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Questions and Answers
Geoffrey Chaucer was a poor man who worked for the king.
Geoffrey Chaucer was a poor man who worked for the king.
False (B)
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by the pilgrims going to Rome.
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by the pilgrims going to Rome.
False (B)
Chaucer was a supporter of the established church and its clergy.
Chaucer was a supporter of the established church and its clergy.
False (B)
Chaucer used Latin as the language for his narrative poem.
Chaucer used Latin as the language for his narrative poem.
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Chaucer's work, The Canterbury Tales, is a short poem.
Chaucer's work, The Canterbury Tales, is a short poem.
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Chaucer travelled to Italy and Spain during his work for the king.
Chaucer travelled to Italy and Spain during his work for the king.
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Chaucer is known as the father of English literature and language because he was able to portray the society of the future.
Chaucer is known as the father of English literature and language because he was able to portray the society of the future.
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The pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales are going to see the shrine of Thomas Beckett in Oxford.
The pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales are going to see the shrine of Thomas Beckett in Oxford.
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The Canterbury Tales consists of 120 stories and an introduction.
The Canterbury Tales consists of 120 stories and an introduction.
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Chaucer believed that the Church was perfect and women were inferior to men.
Chaucer believed that the Church was perfect and women were inferior to men.
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The Canterbury Tales is written in a style that is characterized by idealization and romanticism.
The Canterbury Tales is written in a style that is characterized by idealization and romanticism.
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The poem has a non-linear narrative structure, with stories told in random order.
The poem has a non-linear narrative structure, with stories told in random order.
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Chaucer's verses are written in free verse, with no rhyme or meter.
Chaucer's verses are written in free verse, with no rhyme or meter.
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The pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales include nobles and servants.
The pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales include nobles and servants.
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The pilgrimage in The Canterbury Tales is a purely physical journey with no spiritual significance.
The pilgrimage in The Canterbury Tales is a purely physical journey with no spiritual significance.
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London represents heaven, and Canterbury represents hell in The Canterbury Tales.
London represents heaven, and Canterbury represents hell in The Canterbury Tales.
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The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories or tales told by the ______ going to Canterbury.
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories or tales told by the ______ going to Canterbury.
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Geoffrey Chaucer used the ______ language, the English spoken at that time, in his narrative poem.
Geoffrey Chaucer used the ______ language, the English spoken at that time, in his narrative poem.
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Chaucer supported John Wycliff and ______ when he asked for a reform for the established church.
Chaucer supported John Wycliff and ______ when he asked for a reform for the established church.
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During his life, Chaucer worked for the ______ and travelled to Italy and France.
During his life, Chaucer worked for the ______ and travelled to Italy and France.
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Chaucer criticised the Church and the ______ because they are corrupted.
Chaucer criticised the Church and the ______ because they are corrupted.
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Geoffrey Chaucer is known as the founder of the ______ poem genre.
Geoffrey Chaucer is known as the founder of the ______ poem genre.
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Chaucer is known as the father of English _______________ and language because he was able to portray the society of that time.
Chaucer is known as the father of English _______________ and language because he was able to portray the society of that time.
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The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by _______________ pilgrims going to Canterbury.
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by _______________ pilgrims going to Canterbury.
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The pilgrims meet in the _______________ Inn in Southwark, in London, on the South side of the Thames.
The pilgrims meet in the _______________ Inn in Southwark, in London, on the South side of the Thames.
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The Canterbury Tales is a collection of _______________ stories on different themes.
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of _______________ stories on different themes.
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Chaucer believed that the Church was _______________ and women were important for the society.
Chaucer believed that the Church was _______________ and women were important for the society.
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The most important characteristic of The Canterbury Tales is _______________.
The most important characteristic of The Canterbury Tales is _______________.
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Chaucer used the _______________ rhyming couplet in his verses.
Chaucer used the _______________ rhyming couplet in his verses.
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The meter of Chaucer's verses is _______________ pentameter.
The meter of Chaucer's verses is _______________ pentameter.
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The pilgrimage in The Canterbury Tales is connected to the idea of _______________.
The pilgrimage in The Canterbury Tales is connected to the idea of _______________.
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Canterbury represents the _______________ destination in The Canterbury Tales.
Canterbury represents the _______________ destination in The Canterbury Tales.
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Study Notes
Canterbury Tales Introduction
- Narrative poem, written in verse, that tells stories and contains typical narrative elements.
- Aimed to entertain and educate.
- Written by Geoffrey Chaucer, the founder of the narrative poem genre, who used vernacular language (Middle English).
Geoffrey Chaucer
- Supported John Wycliff and Lollardy, advocating for church reform.
- Criticized the Church and Clergy for corruption.
- A rich man who worked for the king, travelled to Italy and France, and interacted with Boccaccio and Petrarca.
- Known as the father of English literature and language for portraying society of his time.
The Canterbury Tales Plot
- Features 30 pilgrims, including Chaucer and a Host, traveling to Canterbury Cathedral.
- Set in the Tabard Inn in Southwark, London, where the pilgrims meet.
- During the pilgrimage, they engage in a storytelling contest, telling two stories on the way to the cathedral and two on the way back.
Characteristics
- Realism is a key characteristic, evident in the description of pilgrims and their appearance.
- Exaggeration and satire are used to expose vices, flaws, and corruption in society.
- Frame narrative structure, with stories inside a story.
- Includes 24 stories on different themes, with a general prologue describing the pilgrims.
- Author's opinions and irony are inserted throughout the stories.
Style
- Heroic rhyming couplet (rime baciate) with iambic pentameter meter.
- Each line consists of five feet (coppe) of two syllables each, following the pattern unstressed/stressed.
- Will become the most common meter in English poetry.
Characters
- Pilgrims represent various professions: clergy, army, men of law, artisans, and a plowman (narrator).
- No nobles or servants, likely due to social or financial constraints.
Themes
- The journey is a central theme, symbolizing rebirth and spiritual growth.
- Pilgrimage to Canterbury represents a journey to a holy destination.
- Journey can be seen as an allegory for the course of human life, with London representing life on earth and Canterbury representing the holy.
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Description
Learn about the basics of Canterbury Tales, a narrative poem written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer. Discover its structure, aim, and significance in the literary world. Get familiar with the founder of the narrative poem genre and his contributions to the English language.
