1. Canterbury Tales
Notes

2. Time of year – Spring – April
Prologue
Time of year – Spring – April
People go on pilgrimages to Catholic Shrines
Pray to the martyrs, saints for help for illness, difficulties, etc.
Chaucer – narrator
29 fellow travelers meet at The Tabard Inn
All going to Canterbury – Shrine of St. Thomas Beckett
Introduces each character for our enjoyment or education.

3. Satire
Use of humor, irony, and exaggeration to expose and criticize people’s vices.
The religious of the Church
The Lay people of the Church
The righteous of the Church
Sins of humanity
Greed
Arrogance
Pride
Woman equality

4. Knight
Christian
Back from the Crusades; fighting for the Church; list of battles
Example of chivalry- knight demonstrates honor, courtesy, truth, generousness
Humble; modest; not boorish (self- aggrandizing, boastful)
Chaucer sees him as an honorable knight

5. Knight Good horses (necessary) Clothing – useful, worn from battle
1st concern – prayer to God – Thanks for still being alive. Not concerned about how he looks for the ladies. First priority God and country.
Truly honorable person

6. Squire – Knight’s son Young Good Looking – hair perfectly styled
Clothing – impeccable
Has had little experience in battle; but battles he won was for impressing the ladies.
Main concern – having fun; enjoying the girls
However, he remains respectful to his father. Serves him dinner.

7. Chaucer ridicules her through humor and irony.
Nun
Prioress – just under the abbess (superior in charge). Has responsibility as a role model to the novice.
Chaucer ridicules her through humor and irony.
Sang; spoke French (common, not sophisticated).
Well mannered to a fault; tries too hard to impress. “she could carry a morsel up and keep it from falling..”
Courtliness (refined behavior)…not a trace of grease…(lines 135..)
Chaucer is laughing at her. “ She certainly was entertaining.”

8. “straining to counterfeit a courtly kind of grace”
Nun
“straining to counterfeit a courtly kind of grace”
She is trying really hard to act like a nun should, but is failing.
She tries to show concern for animals. Cried over a dead mouse. She fed her food to her dogs (more concerned about her dogs than her true job of helping people). Was upset if someone hit her dogs.
Truth – Romantic, coral trinket, beautiful green beads, golden brooch (Love conquers all things).
Trouble with her vows.

9. Monk
Chaucer ridicules the monk
Hunter
Fine dogs, horses, clothing, all costly
Ignored his vows of St Benet, St. Maur, St. Augustine.
Prelate – high ranking priest
Should be setting example for the new priests beneath him.
Quiet life; agriculture
Enjoyed the life of freedom, expensive taste, did what he wanted.

10. Friar - Limiter Corrupt Had a license from the Pope to beg
Vow of poverty; lived off of what people gave him.
Heard confessions for a price
Blackmailed all with fear of Hell without sins being forgiven
Well spoken to get what he wants
Clothing – wealthy- represents how corrupt he truly is. (page 120 – lines )

11. Friar Attack on this priest
He was a noble pillar to his Order – facetious
Flirted with the girls; gave them gifts
Scammed elderly with charm. Took their money without guilt.
Focus was where the money could be found
Taverns, innkeepers, barmaids
Stayed away from the very poor and needy. No money there.
Lepers, beggars, etc.

12. Studies to the detriment of his health Naïve
Oxford Cleric
Youth
Studies to the detriment of his health
Naïve
Can’t find work in the church; secular work gives him enough money to buy more books. He should be buying food.
Man of little words; soaked up what others said to educate himself.
Taught moral virtue when asked. Very respectful.

13. Shares what he has with everyone Has the best of everything
Franklin
Wealthy
Shares what he has with everyone
Has the best of everything
Beard – White as a daisy-petal –Santa Claus bringing gifts
Sanguine man, high-colored and benign.
Humors are in balance
Good humored man
Enjoys life
Unhappy with his servants if they do not do their jobs.

14. Cook Chaucer shows the reality of the filth ongoing in society.
Cook – excellent
Cleanliness – irony – boils on his skin

15. Skipper & Doctor Skipper
Did follow rules; stole alcohol from employers
Those who stole from him were killed
Doctor
Determined illnesses through astrology
Worked with the town druggist to scam his patients
Didn’t read the Bible
Lived a wealthy life off of the ignorance of people

16. “experienced” – 5 husbands – 4/5 died
Wife of Bath
Deaf
Gap teeth
Older woman- hefty
“experienced” – 5 husbands – 4/5 died
Considers herself to be an expert on love
Clothing – expensive
Considers herself to be a pillar of the church
Considers herself better than other women. No woman dared cut in front of her entering the church.

17. Chaucer considers him to be a truly holy man.
Parson
Chaucer considers him to be a truly holy man.
Rich – not in money, but in care for others.
Devout to his parishioners; taught them the Bible.
Patient and kind to all
Lived with the poor. No matter the weather, or illness, he came to them in need at all times.
He was forgiving of all men’s sins, no matter how grievous. He held the code of silence of confession.

18. Reeve Overseer of the manor and its workers.
Old, choleric (yellow bile- outbursts of anger) and thin.
Unscrupulous; corrupt; greedy; mean. Demands more money than is owed. Lives a luxurious lifestyle, including buying gifts for his boss.

19. Summoner Ugly Face covered with boils; scabby eyebrows; scrawny beard.
Feared by children; face of nightmares
Alcoholic; bad smell; breath of onions
Chaucer’s attack - “He was a noble varlet (scoundrel) and a kind one, You’d meet none better if you went to find one.”

20. Summoner
Blackmailed ignorant. Give me wine and you can have your concubine…..give me money and I will not send you to the Church court for excommunication, damning you to Hell.

21. Travels with the Summoner. Both corrupt.
Pardoner
Travels with the Summoner. Both corrupt.
Chaucer’s attack – “a gentle Pardoner”
Hair –yellow wax; rat tails
Bulging eye like a rabbit
Voice of a goat
Wallet filled with “pardons”- payment for your sins.
Holy relics in his cap – FAKE
Chaucer’s attack – Gelding
Fake relics – pillow-case (Mary’s veil); pig’s bones
Chaucer’s attack – “he was a noble ecclesiast” (clergy)