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The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales. I. Geoffrey Chaucer. Son of vinter Held civil service positions Well-travelled Read English, Latin, Italian, and French His work was popular He was praised for making English suitable for poetry. II. The Tales. Begun: 1386 Planned: 120 tales

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The Canterbury Tales

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  1. The Canterbury Tales

  2. I. Geoffrey Chaucer • Son of vinter • Held civil service positions • Well-travelled • Read English, Latin, Italian, and French • His work was popular • He was praised for making English suitable for poetry

  3. II. The Tales • Begun: 1386 • Planned: 120 tales • Completed: 22 and 2 fragments • Remaining: 80 manuscripts • Most highly decorated: Ellesmere Manuscript • Variety of genres: general prologue is estates satire • Pilgrimage as a framing device for tales • Conventional springtime opening • Ernest and game – instruction and entertainment

  4. III. Pilgrimage • Very popular to go on pilgrimage • Pilgrims often want to Rome or Jerusalem • Canterbury Cathedral: shrine to Thomas a Becket • Reasons • Hope of heavenly reward • Penance • Pubs • People went in groups for safety

  5. IV. The Three Estates Those who work Those who fight Those who pray

  6. V. Pilgrim descriptions • Show social rank • Show moral and spiritual condition • Include many of the following • Physiognomy • Clothes (array) • Work • Hobbies • Food • Humour

  7. VI. Four Humours • Black bile • Cold and dry; earth; melancholy • Blood • Hot and moist; air; sanguine • Yellow bile • Hot and dry; fire; choleric • Phlegm • Cold and moist; water; phlegmatic

  8. “Gentilesse” The firste stok, fader of gentilesse— What man that desireth gentil for to be Must folowe his trace, and alle his wittes dresse Vertu to love and vyces for to flee. For unto vertu longeth dignitee And noght the revers, saufly dar I deme, Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.

  9. Attribution

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