A Study of The Canterbury Tales

The Journey Begins... In October 1066, a daylong battle near Hastings, England, changed the course of history.

England in the Middle Ages Feudalism replaced the Nordic social system. The primary duty of males above the serf class was to serve in the military—Knighthood. Women had no political rights. Chivalry and courtly love served as the system of social codes

England in the Middle Ages Lower, middle, and upper-middle classes developed in the cities.

England in the Middle Ages The Crusades extended from They brought contact with Eastern mathematics, astronomy, architecture, and crafts.

England in the Middle Ages The Magna-Carta defeated papal central power.

England in the Middle Ages The Hundred Years’ War ( ) was the first national war waged by England.

England in the Middle Ages The Black Death ( ) brought the end of the Middle Ages. Fleas on rats carried the bubonic plague which killed thousands of people. in Europe.

How do the writings of the Middle Ages represent the lives, loves, loyalties, and humor of humanity? Discover the answer by reading The Canterbury Tales and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Geoffrey Chaucer c Considered the father of English poetry Wrote in the vernacular Served as a soldier, government servant, and member of Parliament Introduced iambic pentameter First writer buried in Westminster Abbey Learn more about Chaucer. Go to...

The Canterbury Tales: Snapshot of an Age It frames a story of characters on a religious pilgrimage to Canterbury. The characters are a concise portrait of an entire nation. The pilgrimage is a quest narrative that moves from images of spring and awakening to penance, death, and eternal life. The characters tell stories that reflect “everyman” in the universal pilgrimage of life.

The Travelers to Canterbury Working Class Plowman Haberdasher Cook Dyer Miller Carpenter Reeve Weaver Host Carpetmaker

The Travelers to Canterbury Professional Class Military Knight, Squire, Yeoman Religious Nun, 3 Priests, Friar, Parson, Pardoner, Summoner Secular Cleric, Serjeant at Law, Merchant, Skipper, Doctor

The Travelers to Canterbury Upper Class Wife of Bath Franklin

Chaucer’s Contemporaries

Chaucer’s Snapshot of the Middle Ages Population

Stylistic Elements Written in Middle English verse It is a frame story – a story that includes, or frames, another story or stories Chaucer’s frame is the pilgrimage, which he originally planned as a round trip but remains incomplete Within this frame are 24 individual stories the pilgrims tell It is a series of verse stories told by different pilgrims, from many walks of life, on their pilgrimage to St. Thomas a Becket’s shrine at Canterbury Cathedral It is the most accurate depiction of the life and values of people in Medieval 14 th Century England

Stylistic Elements Chaucer uses narrative voice to its fullest potential in this work. While the tales themselves are narrated by different characters, a scribe (who describes himself as not too bright) writes them down, sometimes taking the time to apologize or add to the tale that was just told. This scribe (also called Chaucer) is actually Chaucer’s alter ego, who recites the blithering ballad of Sir Topaz, followed by the Tale of Melibee,* a study in itself. Between the tales the pilgrims tell, and the links between them, Chaucer covers a lot of social and ideological ground inside this structure.

Stylistic Elements Within this narrative voice and plot structure, Chaucer himself is doubly – or triply – hidden and can freely criticize or honor the society around him. Why would Chaucer want to shield himself? Chaucer creates a mock-pilgrimage of sorts, and it should be noted that a pilgrimage is considered as Christian allegory for life itself. In the pilgrimage of life you encounter moral difficulties and are tested. The shrine you head for is Heaven Must be humble and ask God for guidance.

Stylistic Elements The Canterbury Tales is written in verse, much of it in iambic pentameter, much of it in heroic couplets. Chaucer also presents an example of almost every popular literary genre in this work: romance, beast fable, fabliaux, saint story, parable, dialectical discourse*, and sermon. His ironic tone is perhaps unmatched in literature, and he uses gentle satire works to reprimand without evisceration. He also tenderly praises humanity with all its foibles. His ability to balance and change the tonal quality of each tale, and manipulate voice is remarkable – especially for a civil servant!

Stylistic Elements Superb characterization. The many voices are painted with intensely detailed lines, and each one is unique and realistic. The narrative voice of each character is subtly maintained throughout the tale that each tells, and the qualities of the individual telling the tale are apparent. The Canterbury Tales represents a singular moment of representing psychological reality of character, which Chaucer presents with excruciatingly meticulous accuracy. Not until Shakespeare would this be realized again in the English language.

The Nuns She is the first character to be gently satirized because she does things that nuns are not supposed to do At the time, nuns were not supposed to go on pilgrimages She dresses fashionably and nuns are supposed to dress conservatively “Her veil was gathered in a seemly way” Her mannerisms (the way she speaks, eats, etc) are characteristic of the noble class She had “a courtly kind of grace” Overall, she is gently satirized because she is rebellious in matters of discipline and not moral matters

Works Cited Home Home Brown, Ian. “The Green Knight.” May 16, “Geoffrey Chaucer.” Elements of Literature Sixth Course. Ed. Robert R. Hoyt. Austin, T99. Pyle, Howard. “Sir Gawain the Son of Lot, King of Orkney.” May 16, “The Canterbury Tales: A Snapshot of an Age.” Elements of Literature Sixth Course. Ed. Robert R. Hoyt. Austin, T101-T104.