1. The Canterbury Tales Class Notes
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2. The Medieval Period –
Period of great change in culture, politics, science, society, agriculture and economics.
Urbanization of northern and western Europe took place
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3. The Seven Deadly Sins gluttony - too much food or drink
ambition - strong desire to get ahead
sloth - laziness
avarice - greed
pride - conceited
wrath - anger
envy - jealousy which leads to hate

4. Literary Terms
Allusion - A reference to a historical person, place, or event that the average reader is unfamiliar with.
Frame story
A story is told within a narrative story or frame.
The frame is introduced in the prologue of the “Canterbury Tales”
Characterization
Development of characters through speech, thoughts, feelings, actions, appearance
Genre
A category that literature is grouped into
Fiction, mystery, science fiction…
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5. Literary Terms Oxymoron
A statement which brings together two contradictory terms
civil war, jumbo shrimp
Satire
Ideas, customs, and behaviors are ridiculed for the purpose of improving behavior
Tone
The writer’s attitude toward the work
satirical, comical, objective, condescending
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6. Literary Terms – Types of Irony
Contrast between expectation and reality. Type
Sarcasm
Literal meaning is complementary, but actual meaning is critical
Hyperbole
Truth is exaggerated for emphasis or humorous effect
Understatement
Creating an emphasis by saying less than is literally true.
IRONY
Sarcasm
Hyperbole
Understatement
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7. Background Information
Point of view
Each of the tales is told from an omniscient third-person point of view, providing the reader with the thoughts as well as actions of the characters.
Omniscient – all knowing
Narrator
The primary narrator is an anonymous, naïve member of the pilgrimage, who is not described. The other pilgrims narrate most of the tales.
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8. Background Information
Setting (Time) - The late fourteenth century, after 1381
Setting (Place) - The Tabard Inn and the road to Canterbury
Time and place written
Around 1386–1395, England
Author
Geoffrey Chaucer
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9. Ecclesiastical (church) Urban (working class).
Social Class
Feudal (knighthood)
Ecclesiastical (church)
Urban (working class).
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10. Major Conflicts involve clashes between social classes
differing tastes
competing professions
conflict between the sexes
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