Canterbury Tales
Frame Story: A story within a story.
Anecdote: A brief story told to make a point.
Exemplum: A story told to teach a moral lesson
Characterization:
1) Direct: a clear direct statement about a character.
2) Indirect: character traits are revealed through
words and actions.
Inference: any logical/ reasonable conclusion.
Simile: A comparison using like or as
Ex. His mighty mouth was like a furnace door.
Couplet: Two lines of verse that rhyme and are written
in the same way.
Meter: Rhythmic pattern determined by the number
and beat in each line.
Iambic pentameter: rhythm in poetry in which each line
has 5 sections of two syllables each. (10 beats)
Rhyme: a repetition of sounds
Geoffrey Chaucer’ s life experience:
Soldier in England Army, page in the king’s castle,
diplomat that traveled to France. Member of parliament,
served as the King’s forester.
Birth and death: 1341-1400- never finished the
Canterbury tales.
Influences: Made a religious pilgrimage, saw greed and
corruption as a politician, met many different people as
a soldier.
Historical background: A pilgrimage is a holy journey.
Thomas Beckett was the Archbishop of Canterbury. He
was murdered and people then went of pilgrimages to
the Canterbury Cathedral where he is buried.
People believe that visiting his tomb will get rid of their
sins.
Thomas Becket is so important because he is viewed as
a martyr who was murdered for his religious beliefs.
The Canterbury Tales was composed in Middle English.
The Canterbury Tales are important to English
literature because:
They give a very accurate picture of the people of the
medieval period
Clear idea of the feudal system
Understanding of their morals and beliefs
Shows the corruption of the church.
The Pilgrimage begins at a Tavern
They are going to Canterbury to visit the tomb of
Thomas Beckett
The tales are told as a game.
The host of the inn proposes the game