The Canterbury Tales PDF

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400)  Why is Geoffrey Chaucer significant? Chaucer was the first writer to use English in a major literary work. By 1363, the official language of the court was changed from French to English; English was becoming more commonly taught in sc...

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400)  Why is Geoffrey Chaucer significant? Chaucer was the first writer to use English in a major literary work. By 1363, the official language of the court was changed from French to English; English was becoming more commonly taught in schools, superseding Latin. Chaucer’s work provided validation of language and culture that shined proudly during its time. Before him, literature was composed in French or Latin  What does Middle English look and sound like? Middle English mixes the Old English of the Anglo Saxons with the Old French of the Normans. The grammar and vocabulary is similar to modern English but the pronounciations are quite different. Middle English was considered to be unsuitable for literary purposes (too low like street language). Other writers wrote in French or Latin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVG77xTPH 6E  Background of these tales Geoffrey Chaucer wrote this story in the late 1300’s but never finished it. He wrote in the native language or vernacular of the Medieval period in Britain called Middle English. The Story Twenty nine people that represent all aspects of Medieval society go on a pilgrimage to the cathedral at Canterbury in southeast England. Pilgrim’s Route Plaque at Tabard Inn, where the supposed journey begins  The Cathedral The cathedral at Canterbury is the main cathedral of the Church of England. The shrine to the martyr Saint Thomas a Becket is located at this cathedral. The story format Chaucer’s characters are going to pay respects to this shrine as a part of a religious pilgrimage. They all meet at a tavern to begin their journey.  The frame story The Canterbury Tales uses a frame tale format. A frame tale is a story that provides the background or frame for telling other stories. In this case, the frame is the pilgrimage (a trip made to a holy place) to Thomas a Becket’s shrine where the pilgrims/characters tell stories to pass the time.  The tales The Canterbury Tales is a series of 24 tales told by a vast representation of late Middle Age English folk on a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral, mid-April, 1387.* They agree to engage in a storytelling contest, mediated by the owner of the pub where they first meet, located in Southwark, just over the London Bridge. They are heading to the shrine of Saint Thomas à Becket, the archbishop murdered there on Christmas, 1170, by the knights of Henry II.  Some of the characters The host of the tavern or innkeeper is the man who suggests that the pilgrims each tell a story on the way to entertain the group. Chaucer intended for each to tell 2 stories, but he only got to write one apiece. The characters are a cross section of medieval English (14th century) society – feudal (nobility like knight, squires, etc), clergy (leadership in the church), trades/merchants (middle class). The following characters are the wife of Bath and the pardoner, The following characters are the priest and the miller And two more familiar characters are the knight and his squire