English Notes
January 29, 2014
Concepts:
Nobility—of high state
Noble Behavior-chivalry
Chivalrous—extremely generous, sympathetic, passionate, kind
Beginning of the tale comments on women using beauty to their advantage
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Frame story (story within a story) by Filomena, Queen, tale of Federigo
2-3. Federigo—love sick over Monna Giovanna. He goes into debt buying her things. He is chivalrous
(see list above of those qualities)
4. Early in the tale she is indifferent. She is married and doesn’t pay attention to Federigo’s advances.
5. The money goes to her son, then to her in event of his death.
6. Federigo is poor—not a suitable mate. He is still a noble (of noble birth) even though he is poor.
7. Monna would rather marry a “man who lacks money than money that lacks a man”
8. Irony—situational, dramatic, verbal
Dramatic—we know Monna wants the falcon, we know Federigo cooks the falcon for her dinner
Situational Irony—he wanted her/she didn’t need him---after her son is sick she needs him
Situational Irony—she goes to get the bird, just “gets it” in a different form
Situational Irony—he is rich, becomes poor/she becomes rich from the will and now has power
9. Conflicts: Federigo’s love for a married woman, sick son, cooking the bird vs. bringing it home for
her son, conflicted over going to Federigo to obtain the bird (however, she loves her son and it compels
her to go), family not wanting Monna to marry Federigo, control of men over Monna, loss of husband,
son, falcon
10. generosity---left with nothing after trying to lavish Monna, however, when he sacrifices his falcon it
means more to Monna
The Canterbury Tales
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Characters are on a religious pilgrimage to the shrine of Canterbury
Religious pilgrimages were popular at this time
Chaucer, the writer, describes the pilgrims in the prologue
Prologue serves as a frame (outer frame describing the pilgrims—inner frame when the
character tells the tale)
Wife of Bath
Characterized in the general prologue
Wife of Bath’s Prologue to her tale
Wife of Bath’s Tale
Prologue Characterization of The Wife of Bath:
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From the city of Bath
Somewhat deaf
She makes beautiful clothing
She would try to get to the altar steps first—if someone cut her off she would get angry!
Her clothing could weigh 10 pounds—expensive
Wore a hat and scarlet red hose
Had new shoes
Pretty—red complexion
Had 5 husbands and had other suitors in her youth
Likes company, to chat, to travel on pilgrimages to Rome, Boulogne, Cologne, etc.)
Has gapped teeth
Rides a horse well
Large hips concealed by her clothing
Knows love remedies and knew of the oldest dances (self-proclaimed expert on love)