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The Age of Chaucer
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The Age of Chaucer

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Questions and Answers

What is the supposed birthplace of Sir John Maundeville?

  • St. Albans (correct)
  • Bourgogne
  • Far East
  • Holy Land

    • What is the primary purpose of The Travels of Sir John Maundeville?

  • To promote Christianity in the Far East
  • To describe the geography of the Holy Land
  • To record a genuine travel experience
  • To compile fabulous stories from various sources (correct)

    • What is the true authorship of The Travels of Sir John Maundeville?

  • Sir John Maundeville wrote the book himself
  • Friar Odoric was the actual author
  • Marco Polo wrote it during his travels
  • It is a translation from the French of a certain Jean de Bourgogne (correct)

    • What is the common characteristic of the stories in The Travels of Sir John Maundeville?

    <p>They are all fictional and marvellous</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the year 1322 in The Travels of Sir John Maundeville?

    <p>It is the year Sir John Maundeville set out on his journey</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the nature of the descriptions in The Travels of Sir John Maundeville?

    <p>Fabulous and entertaining</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of The Travels of Sir John Maundeville in the English literary canon?

    <p>It is the first English prose classic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of including fantastical creatures in The Travels of Sir John Maundeville?

    <p>To entertain the readers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the French language in The Travels of Sir John Maundeville?

    <p>It is the language of the original source material</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the tone of The Travels of Sir John Maundeville?

    <p>Amusing and entertaining</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the core values emphasized in the code of Chivalry?

    <p>Honor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key aspect of Courtly Love in The Knight's Tale?

    <p>Adoration and worship of a lady from afar</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the legendary group of knights known for?

    <p>Knights of the Round Table</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key theme in The Knight's Tale related to Medieval Morality?

    <p>The struggle between good and evil</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key aspect of The Knight's Tale in relation to Chivalry?

    <p>The tale portrays knights as noble and virtuous</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key tension explored in The Knight's Tale related to Medieval Morality?

    <p>The tension between fate and free will</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the estimated number of lines in The Canterbury Tales?

    <p>Over 17,000 lines</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the destination of the pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales?

    <p>Canterbury Cathedral</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the prize for the story-telling contest in The Canterbury Tales?

    <p>A free meal at the Tabard Inn</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Chaucer's intention for The Canterbury Tales?

    <p>To write four stories from the perspective of each pilgrim</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When was The Canterbury Tales written?

    <p>Between 1387 and 1400</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is The Canterbury Tales generally thought to have been at the end of Chaucer's life?

    <p>Incomplete</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where does the narrator of The Canterbury Tales meet a group of pilgrims?

    <p>The Tabard Inn in Southwark</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the pilgrims' journey?

    <p>To visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many stories will each pilgrim tell on the way to and from Canterbury?

    <p>Two</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the prize for the pilgrim who tells the most meaningful and comforting stories?

    <p>A free meal paid for by the rest of the pilgrims</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who proposes that the group ride together and entertain one another with stories?

    <p>The Host</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who wins the draw to tell the first tale?

    <p>The Knight</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where does the narrator meet a group of pilgrims?

    <p>The Tabard Inn in Southwark</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the pilgrims' journey?

    <p>To pray for forgiveness and healing at the shrine of Thomas Becket</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the month of April in the General Prologue?

    <p>It's the month when the rains and warm western wind restore life and fertility to the earth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the narrator's attitude towards the pilgrims?

    <p>Admiring and praising</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is the narrator of the General Prologue?

    <p>Geoffrey Chaucer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the focus of the larger part of the General Prologue?

    <p>The description of the pilgrims</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Chivalry

    • A code of conduct for knights that emphasizes honor, loyalty, courage, protection of the weak, and defense of the faith
    • In The Knight's Tale, chivalry is portrayed as an ideal, with knights being depicted as noble and virtuous

    Courtly Love

    • A literary and philosophical movement that emphasizes adoration and worship of a lady from afar
    • Often unrequited or platonic love
    • In The Knight's Tale, courtly love is exemplified through Arcite and Palamon's love for Emily
    • Courtly love emphasizes the longing and suffering of the lover, idealizing the lady as a distant, unattainable goal

    Knights Of The Round Table

    • A legendary group of knights in King Arthur's court known for bravery, loyalty, and honor
    • Embodied the ideals of chivalry
    • Although not explicitly mentioned in The Knight's Tale, the story is set in a similar chivalric world
    • The characters' actions and values reflect the ideals of the Round Table

    Medieval Morality

    • A moral framework of the Middle Ages that emphasizes the struggle between good and evil
    • Focused on the individual's relationship with God
    • In The Knight's Tale, the story explores the tension between fate and free will
    • Morality is tied to the concept of fortune and the will of the gods
    • The characters' moral struggles reflect the medieval moral framework

    The Canterbury Tales

    • Written by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400
    • A collection of 24 stories in Middle English, totaling over 17,000 lines
    • Regarded as Chaucer's magnum opus

    Plot and Structure

    • Presented as a story-telling contest among pilgrims traveling from London to Canterbury
    • The prize for the contest is a free meal at the Tabard Inn on their return
    • Each pilgrim was intended to tell four stories: two on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back

    The General Prologue

    • Introduces 30 pilgrims, with the intention of writing 120 stories
    • The narrator, Chaucer, meets the pilgrims at the Tabard Inn in Southwark
    • The prologue describes the pilgrims' characteristics, social status, and abilities

    Pilgrims

    • Include a knight, squire, yeoman, prioress, monk, friar, merchant, clerk, sergeant of law, franklin, haberdasher, carpenter, weaver, dyer, tapestry weaver, cook, shipman, doctor of physic, wife of Bath, parson, plowman, miller, manciple, reeve, summoner, pardoner, and the Host (Harry Bailey)
    • Chaucer himself is also a pilgrim

    Themes and Impact

    • Contributed to the popularization of the English vernacular in literature
    • Unclear how seminal Chaucer was in this evolution of literary preference
    • Regarded as one of the most important works in English literature

    The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

    • The poem's frame story revolves around a religious pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral, the site of Saint Thomas Becket's shrine, believed to have the power to heal the sinful.

    Setting

    • The story takes place in April, a month symbolizing life, fertility, and renewal.

    The Tabard Inn

    • The narrator, Geoffrey Chaucer, meets a diverse group of pilgrims at The Tabard Inn in Southwark.

    The Pilgrims

    • The group consists of 30 pilgrims, including:
      • A knight and his son, a squire
      • A yeoman
      • A prioress with a nun and a priest
      • A monk
      • A friar
      • A merchant
      • A clerk
      • A sergeant of law
      • A franklin
      • A haberdasher
      • A carpenter
      • A weaver
      • A dyer
      • A tapestry weaver
      • A cook
      • A shipman
      • A doctor of physic
      • A wife of Bath
      • A parson and his brother, a plowman
      • A miller
      • A manciple
      • A reeve
      • A summoner
      • A pardoner
      • The Host (Harry Bailey)
      • Chaucer himself

    The Storytelling Plan

    • The Host proposes that each pilgrim tells two stories on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back.
    • The pilgrim with the most meaningful and comforting stories will receive a free meal paid for by the rest of the group upon their return.

    The Journey Begins

    • The group agrees to the Host's plan and elects him as their governor, judge, and record keeper.
    • They set off the next morning, drawing straws to determine who will tell the first tale.
    • The Knight wins and prepares to tell his tale.

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    Description

    This quiz explores the life and works of Geoffrey Chaucer, a renowned English poet, and his significance in the 14th century. Learn about his famous Canterbury Tales and the cultural context of his time.

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