Medieval Culture End goal: self-glory & fame End goal: glory of God The Church did several things: 1.Linked everyone with a common language: Latin 2.Linked all educational systems (monasteries)

The Nobility In Medieval England: –All land belonged to the King. –The land was distributed to lords in return for military service. –Everyone above you was your “lord.” –Everyone below you was your “vassal.”

The Emerging Middle Class: Made money through practicing Trades Established Guilds (or Trade Unions) to set standards and prices on goods sold

Estates Satire = A type of literature which satirizes (mocks and criticizes) the abuses that occur within the three traditional Estates. One example: Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales

Medieval Literature Upper class –Spoke French –Were educated –Wrote literature Lower class – Spoke Old English – Were uneducated –Oral tradition (ballads)

Geoffrey Chaucer Lifetime Occupations: Chaucer was born into a middle class family that had “connections”; his father was the leading wine merchant in London. Page Controller of customs Valet Justice of the peace Squire Parliament Soldier

Which Estate will Chaucer mock? It could be said of Chaucer that by birth, by education, & by occupation, he walked the line between the Middle Class and the Nobility. Therefore, which Estate (Clergy, Nobility, or Peasantry) do you infer Chaucer will mock in The Canterbury Tales? Why?

Chaucer made … Two Innovations in English Literature: 1. Elevates the English language from a low- class language to a language of prestige 2. Introduces iambic pentameter and heroic couplets to provide English with a flexible and fluid verse

The Canterbury Tales Describes a pilgrimage (a long, spiritual journey) to the Shrine of Thomas of Becket A 3-day journey (60 miles) from London to Canterbury

Why go to Canterbury Cathedral? In the 1160’s after a series of conflicts between Becket—Archbishop of Canterbury—and Henry II (over Henry’s attempts to control the church), four of Henry’s knights murdered Becket while he was at evening prayers in Canterbury cathedral.

Murder in the Cathedral

Becket made a saint… Pope Alexander III made Becket a saint in 1173 and Becket’s tomb at Canterbury soon became a popular destination for pilgrims.

A Later King Henry… Centuries later, however, King Henry VIII destroyed the shrine that had been dedicated to Becket at Canterbury. Why would he have done so?

Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales: Written in Heroic Couplets A Heroic Couplet = two lines of iambic pentameter that rhyme in pairs. For example, here are two heroic couplets Chaucer uses to describe the Miller: His mighty mouth was like a furnace door. (a) A wrangler and a buffoon, he had a store (a) Of tavern stories, filthy in the main. (b) He was a master-hand at stealing grain. (b)

Format of The Canterbury Tales Prologue: In your textbook The Tales: In a separate book Prologue – Introduces Chaucer’s storytellers one by one Tales – Stories that are told during the travelers’ pilgrimage to Canterbury

Chaucer’s Story-Tellers Aristocracy Upper Class Middle Class Virtuous Lower Class Degraded Lower Class DESCRIPTION PROVIDES HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Chaucer has several methods of characterizing his pilgrims on their road trip to Canterbury:

ARISTOCRACY birth or tradition Knight Squire Prioress Nun’s Priest Second Nun Yeoman Monk Friar

UPPER CLASS acquired wealth Merchant Man of Law Clerk Franklin

MIDDLE CLASS mastery of a trade Cook Shipman Physician Wife of Bath

VIRTUOUS LOWER CLASS poor but virtuous Parson

DEGRADED LOWER CLASS questionable manners/morals Manciple Miller Reeve Summoner Pardoner

Snapshots of an Era Vivid portrait of each pilgrim Introduces Medieval life Courtly world: centered around nobility Knight, lord, king, professional men, Doctor, business men, Religious icons Chaucer’s descriptions provide insight into his opinions about them

The Journey Begins Medieval Pilgrims were usually bored while traveling Chaucer used this fact as the impetus for the Canterbury Tales Narrator meets 29 travelers at Tabard Inn Prologue – Introduces storytellers Harry Bailey – Inn owner introduces contest Winning Tale gets a feast in his/her name

Social Commentary Offers insight into society, its values, and its customs Notes virtues and faults of each category of society IMPLIES fault/virtue Discover Chaucer’s views on society without him directly telling you

Satire DEFINITION Humor that ridicules human vices Differs from Social Commentary Witty Much more obvious TYPES Irony Sarcasm Parody Exaggeration Horation Satire – lighthearted approach Juvenalian Satire – very harsh and rash form

BRIT LIT DO NOW 10/12/11 PLEASE TAKE OUT YOUR JOURNALS SHARE YOUR ENTRIES ABOUT TV SHOWS THAT SATIRIZE AN ASPECT OF SOCIETY DISCUSS HOW THAT SHOW USES SATIRE EFFECTIVELY 2-3 MINUTES

Direct Characterization: = DESCRIPTIONS STATED OUTRIGHT E.G., “The Yeoman wore a coat and hood of green”.

Indirect Characterization = QUALITIES SUGGESTED OR IMPLIED THROUGH DETAILS OF APPEARANCE, ACTIONS, CHARACTER’S STATEMENTS, OR STATEMENTS MADE BY OTHERS ABOUT THE CHARACTER. E.G., “For though a widow mightn’t have a shoe, / So pleasant was his how-d’ye-do / He got his farthing from her just the same.”

What does this description imply about the friar?

DO SECOND GET A TEXTBOOK FROM THE CART TURN TO PAGE 94 WAIT FOR INSTRUCTIONS