The Canterbury Tales: A Story within a Story Written by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. Story about a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Thomas à Becket. They tell each other stories to entertain each other. Basic Prologue We learn a little about each of the pilgrims as they gather at Tabard Inn. Tabard Inn—Located in Southwark, across the Thames River. Housed many travelers headed to London and Canterbury. Tabard—Short-­‐sleeved or sleeveless cloak worn by a knight to prevent the gleam of his armor from signaling his position to an enemy. It was made of a heavy fabric and was emblazoned with a coat of arms. We meet the narrator, Chaucer, as the first pilgrim. He tells us about the proposal made by the inn keeper, Harry Bailey: everyone tells a story and whoever is the best storyteller wins a meal paid for by everyone else when they get back. The Group: Narrator, the first of the pilgrims to arrive at the Tabard Inn: 1 Pilgrims who arrive at the Tabard after the narrator: 29 Pilgrim (canon's yeoman) who joins the others on the road: 1 Host at the Tabard Inn, who accompanies the pilgrims: 1 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TOTAL = The Group (Fellowship) is formed! 32 people The Story Each traveler gets a turn to tell his/her story as they travel. In between stories are prologues to each story. These provide some information about the pilgrims and introduce the next story. Frame Tale—Literary works that present a story within a story. The frame is the narration provided by the first pilgrim and the inner story is comprised of the pilgrims’ individual tales. The Tales Each tale is presented in 3rd person, but they are written in various genres: Fabliau A short verse tale with coarse humor and earthy, realistic, and sometimes obscene descriptions that present an episode in the life of contemporary middle-­‐ and lower-­‐class people. Uses satire and cynicism, along with vulgar comedy, to mock one or several of its characters. The ridiculed character is usually a jealous husband, a wayward wife, a lover, or a proud or greedy tradesman or clergyman. Plot development often depends on a prank, a pun, a mistaken identity, or an incident involving the characters in intrigue. The fabliau was out of fashion when Chaucer revived the format to write “The Miller’s Tale,” “The Reeve’s Tale,” “The Cook’s Tale,” “The Shipman’s Tale,” and “The Summoner’s Tale.” Chivalric Romance (Tale of Courtly Love) A tale in which knights exhibit nobility, courage, and respect for their ladies fair, and the ladies exhibit elegance, modesty, and fidelity. Although knights and ladies may fall passionately in love, they eschew immoral behavior. In conflicts between good and evil, justice prevails. Example: “The Knight's Tale.” Arthurian Romance A type of work in which a knight in the age of the legendary King Arthur goes on a quest. Example: “The Wife of Bath’s Tale.” Beast Fable A short story in verse or prose in which animals are the main characters. They exhibit human qualities, and their activities underscore a universal truth. Example: “The Nun's Priest's Tale.” Satire Literary work or technique that attacks or pokes fun at vices and imperfections. Many of the prologues and tales contain satire that ridicules people who exhibit hypocrisy, greed, false humility, stupidity, self-­‐importance, and other flaws. Burlesque A literary work that mocks a person, a place, a thing, or an idea by using wit, irony, hyperbole, sarcasm, and/or understatement. A hallmark of burlesque is its thoroughgoing exaggeration, often to the point of the absurd. Example: “The Miller's Tale”—turns respected person (husband) into a buffoon. Low Comedy A type of comedy that is generally physical rather than verbal, relying on slapstick and horseplay. Usually focuses on ordinary folk. Example: “The Miller's Tale.” Breton Lay A 14th-­‐century English narrative poem in rhyme about courtly love that contains elements of the supernatural. A lay is a medieval narrative poem originally intended to be sung. Breton is an adjective describing anyone or anything from Brittany, France. Example: “The Franklin's Tale.” Allegory A literary work that gives a symbolic meaning to characters, events, objects, and ideas. The pilgrims’ journey to Canterbury may also be regarded as an allegory in that it can be viewed as a representation of the journey through life or the journey toward the ultimate destination, heaven. Example: “The Nun's Priest's Tale.” Exemplum A short narrative in that teaches a moral lesson or reinforces a doctrine or religious belief. Example: “The Pardoner's Tale.”