1. The Anglo-Saxon Period and the Middle Ages Introduction to the Literary Period
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Fast Facts
Key Concept: The Anglo-Saxon Legacy
Key Concept: The Normans Invade Britain
Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society
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2. Key Concept: The Normans Invade Britain
History of the Times
In the Norman invasion of 1066, William the Conqueror defeats the Anglo-Saxons.
To squash revolts, William divided the land among his loyal barons and built castles around the country.
By establishing a social structure called feudalism, William created a hierarchy of rulers under one lord and a network of thousands of knights sworn to serve him.

3. Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society
History of the Times
Medieval society was dependent on strictly defined social classes—nobility, knights, priests, merchants, and peasants.
The contributions of each group affected how well villages and towns prospered.
Villages, built around castles, were the fundamental center of medieval society.
Social mobility was nearly impossible in the Middle Ages. Social rank remained fixed.

4. Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society
Literature of the Times
Some medieval writers began to use the vernacular, or language of the people.
Works written in English, such as ballads and romances, helped to define England’s identity.
A new literary form—the romance—becomes popular, reflecting the concepts of courtly love and chivalry.
Scholarly works from monasteries and universities reflect society’s interest in moral instruction and morality plays.

5. The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Chaucer’s Canterbury Pilgrims (1810) by William Blake. Engraving.
The Canterbury Tales 15

6. The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Click on the title to start the video. 16

7. The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Introducing the Selection
Take a Tour
If you went on a tour today, what types of people would you meet? Do you think you might come across a “character” or two?
Chaucer’s characters are the kinds of people he would have known in real life and observed riding toward Canterbury on the old pilgrimage road. 17

8. The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Introducing the Selection
Chaucer used the East Midland dialect of Middle English. This dialect was the most common colloquial language at the time and became the basis for modern English. 18

9. The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Introducing the Selection
Twenty-nine pilgrims are on their way to the shrine of Saint Thomas à Becket in Canterbury.
The time is April, and the place is the Tabard Inn in Southwark (SUTH erk), just outside London.
London
Canterbury
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10. The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Literary Focus: Characterization
Chaucer uses indirect characterization when he tells how each character
looks and dresses
This yeoman wore a coat and hood of green, And peacock-feathered arrows, bright and keen
speaks and acts
Her greatest oath was only “By St. Loy!”
thinks and feels
And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach. 20

11. The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Literary Focus: Characterization
Chaucer also uses direct characterization, when he comes right out and tells us what a character’s nature is—virtuous, vain, clever, and so on.
There was a Friar, a wanton one and merry, A Limiter, a very festive fellow.
In all Four Orders there was none so mellow,
So glib with gallant phrase and well-turned speech.
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12. The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Literary Focus: Frame Story
A frame story is a literary device that binds together several different narratives. It is a story that contains other stories.
In The Canterbury Tales, the Prologue serves as the frame story.
The Prologue introduces each pilgrim and describes the journey they will all begin the next day. 22

13. The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Literary Focus: Frame Story
Following the Prologue, the characters tell their own stories.
The pilgrims’ tales are stories within the frame.
Their individual stories are united by the frame.
Each tale has its own theme that supports the theme of the larger work.
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14. The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales Reading Focus: Analyzing Style: Key Details
With twenty-nine pilgrims to introduce, Chaucer couldn’t develop any one character at great length. Instead, he provides a few well-chosen details to make each character stand out vividly. 24