1. Warm-up Directions: Write down the following in your notes.
Characterization: The process of revealing what a character in a story is like.
Actions, thoughts, words, appearance
Direct Characterization: the author directly tells you what a character is like.
Ex: The woman was generous.
Indirect Characterization: the author shows you what a character is like.
Ex: The woman helped the child cross the street.

2. Geoffrey Chaucer & The Canterbury Tales
Introduction

3. Chaucer Born around 1342 AD (exact date not known)
London
Got job as page in the royal household
Only a teenager
Father was middle class wine merchant; had connections
Well-educated
Promoted; got to travel
Worked a lot but also wrote a lot
C. Tales is his masterpiece
1st major work in English
Portrayed people of all social standings

4. Canterbury tales Frame Narrative Used many stories he had heard before
Several small stories in a larger one
Used many stories he had heard before
Stories told and retold
Focus was on storyteller’s skill
Used everyday people
Didn’t just write about heroes or royalty.
Characters from all stations in society:
From Feudal System
Knight, Squire, Franklin, Plowman, Miller, Reeve
In Religious Life
Nun, Monk, Friar, Cleric, Parson, Summoner, Pardoner
In rising middle class
Merchant, Sergeant at the Law, Five Tradesmen, Cook, Skipper

5. Time and place 14th century Pilgrimage to Canterbury
Journey had been made for 200 years.
Worship the shrine of St. Thomas Becket.
200 year anniversary of his death.
Pilgrimage for several reasons.
Religious devotion, pray for miracles, adventure, change of scenery.
Pilgrims banded together.
Safety (robbers and roads)
Chaucer died before completing C. Tales.
Not sure the exact order.

6. Travel
Today a two-hour drive.
Then, several days.

7. Key Terms Rhyme: pattern of rhymes between lines of a poem or song.
Meter: recurring pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in lines of a set length.
Iambic Pentameter: 5 unstressed, 5 stressed

8. It happened in that season that one day 20   In Southwark, at The Tabard, as I lay        Ready to go on pilgrimage and start        For Canterbury, most devout at heart,

9. Character investigation
Directions: Look up each of the following characters in your textbook and read a description of them. 1.) Write down a thorough list of their personality traits. 2.) Describe their trade/job/what they do. 3.) What they are known for. The Squire The Yeoman The Merchant The Oxford Cleric The Lawyer The Guildsmen The Cook The Skipper The Plowman The Miller The Manciple The Reeve The Host

10. Character Assignments
The Knight
The Nun (Prioress)
The Monk
The Friar
The Franklin
The Doctor (Physician)
The Wife of Bath
The Parson
The Summoner
The Pardoner