Do Now #1 – Storytelling  Why do we tell stories? In what situations? What makes a good story? #2 – Medieval Times  What do you know about the medieval period? What was life like? What role did the church play in people’s lives? What problems did people face? #3 – Love and Marriage  What do you think most women want? Most men? Is it something different? Was it the same hundreds of years ago?

Geoffrey Chaucer

Known as the father of English literature Born between 1340 and 1345 Father was a wealthy wine merchant Chaucer received a well-rounded education. Chaucer’s father secured him a position at court in the household of Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster, who was the wife of King Edward III’s second son.  Important opportunity for a medieval youth  Would have secured him a successful future

Geoffrey Chaucer Favored by the monarchy for his diplomatic work  Sent to Italy  Most likely where he became acquainted with the works of Petrarch and Dante, which influenced his writing Published 4 works between 1370 and 1386  The Book of the Duchess  The Parliament of Fowls  The House of Tame  Troilus and Criseyde First poet buried in the “Poets’ Corner” of Westminster Abbey  Supervised construction of this monument

Geoffrey Chaucer The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer’s masterpiece, was never completed  Began in 1387  Ended with Chaucer’s death on October 25, 1400

Background Kings and nobles had all power politically. The Catholic church had all power spiritually. Most were poor farmers struggling to survive. Corruption abounded in government and the church. Labor shortage due to The Plague The Canterbury Tales was well-received by the public. The work departed from the norm.  The belief existed that all good literary work was modeled off of something already in existence.  Important works were usually written in Latin or French; Chaucer wrote in English

Background 29 pilgrims plus Chaucer, who is the Narrator, and the Host Leaving from The Tabard Inn outside London Traveling to the shrine of St. Thomas à Becket

Homework Read The General Prologue and The Knight’s Tale, Part 1 and answer corresponding questions.

Courtly Love The Art of Courtly Love  Andreas Capellanus  Eleanor of Aquitaine Certain rules  Love comes into a person through the eyes  Not a meeting of the minds  Exclusively based on adultery  Love is always increasing and decreasing  Jealousy is a good thing  Go-betweens are used

Chivalry and Honor Women are on a pedestal Constantly tested Loosely connected with the Church  Fighting for the Crusades Loyalty to your lord Carrying yourself  Must look good  Brave and selfless  Fight in someone’s name  Strong sense of ethics  Generous Not usually what happened – persona

Medieval Romances Idealized images of how people in the higher classes behave, especially in love and war Love is inspired by perfect beauty and virtue. All characters deal with one another in completely chivalrous ways. The settling of a quarrel through a test of combat Everyone is perfect  Fictionalized version of good people  Creates communities  Nationalism

The General Prologue Describe the variety of occupations, the degree of wealth, the level of education, and the beginnings of political power represented among the pilgrims. Contrast a corrupt clergymen from the Prologue with the Parson. Select three characters from the Prologue whom Chaucer seems to be satirizing.

The Knight's Tale Part 1 What do you think of how the two men fall in love with Emily? Why do authors use love at first sight in stories? Why is the Knight the first person to tell his tale?

Homework Read The Knight’s Tale, Parts 2, 3, and 4 and answer corresponding questions.

Fortune's Wheel Rota Fortunae The goddess Fortuna spins the wheel at random Found in Dante’s Inferno and The Canterbury Tales Used to educate illiterate masses Found in medieval art and in windows of cathedrals Regno I reign Regnavi I have reigned Sum sine regno I am without a kingdom Regnabo I shall reign

The Knight's Tale Parts 2, 3, and 4 Explain the features in this tale which characterize it as a romance. How did the Knight seem to define love? How does the Knight’s story fit with what you know about him from the Prologue and with what he values? What role do the gods play in this tale?

Classwork With a partner, look for instances of where Fortune’s wheel is found in The Knight’s Tale thus far. Discuss its purpose in the story.

Homework Read The Miller’s Prologue and Tale and answer corresponding questions.

Do Now Is revenge ever sweet? Does it ever have any purpose? Or does it only create more trouble?

The Miller's Prologue and Tale Fabliau  A short tale, usually vulgar, with a quick funny ending.  The Merchant’s Tale is also an example of this.

Homework Read The Nun’s Priest’s Prologue and Tale and answer corresponding questions.

Do Now Why have authors used animals to teach lessons in literature? What can they accomplish that human beings perhaps cannot?

Allegory – an extended metaphor in which a person, abstract idea, or event stands for itself and for something else  It usually involves moral or spiritual concepts which are more significant than the actual story.  Examples  Milton’s Paradise Lost  George Orwell’s Animal Farm Parody – a humorous or satirical imitation of a person, event, or serious work of literature designed to ridicule in nonsensical fashion or to criticize by clever duplication The Nun’s Priest Prologue and Tale

With the treatment and role of women being an important theme throughout The Canterbury Tales, explain why it’s appropriate that Chaucer would tell this tale. Explain how the Nun’s Priest’s Tale fits the requirements for a beast fable.

“Woman is man’s joy” (Page 159) Reference to Adam and Eve (Page 161) False flatterers (Page 162) Fortune (Page 164)

What religious attitudes about women are attacked by the Wife of Bath? What is ironic about her anger against these attitudes? Make a list of words that you feel adequately describe the Wife of Bath. The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale

Argues that it is not possible to remain a virgin, and also support marriage (Page 167) Argues the use of sexual organs (Page 168) Doesn’t condemn virginity, but says it’s not for her (Page 169) The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale

A contradiction  She uses the same arguments that men use to degrade women.  Says women are good liars (Page 170)  Nags her husband (Page 174)  Suffers “through his lust and pretend enjoyment” for “profit” (Page 174) Is she a stereotype or is she an empowered woman? Says that all women truly want is control over their husbands (Page 187) The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale

Homework Read The Friar’s Prologue and Tale and answer corresponding questions.

Do Now How often do you encounter people who are not what they seem? Have you ever had someone like this in your life? What were the repercussions and consequences of this person’s influence? Did the person ever experience hardship because of his or her actions?

The Friar's Prologue and Tale Medieval exemplum – a dramatic part of a sermon that illustrates the central idea; a tale of immoral behavior with a moral ending Common theme of a corrupt political official getting what he deserves

In what ways can this tale be considered an example of a fabliau? Why is it ironic that the Friar accuses the Summoner of avarice? The Friar's Prologue and Tale

Homework Read The Summoner’s Prologue and Tale and answer corresponding questions.

Do Now In your day to day life, you most likely encounter hypocrisy in some form or another. How do you deal with such things? Do you find hypocrisy especially rampant in a particular area (a profession, a group of people, etc.)?

Lollardy Also known as Wycliffism Medieval heresy  Attacked the idea that religious power came through hierarchy  Piety was what mattered  A holy layperson had as much power as a priest  True community was about the community of the faithful Originated in the 1370s or early 1380s in Oxford with the followers of John Wycliffe Lollards were persecuted after The Peasants’ Revolt in 1381

“Nothing good can be said about a summoner.” (Page 193) Uses spies (Page 194) Could be bought and bribed (Page 195) “Despised” title (Page 196) Agrees to terms with the devil (Page 199) Summoner is taken to hell (Page 201)

Lollardy Was considered a threat to the government and the church Protests against the wealth, the power, and the pride of the clergy Discredited transubstantiation  The belief that the Eucharist actually changes into the body and blood of Christ Favored consubstantiation  The belief that the body and blood of Christ exists alongside the Eucharist (bread and wine). The bread and wine does not become the body and blood.

The Summoner's Prologue and Tale Based on the definitions you’ve received so far (fabliau, exemplum, allegory, parody, etc.), what genre do you think this story fits into? Why? What has happened to the friendly feud between the Summoner and the Friar?

Classwork Work with a partner to list other instances of political or social movements that grew out of distrust for the social climate. Think of history, throughout the world and in America. How did these upheavals end? Was change granted? Or was the movement shut down by the people in power?

Homework Read The Pardoner’s Introduction, Prologue, and Tale and answer corresponding questions.

Do Now In our current society, greed can be hard to define. What do you think some of the fundamental differences are between being greedy and merely being ambitious? Is there any difference at all, or is the want to be successful just a natural human inclination?

The Pardoner’s Introduction, Prologue, and Tale Explain in detail the moral lesson conveyed in The Pardoner’s Tale. Give a full character description of the pilgrim Pardoner.

Classwork This tale warns against such vices as avarice, gluttony, sloth, and most notably greed. Write a modern day exemplum that places money as the root of all evil. Include characters, dialogue, and make the moral lesson clear.

Homework Read The Merchant’s Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue and answer corresponding questions.

Do Now The tales we’ve read deal a lot with relationships, namely love and marriage. In your experience, what are some of the issues/events that can doom a relationship? Are there certain things that can doom a relationship from the start?

This story is another example of a fabliau.  A short tale, usually vulgar, with a quick funny ending. Love triangles  The Knight’s Tale  Emily is compared to a lily and a rose.  Page 22  The Miller’s Tale  Alison is compared to honey and apples.  Page 67  The Merchant’s Tale  May is compared to the month of May.  Page 255 The Merchant’s Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue

Why would the Wife of Bath approve of May’s behavior? Do you feel sorry for January in the end? Was he better off not knowing the truth? What does this tale tell you about the standards of beauty in Chaucer’s time?

Classwork Compare and contrast the love triangles found in each story in your group. You will write your findings on the board and share with the class.