Canterbury Tales Notes Prologue Time of year Spring

Canterbury Tales Notes

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.

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

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 (selfaggrandizing, boastful) • Chaucer sees him as an honorable knight

Knight • Good horses (necessary) • Clothing – useful, worn from battle • 1 st 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

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. • •

• • • 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. ”

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.

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. • •

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 265 -270)

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.

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. • •

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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. ”

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.

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)