Background Introduction
Snapshots of an Era. . .
In the Prologue, Chaucer sketches a brief but vivid portrait of each
pilgrim, creating a lively sense of medieval life.
The description may literally describe an article of clothing, but
figuratively imply something about that character.
Definition: Satire - a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which
human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule.
Like sarcasm . . . He says one thing, but means another.
Our job is to read and comprehend the literal description of each pilgrim, and then,
we must figuratively interpret what Chaucer is trying to imply about that pilgrim’s
character.
Snapshots of an Era. . .
Two types of Satire:
1. Juvenalian - After the Roman satirist
Juvenal: Formal satire in which the
speaker attacks vice and error with
contempt and indignation Juvenalian satire
in its realism and its harshness is in strong
contrast to Horatian satire.
{Serious – Critical}
2. Horatian - After the Roman satirist
Horace: Satire in which the voice is
indulgent, tolerant, amused, and witty. The
speaker holds up to gentle ridicule the
absurdities and follies of human beings,
aiming at producing in the reader not the
anger of a Juvenal, but a wry smile.
{Light – Funny}
Snapshots of an Era. . .
Satire (continued . . . ):
Also, so that we might better
understand his satirical
characterization, Chaucer creates
SATIRIC NORMS.
A SATIRIC NORM is a character that
represents the perfect ideal.
We can then see how BAD everyone
else is by comparing them to this
Satiric Norm.
Snapshots of an Era. . .
In the Prologue, Chaucer examines
three segments of Medieval
England:
1. The Old Feudal order – these are all of
the pilgrims associated with the feudal
class system.
2. The Merchant Class – this was the
rising middle class of the time; towns and
cities were emerging and therefore
necessitated the need for skilled services:
3. The Ecclesiastical (Church) Class –
these were all of the members of the
church. Chaucer is most critical of this
segment of his society.
Literary Analysis
Each character in The Canterbury Tales represents a
different segment of society in Chaucer’s time. By
noting the virtues and faults of each, Chaucer provides
social commentary, writing that offers insight into
society, its values, and its customs. While reading,
draw conclusions from the characters about Chaucer’s
views on English society.
A Literary Tour. . .
Chaucer uses the popular genres of
his time when he creates the inner
stories of the various pilgrims:
Romances (tales of chivalry)
•
The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Fabliaux (short, bawdy, humorous stories)
•
The Miller’s Tale
The stories of saint’s lives, sermons
•
The Parson’s Tale
Allegories (narratives in which characters
represent abstractions such as Pride or Honor).
•
The Pardoner’s Tale
Chaucer wrote much of the Tales using his
own form, the heroic couplet, a pair of
rhyming lines with five stressed syllables
each.
Literary Analysis
Characterization
Direct characterization presents direct
statements about a character, such as
Chaucer’s statement that the Knight
“followed chivalry, / Truth, honor. . . .”
Indirect characterization uses actions,
thoughts, and dialogue to reveal a
character’s personality. By saying “he
was not gaily dressed,” for instance,
Chaucer suggests that the Knight is not
vain and perhaps takes the pilgrimage
seriously enough to rush to join it straight
from battle.
Satire Vocabulary
Caricature: An exaggerated portrayal
of the weaknesses, frailties, or
humorous aspects of an individual or
group.
Satire Vocabulary
Overstatement: exaggeration: making to
seem more important than it really is.
Understatement: opposite of exaggeration;
a statement that expresses a fact too weakly
or less emphatically than it shoul
Satire Vocabulary
Verbal Irony: a writer says one thing and
means another
Dramatic Irony: When the reader or
audience knows something the character
does not.
Four Techniques of Satire
Exaggeration/
Hyperbole
To enlarge, increase, or represent
something beyond normal bounds
so that it becomes ridiculous and
its faults can be seen.
Four Techniques of Satire
Incongruity
To present things that are
out of place or are absurd in
relation to its surroundings.
Four Techniques of Satire
Reversal
To present the opposite of
the normal order (e.g., the
order of events, hierarchical
order).
Four Techniques of Satire
Parody
To imitate the techniques
and/or style of some person,
place, or thing.
Knight
distinguished
followed chivalry
truthful, honorable
ridden into battle
honored for his graces
fought in many battles
modest, not boorish
a true, perfect knight
NOT satirized
He represents all that is
good about knighthood
and nobility.
Good example from the
nobility.
Miller
great stout fellow
boasted he could heave
any door off the hinge
or break it with his head
red beard
wart on end of nose
weighed 224 pounds
told filthy tavern stories
“stole” grain with his
“thumb of gold”
played bagpipes
led procession
hated the Reeve
IS satirized
Reviewing the Knight’s Tale
Throughout the Canterbury Tales Chaucer criticizes the
social hierarchy & the inequality it reinforces
In the Knight’s Tale, Chaucer criticizes the noble class
and their obsession with perfection
He points out how ridiculous the ideals of Courtly Love
and Chivalry are by making 2 noble knights break their
bond of brotherhood for a girl who doesn’t even want to
be with them
He is trying to show that nobody is perfect & the
nobility is just as flawed as everyone else
In this sense, we are all equal
The Miller Pokes Fun at the Knight
Another social flaw that Chaucer points out in the
Knight’s Tale is the way women were treated & the
practice of arranged marriages
Using Sarcasm & Irony, Chaucer creates a twisted
fairytale not only to show that there is no such thing as
perfect love, but to show how the practice of arranged
marriage is anything but perfect and can lead to
corruption
Chaucer continues this criticism in the Miller’s Tale
In the Miller’s Tale, the Miller is basically making fun of
the Knight’s Tale by taking this twisted fairytale and
turning it into one long dirty joke
The Miller Pokes Fun at the Knight
 First, the Miller rudely interrupts the Knight at the end
of his tale before the Knight is finished speaking
 Second, it is apparent that Miller has had a bit too much
to drink when he cuts the knight off to begin his tale
 Finally, the story the Miller tells shares a lot in common
with the Knight’s Tale
 A Beautiful Young Maiden (although not as pure as Emily)
 3 Men Fighting over her (although certainly not noble men)
 A very twisted, but not so happy ending (although hilarious)
 Again Chaucer is trying to drive the point home that no
one is perfect, but that’s ok. That’s what makes life
interesting. So make the best of it and enjoy it.
Chaucer Takes Satire to the
Extreme
1. Based on his description from the Prologue,
what kind of tale do we expect the Miller to
tell?
1. He’s drunk & likes to tell dirty jokes = going to tell a
very dirty, raunchy tale
2. The Miller provides comic relief after the
Knight’s Tale
1. The knight’s tale presented a very negative view of
humanity – we’re flawed, jealous, violent people
2. In the Miller’s Tale – Chaucer tires to illustrate that it’s
our flaws that make life interesting, while still criticizing
society
3. Points out the irony between the medieval ideals of true
love & the medieval practice of arranged marriage