JOURNAL ENTRIES/DISCUSSION
1) WANDERLUST!: It’s important to understand the importance of a pilgrimage as both a
social and religious practice. People didn't just go to erase a big sin. They went to chat and
sing along the way. They went to hook up (just look at the Wife of Bath). They went to scam
fellow pilgrims (like the Pardoner and the Summoner). The simple fact is this: times do
change, but people often don't. We all have a little wanderlust (desire to travel) in us. In
fact, we can all understand the pleasures and excitement of a road trip complete with naughty
stories.
a. Name and describe at least two films that have this same concept of a pilgrimage at
their cores. Describe the road trip, its purpose, its travelers, and how the story is
framed (if applicable). You must also include at least two ways each film relates to
Canterbury Tales.
b. There are hundreds of reasons that people go pilgrimages. One of the major purposes
used to be to get away and resolve an issue in the person’s life. Research and discuss
one sacred place that people travel to today. Describe where it is, details about why
it’s special/sacred, and why people go there.
2) STAINED GLASS: Research and view some of the famous stained glass windows in
Canterbury Cathedral in England. Describe two of the stained glass pieces. Explain why you
choose them and why they were significant to the church. Then, sketch and color a stained
glass window that would be significant to you or your life.
a. Canterbury Cathedral: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/canterburycathedral-photos/
b. Stained Glass at Canterbury: http://www.sacreddestinations.com/england/canterbury-cathedral-stained-glass-windows
3) DREAMS: At some time or another, we have all had a dream that are so vivid, we
remember every detail for days on end. Some people believe that our dreams are simply
“misfires” in our brain and mean nothing, while others believe that our dreams hold deeper
meanings in our life. Describe in detail one dream that you’ve had. Then, research some of
the symbols or signs from your dream on the websites below. Give a separate analysis
describing what your dream could represent to you.
a. Dream Dictionary: http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamdictionary/
b. Dream Concepts & Analysis: http://www.unclesirbobby.org.uk/dreamessay.php
*This is complete and descriptive, but the author is not 100% credible.
4) BEAST FABLES & SATIRE: In beast fables, author’s often make fun of human attitudes
by assigning them to the lower animals. For example, in the “Nun’s Priest’s Tale” the author
uses Chanticleer and Sir Russel to make fun of our own vanity and narcissism. Perhaps no
other form of satire has been proven so charming throughout our literary history. Your job is
to write your own beast fable:
a. Select a human attitude or vice.
b. Write a short beast fable in which the characters (which must be animals) learn a
lesson on how to overcome their issue. You must be detailed in the content, include
dialogue, and have a clear moral/lesson that is learned.
c. Visit this website to read a few other of Aesop’s famous fables if you’re stuck:
http://www.aesops-fables.org.uk/
PARDONER'S TALE:
Read the following passage:
Clown 1 is seated, holding a small plateful of gold coins (actually chocolate wrapped in gold foil). Clown 2
enters, pantomiming hunger. He sees Clown 1.
Clown 2 approaches Clown 1, pantomiming hunger. Clown 1 gladly gives away a piece of candy. Clown 2
pantomimes surprise, delight, and happiness.
As Clown 2 begins to walk away, Clown 1 motions him back. To Clown 2’s utter amazement, Clown 1 gives
him 5 more coins, keeping only 1 to himself. Clown 1 looks pleased, after having made Clown 2 happy, and
is left with the plate and only one final coin seated on his lap.
Clown 2 plays with the coins, clearly happy. Then, a greedy smile comes to Clown 2’s face. Clown 2 sneaks
up behind Clown 1, and taps him on the right shoulder. As Clown 1 turns to the right, Clown 2 sneaks
around the left, and steals the last coin. Clown 2 runs off gleefully, while Clown 1 looks sadly at the
audience.
For your essay, explain what the theme of this short story is. Make sure you explain WHY the theme fits
the story. THEN, also explain how the theme for this story ties into "The Pardoner's Tale."
NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE:
After reading the “Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” consider how Chaucer characterizes and “writes” the Fox and
Chanticleer. From that, we can infer that the narrator is a man who admires those with great rhetorical
skill. Using at least 2 examples from the tale, explain why this is true.
“Three Estates”: the clergy (those who pray), the aristocracy (those who fight), and
the commons (those who work)
After the twelfth century, a bureaucratic and commercial class began to emerge, which
lead to “sophisticated literature” being transcribed or written in the colloquial speech –
the language of the common man (Fisher 5). As writers and transcribers moved away
from Latin as the language for literature, the aristocracy became more entrenched in the
readership population.
By the end of the fourteenth century, the readership population was expanding to include
the upper end of the commons, which consisted of “non-noble rural gentry” and an
upwardly mobile set of urban dwellers (Salisbury 140). Chaucer himself was, in fact, a
representative of this emerging “literate, cultivated [rising] class” (Fisher 42). It was
these urban dwellers who had set their sights on lifestyles more reflective of the
aristocracy than that of the commons who lead to the increased interest in literature –
more specifically in Middle English romances; they used these romances as textbooks, if
you will, to learn about the behaviors of the aristocracy in the hopes that if they behaved
similarly, they too would be part of that upper class.
Recognizing the spread of literacy to commoners as well as that newly emerging middle
class, Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales in such a way that would reach that particular
audience, which was much larger than that of the aristocratic class. The work itself
implies that the intended audience “takes an interest in this social structure,”
The order in which Chaucer described the pilgrims in the “General Prologue” and
throughout The Canterbury Tales has been a popular theme for those who study this
novel as well as those who examine medieval societal structure. Most agree that the
organization of the pilgrims was based on the “Three Estates” and that Chaucer
introduced them in order of their rank in that societal structure. In addition, because it is
reflective of the “Three Estates,” the order of the characters in the “General Prologue”
reflects the associations and relationships among the people themselves, because those
characters would have naturally fallen into related groups when congregating at the inn as
well as when they set out on their pilgrimage (Bloom 37). Therefore, the order of the
pilgrims reflects the aspect of human nature that leads us to associate with those who are
closest to our own particular situations.
First we meet the Knight, the Squire, and the Yeoman. The Knight was a representative
of the aristocracy, known more informally as those who fight. After that, we are
introduced to the clergy (those who pray), including the Prioress, the Nun, three priests,
the Monk, and the Friar. The clergy is followed by the commons, which include the
Merchant, the Oxford Cleric, the Serjeant at Law, the Franklin, the Cook, the Skipper, the
Doctor, the Wife of Bath, a Parson, a Plowman, a Miller, the Manciple, and the Reeve.
Finally, we meet the two “classless pariahs,” who are representatives of the criminal
world: the Summoner and the Pardoner (Bloom 37).
Anderson 3What’s even more interesting is the fact that Chaucer provided only one
idealized member of each of the “Three Estates”: “the Knight (described as a crusader),
the Parson (a self-sacrificing parish priest), and his ‘brother’ the Plowman (who ‘lived in
peace and perfect charity’)” (Howard 410). It can be argued that the Clerk was idealized
as well, but being a student, and a seemingly life-long one at that, his place among the
classes had yet to be determined.
If you look at the placement of each of these idealized characters, “take the description of
the Prioress and her followers and that of the Guildsmen and their cook as single
descriptions,” and include the description of the Host, you can see a symmetrical pattern
(three groups of seven):
ARISTOCRACY / THOSE WHO FIGHT:
Knight: Squire, Yeoman, Prioress, Monk, Friar, Merchant
CLERGY / THOSE WHO PRAY:
Clerk: Man of Law, Franklin, Guildmen, Shipman, Physician, Wife
COMMONERS / THOSE WHO WORK:
Parson, Plowman: Miller, Manciple, Reeve, Summoner, Pardoner, Host
DISCUSS PERSPECTIVE – tales are different from the characters perspectives
Immediately, our narrator insists that his pilgrims are to be described by 'degree'. By the fact that the
Knight, the highest-ranking of the pilgrims, is selected as the first teller, we see the obvious social
considerations of the tale. Still, all human life is here: characters of both sexes, and from walks of life from
lordly knight, or godly parson down to oft-divorced wife or grimy cook.
Each pilgrim portrait within the prologue might be considered as an archetypal description. Many of the
'types' of characters featured would have been familiar stock characters to a medieval audience: the
hypocritical friar, the rotund, food-loving monk, the rapacious miller are all familiar types from medieval
estates sat
PROLOGUE:
- why go on pilgrimages/ resolve issues in life
- sacred places to go today
- diversity of life; stereotypes of classes today
NUN’S PRIEST
It is the nature of the beast fable, of which the “Nun’s Priest’s Tale” is an
example, to make fun of human attitudes by assigning them to the lower animals.
Perhaps no other form of satire has proved so charming throughout literary history
Beast fable http://www.aesops-fables.org.uk/
PARDONER’S
Morality plays – everyman
http://www.enotes.com/everyman-text/everyman-text
The gods were once disputing whether it was possible for a living being to change its
nature.
Jupiter said "Yes," but Venus said "No." So, to try the question, Jupiter turned a
Cat into a Maiden, and gave her to a young man for a wife. The wedding was duly
performed and the young couple sat down to the wedding-feast.
"See," said Jupiter, to Venus, "how becomingly she behaves. Who could tell that
yesterday she was but a Cat? Surely her nature is changed?"
"Wait a minute," replied Venus, and let loose a mouse into the room. No sooner did
the bride see this than she jumped up from her seat and tried to pounce upon the
mouse.
"Ah, you see," said Venus:
Nature will out
PERSONAL
Write about a time you experienced or learned something for the first time. It could be when you first rode
a bike or learned a new game. It could have been your first day of school, your first train or plane ride, or
your first trip to an amusement park. First experiences are special for some reason. They may be funny,
scary, or exciting.
Write about a time when you did something that made you feel good. It could be when you helped a team,
sang, or played music for others. It could be a time when you were nice or did a special favor for someone.
It could be when you did something you had never done before. The important thing is that you felt good
about what you did.
Choose a vivid time from your childhood. Narrate the events related to the childhood memory that you've
chosen so that your readers will understand why the event was important and memorable.
Think of a time when you achieved a personal goal. Tell your readers about the story of how you met your
goal. Be sure that your readers understand why the goal is important to you.
Think about an event in your life that seemed bad but turned out to be good. Tell the story of the event that
you experienced and help your readers understand how an event that seemed negative turned out to have
valuable consequences.
A younger relative has just learned that he wasn't chosen to be in his school talent show. Disappointed, he
has come to you for advice and support. What kind of story might you write to give him hope, comfort, and
encouragement? You might think back over your own disappointments and successes. Then write a story
based on one of these experiences to share with your relative.
Think of a time when you disagreed with a decision that had been made and did something about it. Write a
paper that narrates the events that occurred -- from the decision that was made to your response. Be sure
that your paper gives enough details that your readers understand why you disagreed with the decision and
why you felt that your response was appropriate.
Have you seen a particularly skillful feat or performance by an athlete, a dancer, or an acrobat recently?
Try to visualize the physical movements of the person, and write a description of the performance for the
sports and entertainment section of your local newspaper. Use concrete details and imaginative
comparisons to help your readers appreciate what you saw.
CREATIVE
Picture yourself awakened as anything other than a person (an animal, an object, a gas, etc.). Write a story
to tell a human friend what your new life is like.
A noise outside awakens you one night. You look out the window and see a spaceship. The door of the
spaceship opens, and out walks a space creature. What does the creature look like? What do you do? Write
a story about what happens next.
How would you like to be only two inches high or so tall that some forests looked like clumps of broccoli?
What would be some of the advantages of being so tiny or so huge? What would be some of the problems?
Write a children's story about a person of unusual size. In your story, show how this character's size creates
a problem or helps to solve one.
Sometimes we wonder what it would be like if we could fly. Imagine that you woke up one morning and
were able to fly. Write a story about where you went and what you did.
Retell a fairy tale from the villain's point of view.