32 Questions
Geoffrey Chaucer was a poor man who worked for the king.
False
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by the pilgrims going to Rome.
False
Chaucer was a supporter of the established church and its clergy.
False
Chaucer used Latin as the language for his narrative poem.
False
Chaucer's work, The Canterbury Tales, is a short poem.
False
Chaucer travelled to Italy and Spain during his work for the king.
False
Chaucer is known as the father of English literature and language because he was able to portray the society of the future.
False
The pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales are going to see the shrine of Thomas Beckett in Oxford.
False
The Canterbury Tales consists of 120 stories and an introduction.
False
Chaucer believed that the Church was perfect and women were inferior to men.
False
The Canterbury Tales is written in a style that is characterized by idealization and romanticism.
False
The poem has a non-linear narrative structure, with stories told in random order.
False
Chaucer's verses are written in free verse, with no rhyme or meter.
False
The pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales include nobles and servants.
False
The pilgrimage in The Canterbury Tales is a purely physical journey with no spiritual significance.
False
London represents heaven, and Canterbury represents hell in The Canterbury Tales.
False
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories or tales told by the ______ going to Canterbury.
pilgrims
Geoffrey Chaucer used the ______ language, the English spoken at that time, in his narrative poem.
vernacular
Chaucer supported John Wycliff and ______ when he asked for a reform for the established church.
Lollardy
During his life, Chaucer worked for the ______ and travelled to Italy and France.
king
Chaucer criticised the Church and the ______ because they are corrupted.
Clergy
Geoffrey Chaucer is known as the founder of the ______ poem genre.
narrative
Chaucer is known as the father of English _______________ and language because he was able to portray the society of that time.
literature
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by _______________ pilgrims going to Canterbury.
30
The pilgrims meet in the _______________ Inn in Southwark, in London, on the South side of the Thames.
Tabard
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of _______________ stories on different themes.
24
Chaucer believed that the Church was _______________ and women were important for the society.
corrupted
The most important characteristic of The Canterbury Tales is _______________.
realism
Chaucer used the _______________ rhyming couplet in his verses.
heroic
The meter of Chaucer's verses is _______________ pentameter.
iambic
The pilgrimage in The Canterbury Tales is connected to the idea of _______________.
rebirth
Canterbury represents the _______________ destination in The Canterbury Tales.
holy
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.
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.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
