Day 22 – The Canterbury Tales intro and Peer edit

Agenda

Warm-up- Chivalry TCT Intro The General

Prologue Peer Edit Closure

Reminders: Speech Final due 10/3 15 hours due 10/20 Read the General

Prologue in TCT by 10/2 Reading Check Monday

Daily Objectives

READ The General Prologue of TCT and annotate for SIFTT.

Draw a conclusion about Medieval society in England.

EVALUATE each others’ speeches based on the rubric.

Warm-up:

Based on what you learned yesterday, what would life be like for the average person in England in the Middle Era?

Background Introduction

Geoffrey Chaucerc. 1343-1400

• Considered the father of English poetry• Wrote in the vernacular – common language of

the people (English)• Served as a soldier, government servant, and

member of Parliament• Introduced iambic pentameter• First writer buried in Westminster Abbey

Life and Times• Lives during 14th Century - an age of

transition• Son of a wine merchant, born 1340• Educated; served in royal households in

admin positions• Able to travel for the crown to France &

Italy• Variety of jobs - witnessed the

economic, political and social changes in England

Chaucer’s Work• Chaucer’s work experience and

travels afforded him with the ability to see people from all levels of society

• This exposure allows him to write characters who represent the lower, middle, and upper classes

• This in itself is unique. No longer does literature only present the lives of kings and warriors.

The Journey Begins . . .• Chaucer uses a religious

pilgrimage to display all segments of medieval England.

• The Canterbury Tales begins with a Prologue, • Narrator, presumably Chaucer

himself, meets 29 other pilgrims at the Tabard Inn, located in a suburb of London.

• As the pilgrims prepare for their journey, the host of the Inn, Harry Bailey, sets a challenge: • Each pilgrim tells two stories on

the way to Canterbury and two stories on the return trip. The person who tells the best tale will be treated to a feast hosted by the other pilgrims.

Middle English• The Canterbury Tales was written in Middle

English, the primary language spoken by the population

• In part due to CT’s popularity, Middle English becomes primary language for the royal court and upper class as well

• Chaucer is called “The Father of English Literature”

The Journey Begins . . .• The Canterbury Tales is

actually a story about stories, twenty-four different tales set within the overarching tale of the pilgrimage.

• Definition:• Frame Story – a story within a

story• The Outer Frame Story is about the

pilgrims meeting at the Tabard Inn preparing for a journey to Canterbury.

• The Inner Frame Story would be all the stories told by the assembled pilgrims along their journey to and from Canterbury.

The Premise• Pilgrimages were

popular in the period• Show your devotion• Healing properties

• Archbishop Thomas a Becket murdered inside Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 when he disagreed with King Henry II over church rights and privileges• The Church canonized

him within 3 years of the murder

• Most popular pilgrimage site in England in the 13oo’s

Stained glass depicting two knights of King Henry II stabbing Archbishop Thomas a Becket

Chaucer’s Tales

• Tells the larger tale of the journey of pilgrims to Canterbury Cathedral

• Involves storytelling by individuals, who range from a nun, a knight, a cook, a monk, and a merchant

The Journey: From Southwark to Canterbury

- The distance from Southwark to Canterbury is about 60 miles

-3 days of hard travel by horseback.

Snapshots of an Era. . .• In the Prologue, Chaucer sketches a brief but vivid portrait

of each pilgrim, creating a lively sense of medieval life.

• The description may literally describe an article of clothing, but figuratively imply something about that character.

• Definition: Satire - a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule.

• Like sarcasm . . . He says one thing, but means another.

• Our job is to read and comprehend the literal description of each pilgrim, and then, we must figuratively interpret what Chaucer is trying to imply about that pilgrim’s character.

General Prologue• Chaucer’s poem begins with an

introduction of all the pilgrims, the host, and Chaucer (who adds himself as a fictional narrator)

• Each person is particularly identified by profession and appearance; there is also implied moral judgment.

• The GP also sets up the journey and frames the characters’ individual stories

Characters’ Prologues and Tales

• Chaucer meant for each character to share 4 tales in total, but died before he could achieve this

• Before each tale, Chaucer includes a prologue or introduction of the person who will tell the tale

• Follows with shared tale told to the whole group of travelers.

• The description of the characters in the GP is from Chaucer’s point of view while the individual prologues are from the character’s point of view.• This is why there are subtle differences between

the way they describe themselves vs. the way others see them.

Snapshots of an Era. . .• In the Prologue, Chaucer

examines three segments of Medieval England:• 1. The Old Feudal order – these are

all of the pilgrims associated with the feudal class system.

• Knight, Squire, Yeoman, Plowman . . . • 2. The Merchant Class – this was

the rising middle class of the time; towns and cities were emerging and therefore necessitated the need for skilled services:

• Merchant, Man of Law, Guildsmen, Cook . . . • 3. The Ecclesiastical (Church)

Class – these were all of the members of the church. Chaucer is most critical of this segment of his society.

• Prioress, Monk, Friar, Pardoner . . .

Literary Analysis Each character in The Canterbury Tales represents a different segment of society in Chaucer’s time. By

noting the virtues and faults of each, Chaucer provides social commentary, writing that offers insight into society, its values, and its customs. While reading,

draw conclusions from the characters about Chaucer’s views on English society.

A Literary Tour. . .• Chaucer uses the popular genres of his

time when he creates the inner stories of the various pilgrims:• Romances (tales of chivalry)

• The Wife of Bath’s Tale• Fabliaux (short, bawdy, humorous stories)

• The Miller’s Tale• The stories of saint’s lives, sermons

• The Parson’s Tale• Allegories (narratives in which characters represent

abstractions such as Pride or Honor).• The Pardoner’s Tale

• Chaucer wrote much of the Tales using his own form, the heroic couplet, a pair of rhyming lines with five stressed syllables each.

Literary Analysis• Characterization

• Direct characterization presents direct statements about a character, such as Chaucer’s statement that the Knight “followed chivalry, / Truth, honor. . . .”

• Indirect characterization uses actions, thoughts, and dialogue to reveal a character’s personality. By saying “he was not gaily dressed,” for instance, Chaucer suggests that the Knight is not vain and perhaps takes the pilgrimage seriously enough to rush to join it straight from battle.

Literary Characteristics of

The Canterbury Tales• HEROIC COUPLETS:• 2 paired lines of poetry, written in

iambic pentameter (meter). The pair (or couplet) must RHYME.

• Introduced by Chaucer!

• Example:“You’re off to Canterbury - well, God

speed!/Blessed St. Thomas answer to your need!”

Your Turn • Open your books and take

10 minutes to read the General Prologue while Close Reading for SIFTT.• Annotate in your book and create a SIFTT chart on paper.

Peer Edit Part Deux

Get into groups of 3

Each of you will download the scoring rubric from Canvas.

Figure out who will go first in your group and recite your speech.

The other two people will score you. When finished switch roles until all of

you have given your speech.

Help out your classmates – Get into Groups of 3 You are going to edit two of your classmates’ speeches. You must fill out the same rubric the judges will use. After you have their score write a one paragraph

justification where you give constructive feedback. Include positive aspects of their speech and negative aspects Include how you would change it (Don’t offer a problem without a

solution) Share the document with the person and submit online.

Closure

List three things that you have learned about the Medieval Era.

Write two questions you have about the role chivalry played in life.

Write one thing that you wish you would have learned about when you were researching your topic.