Study Guide for Chaucer Quiz – Know the following; quiz Monday
Geoffrey Chaucer 1343-1400 - the father of English poetry
Made English a “respectable” language for great works of literature
There is a Frame narrative: pilgrims going on pilgrimage to Canterbury, telling stories along the way
The most moral and entertaining story was to win dinner and drinks; there were 29 pilgrims
He satirizes members of the clergy for immoral behavior - especially for avarice
He uses direct and indirect characterization to flesh out his characters
the prologue is a medieval time capsule - it has people from all walks of life and professions
Know the following stories:
The Knight’s Tale: Palamon, Arcite, Emilye, Theseus (King) - “Remember Palamon”
The Wife of Bath’s Prologue – esp. the 4 and 5 husbands (Honors)
th
th
The Wife of Bath’s Tale: Knight, old lady, what do women want? (sovereignty)
The Pardoner’s Tale: Black plague, 7 deadly sins, 3 rioters, old man, death, money is the root of all evil
words between the Pardoner and the Host
Miller’s Tale: the plot, the characters, the moral - carpenter, Nicholas the Spark, Alison, Absolon,
courtly love, parody of it...
Reeve’s Tale: the plot, the characters, the moral - do and be done as you did
The Friar / Summoner - why are they a pair...
The Merchant’s tale!
Federigo’s Falcon - today’s story… a man without money vs money without a man