The Canterbury Tales Pilgrims in the Walk of Life.
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Transcript of The Canterbury Tales Pilgrims in the Walk of Life.
The Canterbury TalesPilgrims in the Walk of Life
Historical Setting
1337-1435—100 Years War 1381—Peasant’s Revolt Growth of London Rise of middle classes 1348-1349—Black Death Fall of John of Gaunt Richard II’s deposition
Geoffrey Chaucer
Born 1343 Page at 14, squire at 16, captured in France Married in 1366 to Phillipa John of Gaunt’s patronage More battles, squiring, travels in Italy (Petrarch/Dante?) 1374—controller of customs 1385—JP in Kent 1389—Richard II appoints Clerk of Kings Works/Deputy
Forester 1400—dies pretty poor
Works
1369—Book of the Duchess—John of Gaunt’s wife dies
1380—Parliament of Fowls 1383—Boece 1383-1386—Troilus and Criseyde/Legend
of Good Women 1387-1392—General Prologue and some
Tales 1393-1400—Later Tales
Literary Influences
Dante Petrarch Boccaccio—Decameron/Teseida/Filostrato Jean de Meung—Roman de la Rose William Langland—Piers Plowman
Structure
Framework Tale Southwark—Tabard Inn—Harry Bailey’s
prize Twenty-nine pilgrims (all but 2 in Prologue) Twenty-two tell tales, plus Chaucer’s two,
and Canon’s Yeoman for total of 25 Seven don’t—Plowman, Yeoman, and 5
guildsmen
Binding Elements
Stages Places Times Progress Interaction in and out of tales These links—interesting, late, dominated
by Harry Bailey
The Six Groups
Upper to lower society Knight/Squire/Yeoman—upper secular Prioress/Monk/Friar—upper ecclesiastical Professionals and Moneyed class—from the
Merchant to the Wife of Bath Clerk, Sergeant of Law, Franklin, Shipman,
Doctor, Five guildsmen and Cook Humble Christians—Parson and Plowman The Rogues—Miller, Manciple, Reeve,
Summoner, Pardoner, Chaucer
Groups
Good Worldly striving Depraved Horses and instruments
Three Levels
Historical window Entertaining short stories Interplay of characters leads to overall
themes
Themes
Love and marriage Ten of twenty-four stories Six more figure prominently Religion and Philosophy Science, Medicine, and Pseudo-Science
Group One
Knight’s Tale —Teseida Amazons/Theseus in Legend of Good
Women Three Temples Courtly love—pity vs dedication to honor
and virtue Venus vs Mars
Group One
Miller and Reeve Comic sex told against each other Cuckoldry Cook—nasty lowest character, boil, tale cut
short Man of Law —saint’s tale, correction of previous
tales Heroine’s absolute refusal of help to save herself
—God must do all (comment on Augustinianism and Lollards)
Group Two
Shipman’s through Nun’s Priests Tales Best dialogue between the pilgrims Lollardism (John of Gaunt) Fabliaux—comic short stories Bawdy Middle class Cynical Monk’s Tale--randy outrider—no theology—
wheel of fortune Debt to wife, failure to pay, husband to blame
Group Two
Prioress Tale Miracle story Anti-semitism Reflection of her character Amor vincit omnia—Eros vs Agape One priest not three as in Prologue Story from Hugh of Lincoln—pogroms Usury
Group Two
Tale of Sir Thopas Satire on metrical romance Heavy rhyme scheme Ridiculous elements—Flemish
knight/goshawk/oaths/oafish knight Tale of Melibee —French story, confiding
and trusting wife Daughter Sophia receives five wounds
Group Two
Nun’s Priest Tale Beast fable Boethius’ philosophy Widow story Rooster—symbol of sensual indulgence Free will vs predestination
Group Three
Physician’s Tale —Roman de la Rose Pardoner’s Tale Perfect short story At the pub? Exemplum in homily Questionable sexual practices of Pardoner Moral self-exposure in tale
Group Four
Wife of Bath to Franklin’s Tale Marriage Group Wife of Bath’s Tale Theology of Wife’s Prologue Psychology of sex Jankyn and anti-feminism Arthurian story of loathly hag Wooing vs taking
Group Four
Friar and Summoner tell stories contra one another
Clerk’s Tale —Petrarch Postscript opposite of tale Merchant’s Tale —best of four fabliaux—
January/May/Damian Squire’s Tale —Cambuscan, Canace—
true love and faithfulness
Group Four
Franklin’s Tale Wealth of Franklin Breton Lay Marriage of absolute trust and equality Catastrophic consequences Who was most righteous?
Group Five
Second Nun’s Tale Cecilia and Valerian, saint’s tale Canon’s Yeoman —interesting
autobiographical possibilities Disillusion with alchemy Manciple’s Tale —tell-tale bird from Ovid
and Roman de la Rose Parson’s Sermon —summation of tale,
real themes
General Themes
Use of classical literary references Use of classical gods Virgil Ovid Venus
Courtly Matters
Fight bravely and often Win woman’s love through obedience OK for nobles, not for church or middle
class Chivalric code Swore to avoid false judgment Commit no treason Honor and help all women Attend Mass and fast on Fridays
Chivalry
Chastity Humility Loyalty Courtesy Prowess Largess God—Lord, Man—vassal Liege—Lord, Man--vassal Woman—Lord, Man—vassal
Breakdown of the System
Extramarital affairs Woman grants two kinds of grace Permission to serve Sexual favors Mercy and pity lead to desire Songs of complaint to Serenade to
Aubade Very allegorical—flowers and furry animals
Religion
Church=Society—Law—Arts—Integrated Whole
Boethius—Problem of unjust suffering Boethius—Nature of Free Will and God’s
Sovereignty Occam—Razor—No Universals—
Nominalism Wycliffe—Pro-Occam—Importance of
Personal Behavior
Science and Pseudo-Science
Astronomy and Astrology Astronomy—Observational and Judicial Gods—Planets—Hours Zodiac—Governs parts of the body Intersection of psychology, medicine, and
astronomy
Pseudo-Science
Alchemy—Transmutation—Philosopher’s stone—hints of transubstantiation
Numerology—Pythagoras to Plato Physiognomy tells psychology Optics Lapidary lore Five categories of dreams
Medicine
Four Properties—Hot/Cold vs Dry/Moist Fire—Hot and Dry—Choleric—bile—bad
tempered--quarrelsome Earth—Cold and Dry—Melancholy—black
bile--gloomy Air—Hot and Moist—Sanguine—blood—
sensual--happy Water—Cold and Moist—Phlegmatic—
phlegm—lethargic--dull
Conclusion
Dante’s balance The use of the grotesque and immoral Cyril of Jerusalem: “The dragon sits by
the side of the road, watching those who pass. Beware lest he devour you. We go to the Father of Souls, but it is necessary to pass by the dragon.”