Canterbury Tales I

Geoffrey Chaucer
- Middle class merchant, page in royal house, soldier, diplomat, royal clerk; medieval society
- While serving in the English army in France, he was taken captive and held prisoner; King Edward paid his ransom
- Early poems were based on European poetry
- Later work displayed insight into human character
- Inspiration may have come from his pilgrimage to Canterbuy
- Medieval literature: romance to comedy, rhyme to prose, crude humor to religious mysteries
Vocabulary
- Solicitous: showing care or concern
- Garnished: decorated, trimmed
- Absolution: act of freeing someone of a sin or criminal charge
- Commission: authorization
- Sanguine: confident, cheerful
- Avouches: asserts positively
- Prevarication: evasion of truth
from The Canterbury Tales: The Prologue
- Background: medieval Christianity, pilgrimages were popular ways to express religious devotion
- Canterbury is southeast of London and a major destination for pilgrimages
- People flocked the cathedral to pay respect to Archbishop Thomas a Becket who was murdered
- It's the return of spring with the rain, birds chirping, flowers and leaves
- This time of year, people want to go on pilgrimages; many chose to visit Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral
- He stayed at tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn; diverse group of 29 travelers walked in
- Joined the group and in the morning they continued one
- The knight is the noblest and polite; his son acts as his apprentice; they both have great strength but are devoted to love
- The son fights for his lady; he sings, plays flute, etc. very passionate and responsible
- Accompanying them is the knight's Yeoman (freeborn servant); he is a forester
- The Prioress is named Madame Eglentyne; she isn't apart of the royal court but she acts like it(delicate and dainty); speaks French; compassionate towards animals
- The Monk loves hunting and horses
- The Friar is a member of the religious order that lives by begging; he hears confessions and assigns easy penance to people who donate
- He is popular with wealthy landowners, innkeepers, and barmaids; pays no attention to beggars because they won't help him; the donations he gets allows him to dress and live rich
- The Merchant borrows money and no one knows he's in debt
- The Clerk devours books rather than food
- The Man of Law, a lawyer, prepares flawless legal documents; appears busier than he actually is
- Franklin is a wealthy farmer; preoccupied with food
- Five Guildsmen (all artisans); with them is a shipman (cook) who stole wine from his merchant
- taffeta-clad Physician bases practices of medicine on knowledge of astronomy and the 4 humors; has good setup w/apothecaries; well acquainted with ancient & modern medical authorities but reads little scripture
- slightly deaf Wife of Bath; keen seamstress; jolly & talkative; gives good love advice
- Parson: gentle & poor; pure of conscious and true to the teachings of Christ; hates excommunicating; kind to sinners; accompanied by his brother the Plowman who works hard and loves God
- Miller: crude jokes and drinking; stout & strong; steals from costumers
- Manciple: stocks an Inn of Court (school of law); uneducated; manages his lord's estates
- Reeve is a good carpenter
- Summoner arraigns those accused of violating Church law; uses power corruptly for own good; uses position to dominate young women in his jurisdiction
- Pardoner; thinks he rides fashionably; disrespectful manipulation of the poor for his own material gain; despised by the Church
- Narrator apologizes for any possible offense; wants to tell the truth even if its disgusting
- The host (governor, judge, record keeper) of the group welcomes the company; wants everyone to be happy and entertained
- Each person will tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back; the most meaningful will receive a meal paid for by everyone else
- They start their journey and if anyone disagrees with the host, they will pay for everything spent along the way
-The knight begins the first tale