Introduction to Chaucer&

The Canterbury Tales

April MarshallENG 12

Geoffrey ChaucerBorn between 1340-1345 in London, the only son of his familyMost of what is known about Chaucer comes to us through public records documenting his professional life, not his personal lifeChaucer’s father was a land owning wine merchant, but became very wealthy after the Black Death killed off several family members and he inherited their propertyChaucer died sometime around 1400

The Black DeathThe Black Death ravaged England during Chaucer’s childhood and remained widespread for years afterwardIt wiped out an estimated 30-50% of the populationCreated a lot of job opportunity/mobilityThe increased wages of the lower classes caused a lot of tension between themselves and the upper classesThis tension fed into what we now recognize as estate satire

Official Titles Held by Chaucer

Esquire of the Royal CourtComptroller of Customs, Port of LondonSoldier in the 100 Years WarDiplomatPoetJustice of the PeaceMember of Parliament

Work Experience

Chaucer’s varied work experience granted him the opportunity to work with every level and class of peopleThis makes him a viable “authority” on Medieval society

The Great Chain of BeingGod– Closely followed by the

King who ruled by divine right

The ClergyThe NobilityPeasantsWomen

The Three Estates of Men The Church– The clergy and those who pray

The Nobility– The Knights and those who fought

The Peasantry– Everyone else who produced the food for those who

prayed and fought

**Men are classified based on what they do for a living as well as what social class they were born into.

**At the “top” of the classification was God and the King

The Classification of WomenThe Virgin– Never married, chaste

The Wife– Loyal to her husband

The Widow

**Note that all three of these feminine estates are defined in terms of women’s sexual relationship with men they currently, no longer, or never did, sleep with.

Satire

Satire (n): A literary manner which blends humor with criticism for the purpose of instruction; often serves as an exaggerated reflection of society

Ingredients of Satire

HumorCriticism: either general criticism of humanity or human nature or specific criticism of an individual or group.Some kind of moral voice: simply mocking or criticism is not “satire.”

The Manner of Satire

IronicGood natured criticism or bitterly cynical denunciationMore than a little bit prone to references to things society finds taboo or disgusting (bodily functions, sexuality, etc—think Family Guy, South Park, Futurama)

Types of Satire

Parody– a work of literature that mimics another work of literature.

Caricature – An exaggerated portrayal of the weaknesses, frailties, or humorous

aspects of an individual or group.

Exaggeration – The portrayal of something trivial or unimportant as very

important, usually to emphasize its triviality.

Diminutization– The portrayal of something generally perceived as very important

as trivial or unimportant.

Recap – Part 1Get out a sheet of paper. Answer the following questions.

1. Why is Chaucer considered an “authority” on medieval society?

2. What are the three major divisions of medieval society?

3. What elements are necessary for effective satire?Hold on to this, it is due along with Part 2 before you leave.

Chaucer the Writer

Around 1378 he began to develop his vision of an English poetry that would be linguistically accessible to all peopleAt the time, the official language of the court was French, and that of the church was Latin

Literary Works

The House of Fame (late 1370’s)The Parliament of Fowls (1380)Troilus and Creseyde (1382-86)The Legend of a Good Woman (1385-87)The Canterbury Tales

This was a 13year project– Begun writing somewhere around 1387– Most of the tales written between 1392-1395– Final tales were written write up to his death, from

1396-1400

ContextA series of stories told by individuals representing a cross-section of Medieval society The group is pilgrimaging from London to the shrine of a Saint in CanterburyThe nature of pilgrimages made it possible for different classes of people to engage socially

The Murder of Thomas Beckett

Friend of King HenryNamed Archbishop as means to control the ChurchMurdered by King’s men when he defied King’s authority

Pilgrimage to Canterbury

Beckett was very popularQuickly made a saintMany paid homage at his tomb

About The Canterbury Tales …Written as “estate satire”Shows each of the three estates and portrays the ideal members of each, as well as the problems with the social structure – Character archetypes: the original

pattern/model of which all other things are copied or based;

Publicly exposed corruptionWritten in Middle English

Structure and ThemeOver twenty characters traveling together to Canterbury (they meet and leave together from an inn in London)Inn’s Host challenges them to each tell a story on the way to CanterburyThe best story wins a free dinnerPremise provides a “frame” narrative within which to hear the storiesA prologue precedes each pilgrim’s taleThe tale reveals the most through the character’s chosen subject and treatment of that subject

The Prologue

Whan that aprill with his shoures sooteThe droghte of march hath perced to the roote,And bathed every veyne in swich licourOf which vertu engendred is the flour;Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breethInspired hath in every holt and heethTendre croppes, and the yonge sonneHath in the ram his halve cours yronne,And smale foweles maken melodye,That slepen al the nyght with open ye(so priketh hem nature in hir corages);Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;And specially from every shires endeOf engelond to caunterbury they wende,The hooly blisful martir for to seke,That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke

Recap – Part 2

Read about one character from the Prologue to The Canterbury TalesWrite down:– Two lines that show character’s Estate– Two lines regarding personality and ethics– Two lines that show what this character looks like

Due TODAY.