1. Canterbury Tales, Middle English and Chaucer
The Medieval Period
Canterbury Tales, Middle English and Chaucer

2. Medieval Period The Middle Ages Spans from 500 – around 1500 A.D.
Begins with the collapse of the Roman Empire
Also referred to as Dark Ages or Medieval Period
Enormous variation in lifestyle, literacy, technology,
community organization and values between the early
and High Middle Ages
We will be concentrating on the latter Medieval
Period

3. Life in the Middle Ages very small, cold, damp and dark
Typically only 1 or 2 rooms the whole family shared
For protection from weather /enemies windows were very small openings with wooden shutters
Thatched roofs that were easily destroyed
Homes of the peasants

4. Homes of the Wealthy More elaborate Floors were paved or tiled
Tapestries on walls for decoration and warmth
Could afford panes of glass for windows
Big fireplaces, kitchens separate from house to minimize fire hazards

5. Clothing Peasants Poor and wealthy both wore wool
Peasant men wore tunics
Women wore long gowns and sleeveless tunics
For outside: cloaks, hats, mittens
Outer clothes never laundered
Undergarments washed regularly
Wealthy
Brighter colors, better materials, and a longer jacket length were signs of wealth
Elaborate and always changing to fit latest fashion
Women wore flowing gowns and elaborate headdresses
Fur and jewelry

6. Noble clothing

7. Health
As the populations of cities and towns grew, hygienic conditions worsened
Medical knowledge limited (no health care system)
Many superstitions about health,
Thought disease spread by bad odors
Disease came from sins of the soul; many believed the plague to be divine retribution for sins.
Believed illness could be cured from prayer, meditation and pilgrimages

8. Knights and Chivalry
“Chivalry” comes from French word for horse (cheval) and mounted warrior (chevalier)
Medieval warrior-code: a good knight must be bold and fearless on the battlefield, devout (Christian) and tenderhearted off of it

9. The Anglo-Normans favored romance
Chivarly+Love+Enchantment = Romance

10. Thomas a Becket Is murdered by the King’s knights
•An Anglo-Saxon who adopts Norman ways and eventually becomes Archbishop of Canterbury
Defends the ideals of the church against King Henry II
Is murdered by the King’s knights
Becomes a saint of the church and a hero of the people

11.
Note how it is written in Middle English (MedRendirectory.com)

12. The Life and Times of Chaucer
Acclaimed as, “The Father of English literature”
Founder and embellisher of ornate eloquence
We are indebted to him for the most vivid contemporary description of 14th century England

13. The In's and Out's of Chaucer
He served his country loyally:
courtier, diplomat, civil administrator and translator
His mastery of Latin, French and Italian played an important factor in his development as a writer.

14. The How and Why's of Chaucer
Chaucer spoke in late Middle English
By using this instead of French in his writing he added tremendously to its prestige
The Canterbury Tales was Chaucer’s most ambitious and masterful work, but he died before he completed the tales
Chaucer died in 1400 and was buried in Westminster Abbey
He was the first English poet to be buried in what has come to be known as Poets Corner.

15. Let's Take a Look at Middle English
Early Modern English Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our dayly bread, And forgyve us our trespasses, Even as we forgyve those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation But delivere us from evil
Middle English Our Fadir that art in heuenes Halewid be thi name Thi Kingdom comme to Bi Thi wille done as in heuen so in erthe Gyve to us this dai oure breed ouer other substance And forgyve to us oure dettis As we forgyven to oure dettouris And leede us not in to temptacioun But delyvere us fro yvel

16. The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer

17. The Canterbury Tales
Referred to as the first collection of short stories
Written in poetry rather than prose
Uses rhymed pairs of five-beat iambic lines
In it’s simplest form:
De Dum De Dum De Dum De Dum De Dum
Note how the emphasis is on the second beat
A real-life example:
For I’ll refer me to all things of sense
Count the pair of beats, again the emphasis on the 2nd beat
For I'll refer me to all things of sense
Think you understand—you should be able to write your own sentence using five-beat iambic lines

18. The Canterbury Tales At actual page from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
Written entirely in Middle English
Prologue is considered the best picture of life in the 14th century
A masterpiece of vivid and realistic writing

19. What are The Canterbury Tales?
About pilgrim’s going on a pilgrimage, long journey, to Canterbury
Each pilgrim was to tell two stories on the way to Canterbury and two on the journey back to London
Chaucer died before he completed the stories
This leaves us with 24 stories, out of the 124 he intended to write
It survives in ten fragments; there are no explicit connections between these or any real indication of the order in which Chaucer intended that they should be read

20. The Canterbury Tales Cont.
Through the tales Chaucer represents all aspects of the human condition through his pilgrims
His tone goes from comic to ironic to satirical
Throughout the tales he remains a genial and warm- hearted person who has sympathy for his fellow human beings.
The basic premise for the tales was to demonstrate the human condition of the 14th century through a myriad of characters

21. Canterbury Cathedral
A pilgrimage scene from a stained glass window in Canterbury Cathedral.

22. The End
Best, Michael. Shakespeare's Life and Times. Internet Shakespeare Editions, University of Victoria: Victoria, BC, < Visited October 25, 2008.
MedRendirectory.com, (