SEMINAR 2
CANTERBURY TALES
1. Historical and literary context of Canterbury Tales.
The Canterbury Tales is written in Middle English, a form of English that combined
elements of Old English and French which was spoken from 1150 to 1470. Chaucer
was one of the first writers to create popular fiction in the English vernacular. When
he was writing in the 1300s, English was rarely used in official contexts; Latin was the
language of the Church and French was the language of the court. The enormous
popularity of this text contributed to the legitimization of the English language. Not
only was language unstable during Chaucer’s lifetime but so was the political and
social makeup of England. The Black Death ravaged Europe throughout Chaucer’s
childhood and adulthood. An estimated thirty to fifty percent of the population died,
leaving the peasant working classes ravaged. This scarcity of labor led to workers
being able to better bargain for higher wages and better treatment. The Hundred Years
War further contributed to class tensions. The rich profited off of the war and began
indulging in showy luxury items, which led to the establishment of a rich merchant
oligarchy that had significant influence in London. This, coupled with the increasing
demands on the peasantry, led the artisans and peasants to revolt. Escalating class
tensions from Chaucer’s time are evident throughout the stories within The Canterbury
Tales. Chaucer was influenced by famous Italian writers such as Dante, Petrarch, and
Boccaccio. The Canterbury Tales borrows most heavily from Boccaccio’s The
Decameron, which also uses a frame story to relate a number of smaller tales.
Chaucer’s story follows pilgrims on their way to Canterbury Cathedral. The Cathedral
was a popular pilgrimage location because it contained the remains of Sir Thomas
Becket, a Catholic martyr and saint.
2. Analyze Canterbury Tales as an encyclopedia of genres.
Page 41 lecture
3. Evaluate the major characters represented in the Prologue.
Page 27
4. Explore the literary connections.
26
Frame story, also called frame tale, overall unifying story within which one or more
tales are related. In the single story, the opening and closing constitutes a frame. In the
cyclical frame story—that is, a story in which several tales are related—some frames
are externally imposed and only loosely bind the diversified stories. For example, in
The Thousand and One Nights, the frame consists of the story of Scheherazade, who
avoids death by telling her king-husband a story every night and leaving it incomplete.
Another example is the Jātakaṭṭhavaṇṇanā, a collection of some 550 widely popular
and often illustrated stories of former lives of the Buddha (known as Jātakas). It is cast
within a framework of Buddhist ethical teaching. Other frames are an integral part of
the tales. Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron, for example, presents a frame story
centred on 10 people fleeing the Black Death who gather in the countryside and as an
amusement relate 10 stories each; the stories are woven together by a common theme,
the way of life of the refined bourgeoisie, who combined respect for conventions with
an open-minded attitude toward personal behaviour. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s
Canterbury Tales (1387–1400) too, the pilgrimage frame brings together varied tellers
of tales, who emerge as vivid personalities and develop dramatic relationships among
themselves and with their tales.
DISCUSSION GUIDE
THE GENERAL PROLOGUE
1. Did Chaucer actually go on a pilgrimage and draw these characters from real life, or
did he read about them in books?
Chaucer eventually gained employment in the royal courts as an adult, and while in the
employ of these courts, Chaucer held a wide variety of jobs—Controller of Customs and
Subsidy of Wools, Skins, and Hides; Justice of the Peace; Clerk of the King's Works and
Forester (repairs and restorations). Chaucer's variety of occupations and his keen eye
allowed him to become a wonderful satirist and a keen observer of individuals as well as of
social classes.
2. Who is Thomas a Becket? When did he die?
-Archbishop of Canterbury
-died December 29, 1170, Canterbury, Kent
3. In what time of year does the Canterbury pilgrimage take place? What month?
Springtime in April
5. How many Pilgrims does the narrator meet at the Tabard in Southwerk?
29
6. The narrator says (ll35-41) that he will describe all of his traveling companions according
to their "degree" (social rank). Does he follow any particular order in his listing and
describing the Pilgrims? Where does he start?
He starts with the knight since he is the most chivalrous and the squire from the feudal class
and then goes down a list of ecclesiastical characters (nun, monk, friar)
7. As you read through the descriptions of the Pilgrims, note how the narrator describes
them, how their physical appearance might reflect personality, moral character, etc. Also
watch for the narrator's comments about each one -- does he like them, is he impressed by
them.
Chaucer shows, from the first couplet, that the Monk is a much-
flawed character, whose overriding interest in hunting. The Monk
ignores and ridicules the rules of his order (lines 177-86), shuns
studying (lines 188-89), and avoids manual labor (lines 189-90).
The Monk is a sportsman, shallow, self-indulgent, and materialistic.
The narrator specifically pokes fun at the Monk's worldly pastimes
and appetites. He is far from being a humble and scholarly servant
of God in the mold of St. Benedict, St. Maur, or St. Augustine.
8. Chaucer is noted for his IRONY, that is, for creating a discrepancy between what one
anticipates and what actually happens. Which of the Pilgrims are treated ironically, that is,
which of them could be less moral or virtuous that the narrator perceives them to be?
The nun and the monk are used in irony. The nun is anything but an example of humility
and poverty. She is criticized through verbal irony as she is affected by her mannerisms
(speaks French) and is also vain (opposite of humble).
The monk ignores vows of poverty and humility. Chaucer is ironic when he describes the
monk's hunting skills. He has glittering eyes which Chaucer describes ironically. Monk
violates his chastity vow as well. Monk is guilty of gluttony as he is ironically described as a
fat swan He is supposed to lead a life of poverty and religious study; instead, he denigrates
his religious calling.
9. Chaucer's narrator describes each of the Pilgrims with specific details that often have
implications that he doesn't comment on (like the Prioress's keeping pets or being fastidious
with her manners at table). Watch out for all these details and try to make them add up to an
interpretation of the Pilgrim. Do this for each Pilgrim.
The Prioress speaks French with an inauthentic English intonation. Her
table manners are coarse, despite her efforts to be elegant. She
reaches for meat with her hands, dips her fingers in the sauce, and
eats everything on her plate. The phrase "straining/To counterfeit a
courtly kind of grace" (lines 142-42) is a clue.
THE KNIGHT'S TALE
1. In what country is the Knight's Tale set? How does Chaucer "medievalize" this classical
setting?
Greece. The Knight's Tale is the first tale to appear in the Canterbury Tales. It is the
longest of the tales and fits into the genre of romance. This is significant because the tale
fits the character and social status of the Knight himself. The Knight is of the noble class
and he tells a noble tale, one which embodies the ideals of courtly love and chivalry. Like
the description of the Knight in the prologue, the tale is about following the ideals of
"chivalry,/Truth, honor, generousness and courtesy" (4). Loyalty, especially among knights,
represents another value of Medieval chivalry. The Knight’s Tale contains nearly a perfect setup for an
ideal Medieval romance. The main elements of the story revolve around the unstoppable conflict between
the values of courtly love and of brotherly loyalty. Chaucer’s Knight seems to be the perfect vessel for a
traditional story of the time.
2. Compare the two cousins, Palamon and Arcite. Are they identical (and therefore there is
no rational reason for one to win the girl and not the other), or is there a difference between
them that might make one more deserving of the getting the girl? Who sees Emily first?
Which says he loves her best? How is the opposition of love v. friendship explored in the
poem? Who is better off - the one in prison who can see Emily, or the one who is free but
can't see her? Are these the kinds of issues that are explored by the Code of Courtly Love?
Palmon saw Emily first.Arcite says he loves her the best.
3. What features of the Courtly Love Code are present in the story of Palamon, Arcite, and
Emily?
One aspect of Medieval chivalry, a code of rules knights were required to
follow, was the moral of courtly love. Courtly love was the love of a knight for
a woman of noble heritage, usually above the knight's own social class. It was
a ritualistic admiration of a lady of high birth, usually unrelated to marriage or
sex.
'The Knight's Tale' tells of a courtly love triangle between two knights, Arcite
and Palamon, both of whom revere Lady Emily, the sister of Queen Hippolyta.
Both Arcite and Palamon fall in love with Emily upon seeing her for the first
time. Their love is described as all-encompassing, and both Emily's presence
and absence cause the knights to experience emotional and physical pain.
Arcite and Palamon spend years yearning for Emily and scheming to defeat the
other for her love. Ultimately, the two knights fight in a bloody battle to win her
hand. 'The Knight's Tale' highlights the characteristic features of courtly love:
all-encompassing, frustrated, jealous, and ritualistic.
4. How does Arcite, who is exiled, manage to return to be in Emily's presence?
Duke Perotheus asked his friend to free
Arcite.Theseus agreed,but on one condition.If Arcite
were found in any land ruled by Theseus,he would
have Arcités head. His appearance had changed
and he changed his name to Philostrate.He became
Emily's servant.
5. What happens when Palamon and Arcite meet in the woods? What does Theseus
determine about their fates?
Palamon told Arcite he is a traitor and that Palamon is the
only on to love Emily.Palamon and Arcite agree to fight
until one dies.Theseus decides the one who kills or
captures the other shall have Emily.
6. The poem is noble and stately with many references to chivalry and ideal love. Is it a
proper tale for the Knight to tell?
"The Knight's Tale" is also concerned with courtly love, which demanded the loyalty of
the knight to just one person: his lady-love. Courtly love was actually a "system" of love,
just as chivalry was a system of knightly behavior. That means there were rules...for
love. The system got its start in the literature of the Aquitaine region in France, where
troubadours sang ballads about the often secret and illicit love of knights for
noblewomen (scandalous!). The woman in a courtly love story is placed on a pedestal:
she is totally perfect in every way, and the knight practically worships her. In fact, his
love for her makes the knight stronger and more honorable. The rules of courtly love
were even written down in a treatise by a 12th-century French courtier, Andreas
Capellanus, in a work called De Amore, although literary types disagree on whether or
not this work is meant to be serious or just a way to make fun of the courtly love
tradition. Medieval literature was obsessed with the idea of courtly love. In this idealized relationship,
described in the Knight’s Tale, a knight was utterly devoted to a woman from afar, sacrificing everything for
her but never consummating the relationship. The story possesses passion but manages to reflect religious
values and detail the woman’s virginity. The Knight, a symbol of chivalry, begins his tale with what seems to
be an ideal example of courtly love: men who are in love with a woman from afar and can never have her.
7. Which of Chaucer's "jobs" is reflected in the tournaments and pageantry of the Knight's
story?
The “trompes” mentioned by Chaucer exist in the neverland of chivalrous pre-Classical Greece. Our poet would have
had in mind the trumpets he heard and saw at court and tournament in France, Italy, and London. The old was not
abandoned abruptly for the new, and he would certainly have encountered ivory and horn as well as the more
recent copper horns.
8. Theseus is in charge, setting the rules for the tournament, controlling the fates of Palamon
and Arcite. Does he represent some form of divine order or justice? Note what he says
toward the end about the "chain of love." What does Egeus say about the human
predicament?
After much feasting, the spectators assemble in the stadium. The magnificent armies enter, appearing
evenly matched. After Theseus has sternly delivered the rules, the bloody battle of flashing swords and
maces begins. Though Palamon fights valiantly, Arcite sees his chance and brings Palamon “to the
stake”—he claims him with a sword at his throat. Emelye rejoices as Theseus proclaims Arcite victorious.
Venus, on the other hand, weeps with shame that her knight lost, until Saturn calms her and signals that all
is not over. At Saturn’s request, the earth shakes beneath Arcite as he rides toward Theseus. The knight’s
horse throws him, crushing his chest. Gravely wounded, the company transports Arcite to bed, where
physicians attempt in vain to heal him. Arcite expresses his love to Emelye, and then tells her that if she
decides to marry another, she should remember Palamon, who possesses the qualities of a worthy knight
—“trouthe, honour, knyghthede, / Wysdom, humblesse” (2789–2790). Egeus, takes Theseus aside and
tells him that every man must live and die—life is a journey through woe that must, at some point, come to
an end. After some years pass,
9. To which deity does each of the lovers (Palamon, Arcite, Emily) pray? Describe the altars
at which each prays; what pictures are on the walls? Over the deities is Saturn who controls
fate. Which character in the Knight's Tale performs the role of Saturn relative to the three
lovers?
Palamon prayed to the statue of Venus.Emily prayed
to the goddess;Diana.Arcite prayed to Mars. The
statue of Venus made a sign. The gods have
decided she would marry one of them but wouldn't
tell her which one.
-Went to Venus
-He asks Venus to help him win Emily's hand
-The statue of Venus shook, and his prayer was accepted.
-Went to Diana
-She asks Diana if she can remain a virgin
-Diana says she has to marry one of them
-Went to Mars
-He begs the God of war for victory
-Mars's sign (the does of the temple clang, and
the statue says "Victorie"
believes that despite Mar's aid to Arcite,
Palamon will win.
10. Given that Arcite wins the battle but Palamon wins the girl, is there justice in the world?
Does each lover get what he/she prayed for? Is chivalry a human attempt to impose order on
an otherwise unpredictable world of accident, chance, and injustice?
11. Describe all of the "ordering" aspects of the poem, i.e., the parallel structures, characters,
and events that create an "artistic" order in the poem. The pageantry is an aristocratic
imposition of order on chaos by an aristocratic society - the "rules" of war, the "rules" of
love, the "rules" of civil behavior, for instance.
What is central in The Knight's Tale is a concern with the right ordering of the
elements that make up a person's total soul — essentially a concern with justice. A
person who has control of his or her emotions and reason is a person who acts
honorably in dealing with others. Early in the tale, for example, both Palamon and
Arcite fall hopelessly in love with Emilie, and their love (emotion) for her controls their
behavior. In such a state of emotional disarray, their reason fails them and hostilities
ensue. Only when Theseus, symbol of right reason and justice, intervenes in the
knights' duel, does reason, synonymous with justice, again reign. Note, too, that both
Palamon and Arcite receive the reward that they seek, albeit ironically: Palamon wins
Emilie's love but loses the battle to Arcite; Arcite wins the battle but loses his life and
thus Emilie. Out of this mayhem, justice is reestablished, and each man gets what he
asks for. The two tales that follow (The Miller's Tale and The Reeve's Tale) develop
these themes on a baser, or lower, level.
THE WIFE OF BATH'S TALE
1. Who is the King of the land where the story takes place? Who is his Queen?
In the days of King Arthur King Arthur
Queen Guinevere, the Wife of Bath begins, the isle of Britain was full of fairies and elves.
Now, those creatures are gone because their spots have been taken by the friars and other mendicants
that seem to fill every nook and cranny of the isle. And though the friars rape women, just as the incubi did
in the days of the fairies, the friars only cause women dishonor—the incubi always got them pregnant.
2. What crime has the Knight committed? Who hears his case at court? Is this something the
Wife of Bath would approve of? What would the Wife think about the crime?
In Arthur’s court, however, a young, lusty knight comes across a beautiful young maiden one day.
Overcome by lust and his sense of his own power, he rapes her. The court is scandalized by the crime and
decrees that the knight should be put to death by decapitation. However, Arthur’s queen and other ladies of
the court intercede on his behalf and ask the king to give him one chance to save his own life. Arthur,
wisely obedient to wifely counsel, grants their request.
3. What sentence does the Queen pass on the Knight? He is given one year to find the answer
to a question. What is the question? What is the answer? Is this an answer consistent with
what we know about the Wife of Bath and her marriages?
he queen presents the knight with the following challenge: if, within one year, he can discover what women
want most in the world and report his findings back to the court, he will keep his life. If he cannot find the
answer to the queen’s question, or if his answer is wrong, he will lose his head.
4. Who gives the knight the answer and where does the knight meet her?
The knight came across an old ugly lady that
guarantees him his life will be saved.
5. What has the story of Midas imbedded in the Wife's Tale have to do with the story?
They shared the philosophy of self-same
sovereignty, that the women should have the power
in the relationship.
5 times. ¨Now some day itś a sin to marry more than
once, but you tell me where God mentions any
numbers¨?
¨I'll not let any husband have power over me. As
long as Iḿ his wife, I rule.¨
Wife of Bath rules.
6. What has the knight promised the Old Hag in return for the answer to the question?
The bargain that the Knight makes with the old woman is
if she tells him what women most want, then he would
have to do anything she asked if it was in his capability.
7. When the Old Hag gives the answer in court, how do the Queen and ladies react? What
does the knight do when the Old Hag asks for his promise to be fulfilled? Yes because the
Knight mistreated a women and didn't understand what women truly want. Even though he correctly answered
the Queen's, the Knight still didn't understand until he let his wife make a decision. She asked
the knight to pledge himself to her in return for her
help.
8. The knight is forced to marry the Old Hag and on their wedding night she lectures him on
"gentility" and defends her appearance, age, and poverty. What exactly does she say about in
this sermon on gentility?
While in bed, the loathsome hag asks the knight why he is so sad. He replies that he could hardly bear the
shame of having such an ugly, lowborn wife. She does not take offense at the insult, but calmly asks him
whether real “gentillesse,” or noble character, can be hereditary (1109). There have been sons of noble
fathers, she argues, who were shameful and villainous, though they shared the same blood. Her family may
be poor, but real poverty lies in covetousness, and real riches lie in having little and wanting nothing. She
offers the knight a choice: either he can have her be ugly but loyal and good, or he can have her young and
fair but also coquettish and unfaithful. The knight ponders in silence. Finally, he replies that he would rather
trust her judgment, and he asks her to choose whatever she thinks best. Because the knight’s answer gave
the woman what she most desired, the authority to choose for herself, she becomes both
beautiful and good. The two have a long, happy marriage, and the woman becomes completely obedient to
her husband. The Wife of Bath concludes with a plea that Jesus Christ send all women husbands who are
young, meek, and fresh in bed, and the grace to outlive their husbands.
9. After the lecture, the Old Hag gives the knight a choice referring back to the issue of
appearance and woman's fidelity. What choice does Chaucer's Old Hag offer? Which does
the Knight choose?
10. How does the Old Hag gain sovereignty over the Knight; why doesn’t he choose? How
does the Old Hag reward the Knight for allowing her to choose?
11. How does this ending fit the Wife of Bath's goals (consider her desire to be young and
have young men in bed and have control over them).
12. How does the Old Hag's method of gaining sovereignty differ from the Wife's? Is one
person truly in control of the other in the marriage of the Knight and the Loathly Lady or do
they enjoy mutual sovereignty? Does the Tale really support the Wife's agenda?
LITERATURE
1. Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury tales / [edited & with an introduction by] Harold
Bloom. - Infobase Publishing, 2008
2. Winthrop Wetherbee. Chaucer. The Canterbury tales. A student Guide. – Cambridge
University Press, 2004.
3. Study Guide for The Canterbury Tales. Selected Works by Geoffrey Chaucer.- New
York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2001.
USEFUL INTERNET RESOURCES
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z6dIzSWsdA
2. http://www.sparknotes.com
3. https://www.cliffsnotes.com
