Canterbury Pilgrimage

1. Canterbury Pilgrimage By: Eric Richardson Morgan Franklin Richard Doan & Ryan Shriver

2. Yeoman

3. Yeoman Physical Qualities Mental Qualities • Head like a nut • Tan • Weapons • St. Christopher medal • Sheaf for holding arrows • Very neat • Good hunter • Proper forester • Skilled in woodcraft • Part of Feudal social class

4. Yeoman Spiritual Qualities Professional Qualities • He is assumed to be religious because he wears a St. Christopher medal on his chest. • He is a very skilled hunter and woodcraft. • He is considered a proper forester.

5. Yeoman Reasons for going on pilgrimage Thoughts of the Narrator • He might want to take the journey to explore the land that he could hunt on. • He could also have gone on the journey to find weapons to buy. • The narrator does not have strong feelings for the Yeoman. • Yeoman flies under the radar with the Narrator.

6. Yeoman Key lines to sum up Yeoman Modern day equivalent • “And in his hand he bore a mighty bow” • “Of woodcraft knew he all the useful ways” • “And at one side a sword and buckler” • “A forester he truly was, I guess” • “Courteous he, and humble, willing and able” • A hunter would be the modern day equivalent to the Yeoman • They both hunt but have other parts of their lives. • Although hunting is a hobby today, it is the Yeoman’s profession

7. Manciple

8. Manciple Physical Qualities Mental Qualities • Blue robe • Spurs on shoes • Red hat • Curly hair • Shrewd • Frugal • Uneducated • Made fools of the many men he worked for • Believed he was better than them.

9. Manciple Spiritual Qualities Professional Qualities • Unknown; not mentioned in the General Prologue. • City group • Business agent for community of lawyers in London. • Manages affairs and buys food • Knew how to put money away for himself • Had more than 30 masters • 12 of which were fit to be stewards of money and land in London

10. Manciple Possible Reasons for Pilgrimage Additional Info • Although the reason for pilgrimage is made unclear in the General Prologue, perhaps he is on the trip to siphon money from the other pilgrims. • The Manciple was not trusted by the other pilgrims • They believed he was “fudging” the numbers in his account book, for he sometimes paid in credit, but was never debt free. • Unethical • Sarcastic • Manipulative

11. Manciple Narrator Thoughts Key Lines to Sum up Personality & Qualities • The Narrator also believes that the Manciple is lying about his numbers and cheats everyone. • “Now isn’t it a marvel of God’s grace, that an illiterate fellow can outpace the wisdom of a heap of learned men” • “And yet this Manciple could wipe their eye.” • “In buying victuals; he was never rash.” • Line 587 • “….Or be as frugal as he might desire.” • Line 601 • “And yet this Manciple could wipe their eye.” • Line 604

12. Manciple’s Modern Day Equivalent • One may say that the Manciple’s modern day equivalent would be George W. Bush. • Illiterate • Uneducated • Cheat

13. Manciple’s Prologue • Summary: The Manciple picks fun at the Cook for being a sloppy drunk. He calls the Cook stinky and pale, until the Host points out that the Manciple should stop picking fun at the Cook, for he makes the food, and could get revenge on the Manciple. After hearing this, the Manciple offers his wine to the Cook and agrees to tell a tale for the Cook, who is too drunk to tell his own. • Who is involved: The Manciple, the Cook, and the Host. • What is being taught/satirized?: You should not poke fun at others, for you do not know how they will get their revenge.

14. Manciple’s Tale Character Descriptions The Manciple’s Tale of the Crow • Phoebus • Handsome young knight; “the lustiest of all bachelors in this world”; excellent archer; great musician who could play any instrument; and “sang so that it made great harmony” • Crow • Snow white; Taught how to imitate speech by Phoebus; Could sing sweeter than a nightingale • Phoebus’s wife • A good wife who is “clean in deed and thought” • The Manciple’s tale is a form of the story “The Tell-Tale Bird”. It explains the reasoning behind the crow’s appearance.

15. Manciple’s Tale • Summary • The Manciple tells the tale of Phoebus, a honorable knight who owns a crow. Phoebus is a married man, who loves his wife dearly. He is jealous of other men, so he guards his wife closely and does everything in his power to please her. However, when Phoebus goes out of town, his wife calls her lover into the home, where they are caught having sex by the crow. The crow does not say anything until Phoebus arrives home, then tells Phoebus all of the scandalous details about his wife and her lover. Out of rage and jealousy, Phoebus kills his wife. However, Phoebus is shortly struck by remorse, and is now angry with the crow for telling him about his wife’s tryst. For revenge, Phoebus plucks all of the crow’s white feathers, replaces them with black feathers, and takes away the crow’s power to talk and sing.

16. Manciple’s Tale Genre Literary Devices • Beast Fable • The tale explains why the crow has black feathers and an awful squawk. • Hyperbole • “The handsomest young man that is or was since first the world began” • Foreshadowing • “To make her love him and keep faithful, too.” • Simile • “White was this snow as is a snow white swan.”

17. Analytic Questions • Who/what is being satirized? How does the tale achieve this purpose? • Phoebus’s relationship with his wife is being satirized. Throughout the tale, it is noted that Phoebus is jealous and afraid that another man will take his wife from him. As a solution, Phoebus keeps a close eye on his wife and treats her like a caged animal. The tale states “A good wife, who is clean in deed and thought, Should not be kept a prisoner, that's plain” • What point is the author making about society/the world in which we live? • The author is making the point that society cannot separate fantasy from reality. We all want the perfect life, yet when the truth is displayed upon us, we lash out on those who revealed the reality. Example, Phoebus cursed the crow, who was only trying to help him by telling Phoebus that his wife cheated on him. • What does the tale reveal about the pilgrim? • The tale reveals that the Manciple is a dark, perhaps even vulgar man. It also reveals that maybe the Manciple has something to hide, since he told a tale of hidden truths.

18. Manciple’s Tale Theme Contemporary Counterpart • Ignorance is bliss. • Perhaps is Phoebus never knew about his wife’s relationship, the tale would have a happy ending. • Everything gold does not shine. • Phoebus, the perfect man, has a wife who cheats on him. • Unfaithful • A movie starring Richard Gere, who’s wife cheats on him. Out of revenge, Gere kills his wife’s lover. This is somewhat similar to Phoebus and his wife’s relationship, where adultery ended in death.

19. Merchant

20. Merchant Physical Qualities Mental Qualities • Forked Beard • Fair boots with beaver hat • Sat high on horse, showing him to be dignified • Talked solemnly • Put up a rich façade, but is actually in debt

21. Merchant Spiritual Qualities Professional Qualities • Not mentioned in General Prologue • Sold “shields” for profit • Actually in debt, no one knows • Wanted seas guarded for trading his goods

22. Merchant Possible reasons for pilgrimage Additional Information • Cleanse his sins. • Figure out how to get out of debt. • Ladies man • Wifeless for 60 years • Born in Pavia

23. Merchant Narrator Thoughts Key lines to sum up personality & qualities • Lines 281-283 • “So stately was he of his governance With his bargains and with his chevissance. Forsooth he was a worthy man withal,” • Lines 278-280 • “Well could he in Exchang shields sell. This worthy man full well his wit beset There wist no wight that he was in debt,”

24. Merchant Modern Day Equivalent • Nicholas Cage • Bankrupt yet still presumed as rich and acts in many movies

25. Merchant’s Prologue • Summary • Merchant claims he knows all there is on marriage. He is miserable after marrying his wife. The Host asks for a tale of the Merchant’s wife yet the Merchant denies the request. • Who’s Involved? • The Merchant, his wife, and also The Host is involved in the Prologue • What’s being satirized? • The Merchant’s marriage is being satirized in the prologue

26. Merchant’s Tale Character Descriptions An Old Lecher Finally Decides to Get Married • January – Noble knight, married May, becomes blind to have vision restored by Pluto • May – Young wife of January, cheats with Damien • Damien – January’s Squire, in love with May • Placebo – Encouraged January to do as he pleased, even marrying a young women • Justinus – Advises against January marrying especially a younger women • Pluto – King of fairies, restores January’s sight • Proserpina – Wife of Pluto, rejects Pluto’s actions to restore January’s sight • In this tale, a noble knight named January decides to get married after 60 years of being single. He marries a women named May. • Lecher in the title means a man that gives in to many sexual indulgences.

27. Merchant’s Tale • Story of January, a noble knight, getting married to a young women named May. January’s Squire, Damien, has a secret crush and love for May. Throughout their marriage, Damien and May show their love for each other through secret signs and messages via letters. January starts to become very possessive of May which than angers Damien. January’s one sanction is a garden of such beauty where as only he has the key. As January becomes older, he eventually goes blind. May than invites Damien to the garden where she engraved the key using candle wax. On the same day, January takes May to the garden to have sex with her. Through trickery, January helps May into a pear tree where Damien is waiting and they begin to have sex. The King of Fairies, Pluto, feels remorse for January and restores January’s sight. January sees May and Damien in the tree but May is able to convince January that he did not see what he saw and she did it to restore January’s sight. At the end, January rubs May’s stomach indicating there is possibly a baby.

28. Merchant’s Tale Genre Literary Devices • Courtly Romance • January is of noble birth rights and is a brave knight. After reaching 60 years of age being wifeless, he marries May. The story progresses as a lovely marriage that goes wrong once January begins to become very possessive. May than cheats on January with his squire, Damien, having sex right in front of January. • Foreshadowing • January is delighted, kisses her and hugs her, and strokes her on her stomach, leading her home to this house.

29. Merchant’s Tale • Who/what is being satirized? How does the tale achieve this purpose? • The Merchant’s marriage is being satirized. The tale achieved this by showing how January was cheated by his wife, May. The Merchant’s has a terrible marriage and the tale is suppose to reflect that. • What point is the author making about society/the world in which we live? • The author is trying to reflect how corrupt marriages truly are and that almost no one is faithful in their marriage. • What does the tale reveal about the pilgrim? • The tale may reveal that the Merchant believes his wife is cheating on him and may not be too faithful.

30. Merchant’s Tale Theme Contemporary Counterpart • In marriage, there’s only sex and adultery. • Arnold Schwarzenegger had an affair with his mistress. Illegitimate child as a result of affair. Divorce with wife Maria Shriver as result.

31. Skipper

32. Skipper Physical Qualities Mental Qualities • Clothing • Woolen gown (that reached his knees) • Dagger on his lanyard • Physiognomy • Tan (“The summer heat had tanned his color brown….”) • Had a beard (“His beard in many a tempest had its shaking….”) • Enjoyed wine • “Many a draft of vintage….” • Ignored his conscience • “…The nicer rules of his conscience he ignored….” • Familiar with the western coast of Europe • “He knew all the havens as they were from Gottland to the Cape of Finisterre, and every creek in Brittany and Spain…”

33. Skipper Spiritual Qualities Professional Qualities • Not religious • Merciless • If, when he fought, the enemy vessel sank, he sent his prisoners home; they walked the plank. • Brilliant naval commander • “As for his skill in reckoning his tides…none from Hull to Carthage was his match.” • Owned a ship called The Maudelayne

34. Skipper Possible reasons for pilgrimage Additional Information • Had enough seafaring • Wanted to travel by land • Seeking adventure • Coincidentally ended up at the tavern • He was looking for wine (at the Tavern) and ended up at the right place at the right time to take a pilgrimage • “He rode a farmer’s horse as best he could.” • Suggests he is not a practiced horseback rider • May have stolen the horse • Comes from Dartmouth • “He came from Dartmouth, so I understood.”

35. Skipper High esteem by narrator? Key lines to sum up personality • Spoke more in fact than opinion. • Only valid opinion the narrator gives is as follows: • “…and certainly, he was an excellent fellow.” • Lines 409-414 • “If, when he fought, the enemy vessels sank, He sent his prisoners home; they walked the plank. As for his skill in reckoning his tides, Currents and many another risk besides, Moons, harbors, pilots, he had such dispatch That none from Hull to Carthage was his match.”

36. Skipper Modern Day Equivalent • Somali Pirates • Similarities • Know seafaring area well • Excellent naval navigators • Very tan from being in the sun • Ignore conscience • Merciless

37. Works Cited • Manciple • http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/gchaucer/bl-gchau-can-man.htm • http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Canterbury_Tales/Canterbury_Tales34.html • Merchant • http://www.eonline.com/news/arnold_schwarzenegger_housekeeper/242601 • http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/webcore/murphy/canterbury/11merchant.pdf • http://canterburytales.org/canterbury_tales.html