The Middle Ages and The Canterbury Tales
The Middle Ages The Middle Ages lasted from around the end of the 5 th century (late 400 s) to the 15 th century (1400 s), approximately 1000 years.
The Middle Ages: Estate System 1 st : Clergy (those who prayed) 2 nd : Nobility (those who fought) 3 rd : Peasantry (those who produced)
Estate System: Females? Virgin Wife Widow
Humours (Body Fluids) Blood Yellow Bile Phlegm Black Bile air fire water earth hot & moist hot & dry cold & moist cold & dry sanguine choleric phlegmatic melancholic amorous, happy, generous violent, vengeful dull, pale, cowardly gluttonous, lazy, sentimental
Physigonomy physical characteristic gap-teeth ram-like sow-like fox-like goat-like thin flaring nostrils pus-filled sores high forehead white neck physiognomic interpretation bold, sexual strength dirty sly lechery bad temper, irritable passion lechery, drunkenness intelligence, good breeding loose, immoral
Chivalry and Courtly Love: Chivalry-system of ideals and social codes governing the behavior of knights and gentlewomen Rules of warfare: never attack an unarmed opponent Courtly Love: Adoring a lady (not necessarily one s wife) was seen as a way to achieve selfimprovement Ideal but Unreal
Chivalry and Courtly Love: Courtly Love: in its ideal form, nonsexual Knight might wear his lady s colors in battle, might glorify her in words and be inspired by her, but he couldn t cross the boundary between courtly love and physical love Led to an idealized view of women, but did little to improve their actual position Ideal but Unreal
Chivalry and Courtly Love: Ideal but Unreal Refer to handouts
Catholic Pope Virgin Mary Indulgences Confession Relics Monks: obedience, chastity, poverty (self-sufficient) Friars (supported by donations) Religion
St. Thomas a Becket Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.
Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is set in a company of pilgrims on their way to a shrine for St. Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. A pilgrim is a person who is on a journey for religious reasons.
Bubonic Plague Killed 1/3 of Europe s population Medieval society never recovered Labor shortages: peasants grew unruly and demanded higher wages Caused people to question religious beliefs Apocalyptic view of life (doomsday)
Geoffrey Chaucer ~1343-1400 Father of English poetry Made English (Middle English) acceptable Born into a middleclass family in London Father was a vintner (wine merchant): $ for education
Geoffrey Chaucer Well-known government official-served under 3 kings Sent to Europe as the king s ambassador (spy?) to France and Italy
Geoffrey Chaucer Chaucer the poet Chaucer the pilgrim Buried at Westminster Abbey in Poet s Corner
The Canterbury Tales Chaucer planned to write 120 tales He died in 1400, leaving only 24 tales, some of which were not finished The ones that were became known as The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales Study Packet
Literary Devices for The Canterbury Tales Couplet Iambic Pentameter Personification Simile Metaphor Frame Story Satire Social Commentary Exemplum Moral Irony
Literary Elements for The Canterbury Tales Write the definitions for the literary elements in the chart in your packet. We will fill in the examples from the text later.
Couplets and Iambic Pentameter The Canterbury Tales is written in couplets in iambic pentameter.
Couplets and Iambic Pentameter Couplet: sets of two lines that rhyme Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote When in April the sweet showers fall And pierce the drought of March to the root, and all
Couplets and Iambic Pentameter Iamb: unstressed/stressed syllable pattern: Pentameter: 5 iambs per line Iambic Pentameter: 10 syllable line with the unstressed/stressed pattern
SIMILE A figure of speech involving a comparison between unlike things using like, as, or as though EX."MY LOVE IS LIKE A RED, RED ROSE."
METAPHOR A figure of speech involving a comparison between unlike things without using like, as, or as though EX."MY LOVE IS A RED, RED ROSE."
PERSONIFICATION A figure of speech which gives something non-human or inanimate human qualities EX. THE TREES DANCED IN THE WIND. THE SUN SMILED DOWN ON THE WEARY TRAVELERS.
FRAME STORY A story that serves to bind together several different narratives
SATIRE Writing that ridicules the shortcomings of people or institutions in an attempt to bring about a change often uses exaggeration or humor to invite laughter at someone s expense. Exs. of shortcomings greed, injustice, cruelty, stupidity, deceit, etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m-klv5cpuo
SOCIAL COMMENTARY A spoken or written act of rebellion toward an individual or group; commentary on social issues or society http://prezi.com/y1oywx_fheo8/chaucer-the-canterbury-talessocial-commentary/
MORAL A lesson about life or human nature (fables, parables, and satires often contain morals)
EXEMPLUM An anecdote (a very, very short story) that teaches a moral or a lesson
IRONY The difference between what we expect or what seems suitable or appropriate and what actually happens in a story
THE PROLOGUE (pgs. 120-142) The Canterbury Tales Prologue in Middle English http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qe0 MtENfOMU The Canterbury Tales Rap (General Prologue)--In Middle English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e-0pak4rti
THE PROLOGUE Read the Prologue (pgs. 120-142) Canterbury Tales Prologue Summary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qux-gtpwsni
THE PROLOGUE Complete the Prologue study guide questions and the social commentary chart for the Prologue.
Complete the character chart for The Canterbury Tales.
THE PARDONER S TALE (pgs. 146-153) (background info on pg. 145) irony exemplum moral personification
THE PARDONER S TALE (pg. 146-153) find 5 examples of irony in this story. find 2 examples of personification.
THE PARDONER S TALE (pg. 146-153) Complete study guide questions and social commentary chart for The Pardoner s Tale. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr52gwglumk
THE WIFE OF BATH S TALE (pgs. 156-166) Complete the study guide questions and social commentary chart for The Wife of Bath s Tale. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3cvom7qstk
THE CANTERBURY TALES The Miller s Tale and The Knight s Tale are EXTRA CREDIT!!
THE CANTERBURY TALES REVIEW FOR TEST 1. Literary Terms 2. Power Point Info 3. Character Sheet 4. Social Commentary Sheet 5. Study Guides
THE CANTERBURY TALES TEST ON THE CANTERBURY TALES WILL BE ON YOU WILL TURN IN YOUR PACKETS AFTER THE TEST FOR A GRADE!