Studied by 35 peoplemiddle/medieval english
around 1066(Norman invasion)-middle/late 15th century
Author of Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer
direct characterization
tells the audience what the personality of the character is
indirect characterization
shows things that reveal the personality of the character
STEAL - (S)
Speech
STEAL - (T)
Thoughts
STEAL - (E)
Effects on others
STEAL - (A)
Actions
STEAL - (L)
Looks
What is the best contemporary picture we have of 14th century England?
Canterbury Tales
How many pilgrims went on the pilgrimage to Canterbury?
30
How many stories were supposed to be told?
120
How many were finished?
24
frame story
a story set within a story, narrative, or movie, told by the main or the supporting character
Father of English Poetry
Chaucer
heroic couplets
a pair of rhyming lines with five stressed syllables each
Canterbury Prologue
introduces us to the characters, who met at a tavern in London
Knight
highest status, chivalrous, fought nobly in many battles, modest clothing, wants to render thanks on the pilgrimage
Squire
hot lover, writes poems and songs, knights son, plays flute and songs, short and agile, curly hair, about 20 years old
Nun/Priestess/Madame Eglantyne
spoke French, loyal to St. Loy, pretends to care, golden broach that says "love conquers all" in Latin, fake
Monk
keeps expensive horses and greyhounds, served St. Benedict & St. Maurice but ignored them, flaunting of wealth is looked down upon, too worldly for monk life
Frair/Hubert
selfish, begs for money and keeps it, good with speech, wears expensive clothing, only wants to be around rich people
Oxford Cleric
no ranking in church, only cares about books, thinks hes better than everyone
Cook/Roger of Ware
makes amazing foods, but is not very sanitary
Doctor
very smart, greedy, prescribes medicine using astrology, has a deal with the pharmacy
Wife of Bath
somewhat deaf, good at sewing, had loose teeth, 5 husbands, gives excellent love advice, always wears a hat
Parson
poor but educated, doesn't like tithes, would help someone no matter what
Plowman
brother of parson, kind hearted, never slacks, helps the poor pay their taxes, pays tithes to the church
Miller
224 lbs of muscle, nose with a wart that has red hair, big nose and mouth, carried a sword and shield, bad language, took grain and sold it 3x its worth, plays bagpipes
Summoner
acne covered face, so ugly children run from him, heavy drinker, smells badly, will get people out of trouble for a bribe
Pardoner
rode with the summoner, sings and plays the trumpet, sings at church sometimes, claims to have holy relics, cant grow a beard, feminine, gay(?)
The Pardoners Tale (background)
The Pardoner is probably drunk when telling the tale, brags about how he swindles people, is an example of an exemplum
exemplum
a short anecdote or story that illustrates a particular moral point
When and why were exemplums created
In the late middle ages to be used in sermons
Pardoners Tale (synopsis)
about how the love of money is the root of all evil, three rioters kill each other in an attempt to get the most money
Wife of Baths Tale (background)
in the so called "marriage group" of the Canterbury tales, directed at the Pardoner(who is considering marriage), the tale is set in the times of King Arthur, the prologue is longer than the tale, discusses each of her five husbands
Wife of Baths Tale (synopsis)
Knight rapes a woman and is about to be killed when Queen Guinevere decides to make him find out what women truly desire, and, he doesn't find it out until an old lady tells him, which saves his life, and so he has to marry her, and he gives her full control so she becomes a beautiful young woman
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (background)
One of the best known Arthurian stories, Pearl Poet, 1/4 alliterative poems written by Pearl Poet, bob and wheel story written in mid-late 14th century in middle English
medieval romance
adventure stories that feature kings, knights, and damsels in distress and tell of quests, battles, and doomed love
legends typically include
heroic figures and memorable deeds, quests, contests, or tests, patterned events
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Setting
Medieval England and Wales; begins at Arthurs Castle in Camelot; Green Chapel
Sir Gawain
King Arthurs nephew, thinks hes the weakest, low self esteem
Green Knight/Bertilack of Haughtdesert
the knight who challenged someone to take his head off, gave Gawain a knick on the neck
Lady Bertilak
tried to tempt Gawain, gave him the green belt
beheading trope
can be told to ensure crop growth, Irish tale is supreme courage, 12th century French romance is similar
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - exposition
King Arthur and the Boyz celebrate New Years/Christmas in Camelot
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - rising action
Green Knight gives the test and Sir Gawain accepts and cuts the Green Knights's head off
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - climax
the third swing of the axe
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - falling action
Green Knight says Gawain can keep the belt
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - denouement
Green Knight invites Gawain to next years New Years celebration
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - theme
loyalty, honor your promises
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - symbols
green girdle: failure -> honor and loyalty, green branch: peace
Morte d'Arthur - author
Sir Thomas Malory
Morte d'Arthur - background
written in Middle English prose, based on Arthurian legend, apart of a series of 8 books starting with Arthur's birth, first English novel ever published(published after Malorys death)
Morte d'Arthur - setting
Medieval England
King Arthur
King of Camelot
Sir Gawain - Morte d'Arthur
nephew to King Arthur, died, came to his uncle in a vision and tried to warn him of his death
Mordred
Illegitimate son of Arthur, killed Arthur
Sir Lucan the Butler
Sir Bedivere's brother, loyal until death, tried to save the King, guts fell out
Sir Bedivere
last of the Knights of the Table, disobeyed the dying King about putting Excalibur into Nimue's lake twice, put Excalibur into the lake, and prayed for Arthurs soul until death
Morte d'Arthur - exposition
dreams
Morte d'Arthur - rising action
someone sees a snake, draws blade to kill snake, which starts the battle where only four survive
Morte d'Arthur - climax
the throwing of the sword into the lake
Morte d'Arthur - falling action
Bedivere takes Arthur to the ship with the 3 queens
Morte d'Arthur - denouement
Arthur gets buried and Bedivere prays for Arthurs soul
Excalibur
a symbol of power, honor, and strength, given to Arthur by the lady of the lake, scabbard could heal wounds, Morgan le Fay stole the scabbard
Margaret Paston Letters - background
written from 1465-1467 to her husband and son, written in Norwich, England(100 miles from London), gives us first hand information about life from the middle ages(women were still not respected), showed us what a remarkable woman she was
primary sources
documents from the past that report or indicate events or values of the time; includes inscriptions, legal documents, and songs
Land Rights
a time of upheaval due to War of Roses, roaming armies, reward for faithful service, cleaver lawyers got people land, women still had limited rights and land ownership
folk ballad
narrative poem intended to be sung, four line stanzas(quatrains) in which the 2nd and 4th lines usually rhyme, dialog, recounts tragic, comic, or heroic stories with an emphasis on a central dramatic event
folk ballad common themes
death by murder or accident
dialect
a form of language spoken by people in a particular region or group
Twa Corbies - background
a border between England and Scotland, ballad of the Anglo-Saxon tradition
Twa Corbies
Stanzas: 5
Rhyme Scheme: AA BB
Twa Corbies
Dialect: gang - go, twa - 2
Twa Corbies
Synopsis: Ravens eating a forgotten knight
Twa Corbies
Lord Randall - background
Anglo-Saxon border ballad consisting of dialogue between a young lord and his mother
Lord Randall
Stanzas: 5
Rhyme Scheme: ?
Lord Randall
Dialect: wald - would
Lord Randall
Synopsis: A man gets poisoned by his lover
Lord Randall
Get Up and Bar the Door - background
a humorous medieval Scottish ballad about a battle of wills between a husband and wife
Get Up and Bar The Door
Stanzas: 11
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB
Get Up and Bar The Door
Dialect: muckle - much, hussytskop - chores
Get Up and Bar The Door
Synopsis: Husband and wife play the quiet game over closing the door and strangers barge in; wife wins
Get Up and Bar The Door
Barbara Allan - background
A Scottish ballad
Barbara Allan
Stanzas: 9
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB
Barabra Allan
Dialect: gin - if, rase - rose
Barabra Allan
Synopsis: A man loves Barbara, he dies because he is lovesick, and Barbara is going to die after he does because she is lovesick
Barabra Allan
Note
Flashcard