The Canterbury Tales

We will read sections of the Canterbury Tales - the Prologue, The Wife of Bath's Tale, and The Pardoner's Tale, and one tale of the student's choice.

As we read the prologue students will need to fill out a character chart.  See below.

Canterbury Tales - UNIT GOAL:

Objective: To Demonstrate a thorough understanding of a character and literary devices used in Chaucer by dressing up as one of the characters from The Canterbury Tales and presenting their story.

REQUIREMENTS:

Part 1:  You must dress up as the character as described in the Prologue of the poem (note: you should also read very closely the character’s prologue to their own story for it will give you insight into how the character acts, thinks, and relates to the other characters).  As part of the presentation you’ll need to discuss what you are wearing and why (or what it represents)?  You will also need to present your character traits.  What your character is like—what do they believe, how do think of themselves, how do they act towards others or towards God.  You may wish to do some research on your character or your character type (example you might wish to look at Friars and what Friars where about and how they where suppose to act and compare those ideas with how your character acts and believes). 

Part 2:  You’ll need to present your tale to the class.  You can do it in one of two ways: 1) D.I. or Dramatic Interpretation of the story (this means you pick the highlights, write a script based on the highlights and act it out).  2) Rewrite the story in your own words and language and present it as a transcript—meaning you read it, but give a dramatic reading

 (not just a reading like we do in class)

Part 3: Teach the class the following: 1) what type of literary tale is your story?  2) What does the tale mean (if anything). Connect the tale to a THEME?  What does the tale reveal about you character and who your character is?  What—if any—kinds of literary devices does your tale use? 

Part 4: Make a brief argument why your character won the bet: Who can tell the best story.

Canterbury Tales, “The General Prologue” (35 points)

You will find below all the pilgrims mentioned in “The General Prologue.” Be able to answer the following:

1. How does Chaucer characterize each one?  Offer two details with line numbers to support this (include figures of speech or Cicero’s aspects of characterization).
2. Describe Chaucer’s attitude toward each pilgrim.
3. Rank this person in the chart at the end of this handout.

Pilgrim	Chaucer’s Characterization	Two Details	Chaucer’s Attitude
The Knight		1. 2.
Squire		1. 2.
Yeoman		1. 2.
Prioress		1. 2.
Monk		1. 2.
Friar		1. 2.
Merchant		1. 2.
Clerk		1. 2.
Sergeant-at-Law		1. 2.
Franklin		1. 2.
Haberdasher, Carpenter, Weaver, Dyer, Tapestry Maker		1. 2.
Cook		1. 2.
Shipman		1. 2.
Doctor of Medicine		1. 2.
Wife of Bath		1. 2.
Parson		1. 2.
Plowman		1. 2.
Miller		1. 2.
Manciple		1. 2.
Reeve		1. 2.
Summoner		1. 2.
Pardoner		1. 2.
Host		1. 2.

Best Pilgrims	Worst Pilgrims
1.	1.
2.	2.
3.	3.
4.	4.
5.	5.
6.	6.

The Canterbury Tales

General Prologue questions

Answer the following questions based on the general prologue of the tales.

1. What time of year to people “long to go on pilgrimages” and why?

2. Where is the narrator at the start of the prologue?  Who joins him and for what purposes?

3. What plan (which becomes the basis of the frame story) does the host propose to the pilgrims? How do the pilgrims respond to the idea?

4. Chaucer is the master at using physical details – eyes, hair, body type, clothing, complexion – to reveal character. Describe at least three pilgrims whose inner nature is  revealed by their appearance. Use your notes and the text for help.

a.

b.

c.

5. Clearly, Chaucer satirizes the church of his time. Show how this is true by analyzing two characters connected with the church. What “good” or honorable church people does he include to balance his satire?

6. Which of the pilgrims do you think Chaucer idealizes, or hold in high esteem?

7. Why is the Knight first in the General Prologue and first to tell a tale?

8. What makes the Wife of Bath such a colorful and interesting character?

9. Place the pilgrims in section of the table that best suits them.

Clergy	Middle Class/City	Military/Farming

 

Geoffrey Chaucer

Early Years

•Chaucer was believed to be born in 1343

•He may have attended Oxford or Cambridge

•Official records give some biographical details

–Captured in France (1359) during war

–King paid sixteen-pound ransom for release

Family

•Married Philippa Pan in 1366 or 1368

•Wife was a lady-in-waiting to the queen

•Had two sons, possibly a daughter

Career

•Made a comfortable living as a civil servant

–A dozen diplomatic missions to Flanders, France and Italy (1368-87)

–Negotiated marriage between Richard II and daughter of the French King

–Also served as customs official, “Knight of the Shire” and keeper of the Royal Forest - this spot was an important post in Parliament.

Early Poet

•Began writing in his twenties

•Based early works using style of other European poets

•Was one of Britain’s first poets to publish in English

•Considered the “People’s Poet”

Chaucer’s Legacy

•Considered the Father of English poetry in his lifetime

•Even 600 years later, his works are still in print

•Chaucer is buried in Westminster Abbey

•Chaucer’s tomb is the centerpiece of “Poet’s Corner”

The Canterbury Tales

•Written in his later years

•Intended to write 124 tales before his death

•The 24 tales stand as a complete work

•Considered one of Britain’s literary treasures

British Society in the Tales

•Story centers on pilgrimage to Canterbury.

•The church was the center of religion for Britain

•Sacred ground after the assassination of Thomas Becket in 1170

What the Tales Provide

•A cross-section of British life

•Almost all walks of life represented

•Chaucer’s contempt for church is apparent

THE END

Anglo-Saxon Poems

Today we are going to read "The Seafarer" "The Wanderer" and "The Wife's Lament" and connect them the idea of exile in found in Beowulf. 

Objective: Students will be able to determine two or more themes of a text and analyze their development over the course of a text.  And, demonstrate knowledge of how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.

You will need to do questions 1-9 on page 115. 

"The Book of Margery Kemp"

Today we are going to read the excerpt from "The Book of Margery Kemp" - it's in your textbook on page 116. 

Objective: Students will be able to determine an author's point of view or purpose in the text.

So note, at the end of these excerpt, you will need to be able to state what the author's purpose was in writing it (this question is addressed in question #8 on page 122).

Homework: Answer questions 1-6 and 8 on page 122. 

For some help go to Shmoop

FIt 4

Fit 4

1) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight can be viewed as a journey from life to death and back to life. Discuss how this works.
2) Sir Gawain is reborn both physically and spiritually at the end of the book how?
3) Whose Point of View are we suppose to exact at the end of the book? Why?
4) Is Gawain ruined as a knight or will we see great deeds from him again?
5) In your opinion who is really in control?
6) Is Gawain a hero?

Choose one of the following essay questions - make sure you use adequate examples from the text:

TEST:

1. Analyze and explain the symbolic significance of Sir Gawain’s shield in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (lines 619-669), and evaluate how well Gawain measures up to the expectations suggested by the symbolism of the shield.



2. How does Sir Gawain differ from Beowulf as a heroic figure? What do the two heroes have in common? How are they different? In what ways can Gawain be seen as a development or progression of the heroic figure in English literature

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight part 3

FIT 3 (or PART 3)

1) Compare each of the hunting scenes with the bedroom scenes in the castle. Explain how the hunting scenes symbolize what is going on in the bedroom and explore how the differ animals hunted relate to the different tactics used by the lady each day.

2) What is your impression of Gawain during this section? How do you think he behaves? Does he uphold his honor while not dishonoring the lady and the lord?

3) What is the climax of the book?

4) What does the girdle symbolize?

5) There are a few allusions to Christ, Mary and faith (or failure of faith) can you pick a couple out and discuss why they are there?

Gawain Pt. 2 continued

We'll finish part two of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight today.  You'll need to finish answer the questions on the blog for tomorrow.

Sir Gawain - Section 2

Fit 2 (or section 2).

1) Look at the progression of each stanza in this section and briefly list/discuss in order what every stanza is about.

2) Look at the motif of games and discuss how it works in this section.

3) Other than the pentangle describe a symbol in this section and relate it to a theme. Discuss how this symbol reinforces the theme.

4) How is Gawain different in this section as compared to the last?

5) Discuss the setting.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Today we are going to read and discuss part 1 of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.  Your homework is to summarize part 1, create a list of characters, and examine the importance of a) the beheading contest, and b) the color green.

On Edmodo watch the video.