NAME:___________________________________ period: ______
Notes for Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
Medieval Narratives
Narrative: A type of writing that relates a series of events
 Ballad: A type of narrative poem that tells a story and has a regular pattern of rhythm and rhyme
 Medieval Romance: An adventure tale with extravagant characters, exotic places,
heroic events, passionate love, and supernatural forces
 Allegory: A narrative in which every character and event is a symbol that represents
an idea, religious principle, or moral
 Moral Tale: A narrative that illustrates a moral lesson, such as a fable or an exemplum
o Fable: a short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as
characters
o Exemplum: A short anecdote or story that helps illustrate a particular moral point.
Developed in the Middle Ages, this form was widely used by Geoffrey Chaucer in The
Canterbury Tales.
A theme is an underlying message that a writer wants the reader to understand. Most medieval
narratives were religious in theme, but many others were concerned with love, exemplary life and
behavior, and political and societal issues. Although comedy and humor are not something often
associated with the Middle Ages, the medieval mind had a sophisticated sense of irony and a taste
for comic narratives, which were, in fact, common.
Characteristics of Chaucer’s Style (pp. 140-141)
Chaucer had no illusions about humanity, and yet his works show a compassion and fondness for
human nature with all its fault and idiosyncrasies. Though The Canterbury Tales went unfinished,
it is the work that best exhibits his unique style, which encompasses a variety of traits.
 Imagery and Figurative Language: Figurative language communicates ideas beyond the
literal meaning of words. Chaucer uses sparse but vivid imagery and figure language to
describe his characters’ physical appearance.
 Irony: The contrast between expectations and reality is known as irony. The ironist seems to
be writing with tongue in cheek, and Chaucer is master of it. While calling attention to his
characters’ faults, he also emphasizes their essential humanity. This gives his writing a tone
of detachment and compassion.
o Verbal irony occurs when someone states one thing and means another.
o Situational irony is a contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually
happens.
o In dramatic irony, the readers know more than the characters do.
 Characterization: A writer develops characters by describing their physical appearance,
making direct statements about them, and allowing them to express their personalities
through dialogue. In The Canterbury Tales, each of Chaucer’s characters is also clearly
differentiated by the type of story he or she tells and the voice in which each tale is told.
Chaucer’s fame derives in part from his ability to match each pilgrim with his or her tale, as if
no other character could have told that story.
o
o
o
o
Description of each character’s appearance
Examples of a character’s speech, thoughts, and actions
The responses of others to a character
The narrator’s direct comments about a character
 Frame Story: A literary device that joins together one or more stories within a larger story,
or frame. The Canterbury Tales is one of the most famous examples of the frame story. In his
innovative use of the device, Chaucer interwove the frame with the tales. The plot of the
frame involves pilgrims on a pilgrimage who are challenged to compete in telling the best tale.
Chaucer reveals the pilgrims’ personalities not only through their interactions between tales
but also by the tales they tell. As a result, the frame itself acts as a long and engaging narrative
whole.
British Class Structure circa A.D. 1066
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The Canterbury Tales: “The Prologue”
The Exposition
1. Where does the group gather?
2. Where are they going? Why?
3. Given what you’ve learned about the medieval period, why were the pilgrims so grateful about
welcoming spring?
Winter in 14th –century England was especially dark, cold, and brutal. The earth’s climate was
going through a long, cold period, which has been dubbed “the Little Ice Age.” The only heat or
light available came from the sun, the moon, or fire. The Black Death (1347-1349) was a recent
memory and a constant worry. There were outbreaks in 1369, 1374-1375, 1379, and 1390.
Medicine was primitive, and superstition was widespread. England lost about 40 percent of its
population during that century. Food shortages, which caused hunger and malnutrition,
contributed to the general misery. So, too, did the Hundred Years’ War with France and the
Peasant’s Revolt (1381). The pilgrims had good cause to hope that their prayers to St. Thomas
might allay some of their suffering. (from TE)
4. How many pilgrims are traveling together?
The Wife of Bath
5. What is the Wife of Bath’s physical infirmity?
6. What is her occupation?
7. Describe her clothing. What do these details reveal about her character?
8. Describe her physical appearance. What do these details reveal about her character?
9. Why does the narrator describe her as “worthy” in lines 455 and 469?
10. How many husbands did she have throughout her life?
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11. Where has the Wife of Bath traveled? What do these destinations have in common?
12. Lines 484-486 say, “In company she liked to laugh and chat /And knew the remedies for love’s
mischances, /An art in which she knew the oldest dances.” Explain what these lines mean. What
do these details reveal about her character?
The Pardoner (pp. 162-163)
13. With whom did the Pardoner ride?
14. What is a holy relic?
15. List the relics the Pardoner is carrying with him on the pilgrimage.
16. What does the Pardoner do with the relics? What purpose do they serve?
17. Why is this purpose ironic?
18. What did the Pardoner get from the Court of Rome?
19. Give evidence that proves that the Pardoner is good at getting money from people.
The Canterbury Tales
“The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale”
“The Pardoner’s Prologue” (pp. 170-172)
20. What is a pardoner?
21. Were all pardoners ethical? Explain.
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22. Translate “Radix malorum est cupiditas…” from line 8, and then explain what it means.
23. Define avarice.
24. In lines 16-22, in what way is the Pardoner’s choice of the topic of avarice for his tale a sign of his
corruption?
25. Define castigate.
26. Review lines 39-47. Why does the Pardoner tell his moral stories? Explain how his motive is
ironic, or different from what you might have expected.
27. In lines 50-57, why does the Pardoner admit his own corruption?
“The Pardoner’s Tale” (pp. 173-182)
28. Where are the three men? What are they doing?
29. What did they hear going through the street?
30. To what plague does the story refer? How many people in Europe were killed by this plague
during the mid-14th century?
31. Many characters in moral stories are allegorical – that is, they stand for abstract ideas, such as
virtue and beauty. Identify the allegorical character presented in lines 72-89. Who fears him?
Why?
32. What do the rioters decide to do?
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33. What qualities of the three men does Chaucer emphasize in lines 93-107? What do you think may
happen to them as a result of these qualities?
34. Who do the men meet along the road? How do they treat the person that they meet? What does
this reveal about the men?
35. A foil is a character who provides a striking contrast to other characters. In what way does the old
man serve as a foil to the three rioters?
36. What purposes do the story of his life and his views about death serve?
37. Where does the old man tell them to find Death?
38. What do they find there? What is its worth?
39. In what way is the discovery the rioters make ironic, or different from what you had anticipated?
40. What happens to the young man after he returns from town? What happens to the two remaining
rioters?
41. Moral stories usually straightforward plots, where events happen in quick succession. In what
way does the story’s conclusion fit this pattern?
42. Do the rioters get what they deserve?
43. In what way does the Pardoner reveal his corruption in the end?
44. Is the Pardoner being serious or facetious (“not meant to be taken seriously or literally”) at this
point?
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“The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale”
“The Wife of Bath’s Tale
45. In lines 57-64, how does the opening of the Wife of Bath’s tale illustrate an extreme case of a man
who has no understanding of women?
46. Review the Medieval Code of Chivalry. How does this act conflict with the chivalric code?
47. What did the king plan to do to the knight as punishment for this act?
48. Define implore.
49. What does the queen require of him so that he can avoid the king’s punishment?
50. In lines 101-124, the knight finds many different opinions on understanding women’s one desire.
What are they?
51. The Wife of Bath digresses, or wanders, from her story about the knight in lines 128-158 to tell the
story of King Midas and his wife. What are some of the purposes of this interruption?
52. Define crone.
53. Define sovereignty.
54. According to lines 181-216, what is the key to an understanding of women?
55. What deal does the knight make with the old woman he meets, and how does he fulfill his bargain
with her?
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56. What are the knight’s reasons for not being able to love his new wife?
57. What choices does the knight’s wife give him?
58. According to the Wife of Bath, what gives a man the distinction of being a great gentleman?
59. What arguments does the old woman use to put the knight to shame?
60. When he agrees with her and kisses her, what happens?
61. Reread the last paragraph. What is the Wife of Bath’s attitude toward husbands who are
controlling or misers?
The Miller’s Tale
62. What is the name of the student? List two of his traits.
63. How old is the carpenter’s wife?
64. What is the carpenter’s biggest character flaw?
65. Who is Absalon?
66. What is the plan Nicholas comes up with? Why?
67. Summarize the story in two to three paragraphs.
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The Knight’s Tale
68. As the tale opens what is the setting? Where is the story located? Who is the ruler/leader there?
69. How did Theseus come to find Arcite and Palamon? Who are these characters? And what happens
to them?
70. What discovery do the two knights make? How does each of them respond?
71. Who is Perotheus? What does he talk Theseus into doing?
72. What is Arcite’s reaction to being set free under Theseus’ conditional release? What is Palamon’s
reaction?
73. How does Arcite get back into Athens?
74. How does Palamon escape?
75. What role might the prison play in the tale?
76. What do Palamon and Arcite talk about when they meet? What do they decide to do?
77. What does Theseus tell the two to do in order to resolve their conflict?
78. Describe what Theseus does to prepare for the battle?
79. Where does Palamon go before the battle? What does he ask for? What response does he get?
80. Where does Arcite go? What does he ask for? What type of response does he get?
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81. Describe the rules that Theseus tells both sides before the battle.
82. What happens to the winner of the battle?
83. What does Arcite tell Emily during their last meeting?
84. How does the story end?
85. In The Knights Tale there are several possible main characters. Who do you consider to be the
main character? What do you think the tale is chiefly about?
86. What characteristics of chivalry are present in the tale?
87. In your opinion, why do you think Chaucer had the knight tell his tale first?
The Nun’s Priest’s Tale
88. Describe the widow’s lifestyle.
89. Who was Chanticleer? Pertelote?
90. What two things is Chanticleer known for?
91. What did Chanticleer dream of one night?
92. What does Pertelote say causes dreams, and what is her advice?
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93. What does Chanticleer say that “authors of high authority” believe about dreams?
94. What does the storyteller say about woman’s advice?
95. What reason does the fox give for being there?
96. What comparison did the fox make that boosts Chanticleer’s ego?
97. What happened when Chanticleer began crowing?
98. What trick did Chanticleer pull on the fox?
99. What lesson did Chanticleer learn from this experience?
100.
What lesson did the fox learn?
101.
Based on what the animals learned, what three traits are detrimental to man?
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