G. CHAUCER, THE CANTERBURY TALES
FRAMEWORK OF THE CANTERBURY TALES:
The pilgrimage is used as a Framework for the Tales, the pilgrimage is just a pretext for different stories. This concept was used by Baccaccio in ‘Decameron’ (100 tales are told by the nobles from Florence who escaped the plague. There is static framework). Under the influence of Baccaccio, Chaucer wrote ‘The Canterbury tales”. The text written between 1387 and 1400.
Story of pilgrims that travel to Canterbury. They are telling the stories to kill the time
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE FRAMEWORK:
ª Dynamic framework – the characters are on the move. This is a pilgrimage to Canterbury. It was sth new in literature
ª Different social group of story tellers. All kind of social groups: the court, the church, villages, etc. with the exception of aristocracy (In ‘Decameron” all characters were nobles).
ª Close connection between the story tellers and their tales – the stories reflect their character, background, language and interests.
ª Different genres e.g.:
© romance (told by the knight)
© fabliau (comic) (told by Miller)
© periodic romance (told by the wife)
© beast fable, exemplum with mock heroic elements (told by Nun’s Priest)
ª close link between the tales – often a tale is a response to a previous tale. This is a kind of reaction. One person tells a story and the next person kind of replies telling a story which is connected with this previous one. Interaction between the characters and the stories
ª The pilgrimage is presented as the only opportunity for people from different social group to meet each other. This is the only opportunity they have to meet, otherwise they would meet each other.
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SEASON:
The season – spring
Spring is presented as the time when nature comes back to life after winter. This is the time nature is reborn e.g.: flowers appear, birds are chirping, the concept of “sweet shower” - water symbolizes life. There is a parallel to the rebirth of nature – spiritual rebirth of men. Spring evokes the need for spiritual renewal of the pilgrims. The pilgrims go on pilgrimages to get rid of their sins and refresh their spirit
The springtime symbolizes rebirth and fresh beginning.
Concepts:
Microcosm and macrocosm:
A microcosm is something that represents the universe, or humanity, in miniature: A single human being is a microcosm of the whole of humanity; Their village was a microcosm of our world. A macrocosm is essentially the converse, and is a term either for the universe or for any complete structure that contains smaller structures: Society is the macrocosm of each of its individual members.
Whatever happens in nature has its reflection on a man. If everything is in order it has a positive influence on people, if something is out of order it disturbs e.g.: eclipse (zaćmienie) – bad sigh, shows lack of harmony. Nature is well-ordered, well-organized, well-structured, from the most important things to the least important things. Everything is in balance.
Man = microcosm – is affected by nature, what happens in nature influence man
In nature there is a balance: hot – cold, dry – wet e.g.:
Man (hot, dry) Woman (cold, wet) – marriage is to keep balance
THE PRESENTATIONS OF THE PILGRIMS:
In GENERAL PROLOGUE, The narrator meets 29 pilgrims in a tavern (karczma). He describes 27 of them. In the prologue we get to know the storytellers and that every person will tell two stories on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back.
ª The characters are presented according to the rank in society, from the highest (e.g. knights) to the lowest (e.g. pardoner). The whole society is mentioned with the exception of aristocracy
ª Detailed presentation of the characters – physical appearance, clothes and behaviour is described in depth
ª No definite patter in presentation of the characters. Description of every character is done in different ways – sometimes from physical appearance, sometimes with sth general, sometimes with behavior.
ª The author doesn’t judge and comments on the characters. The author just describes the characters. Only three people are slightly idealized: knight (representative of chivalry (rycerskość), defender of faith), Parson and his brother Plowman (ideal Christians, they live in poverty but are happy and rich in holy actions). Other characters are presented realistically as individuals and typical representatives of their social classes.
ª The author doesn’t criticize the characters but treats them with sympathy (affinity)
ª Variety in presentation of the characters – different aspects of the characters are presented e.g.: the knight: courteous (uprzejmy) and courageous but also looking for good and entertainment; the nun and the monk: living in upper class, enjoying life, wealthy people, the nun tries to be like a lady. It is also shown as a change that takes place in society
PARTICULAR TALES AND GENERAL PROLOGUE:
GENERAL ROLOGUE:
At the Tabard Inn, a tavern in Southwark, near London, the narrator joins a company of twenty-nine pilgrims. The pilgrims, like the narrator, are traveling to the shrine of the martyr Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. The narrator gives a descriptive account of twenty-seven of these pilgrims, including a Knight, Squire, Yeoman, Prioress, Monk, Friar, Merchant, Clerk, Man of Law, Franklin, Haberdasher, Carpenter, Weaver, Dyer, Tapestry-Weaver, Cook, Shipman, Physician, Wife, Parson, Plowman, Miller, Manciple, Reeve, Summoner, Pardoner, and Host. (He does not describe the Second Nun or the Nun’s Priest, although both characters appear later in the book.) The Host, whose name, we find out in the Prologue to the Cook’s Tale, is Harry Bailey, suggests that the group ride together and entertain one another with stories. He decides that each pilgrim will tell two stories on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back. Whomever he judges to be the best storyteller will receive a meal at Bailey’s tavern, courtesy of the other pilgrims. The pilgrims draw lots and determine that the Knight will tell the first tale
THE MILLER’S TALE:
The Host asks the Monk to tell the next tale, but the drunken Miller interrupts and insists that his tale should be the next. He tells the story of an impoverished student named Nicholas, who persuades his landlord’s sexy young wife, Alisoun, to spend the night with him. He convinces his landlord, a carpenter named John, that the second flood is coming, and tricks him into spending the night in a tub hanging from the ceiling of his barn. Absolon, a young parish clerk who is also in love with Alisoun, appears outside the window of the room where Nicholas and Alisoun lie together. When Absolon begs Alisoun for a kiss, she sticks her rear end out the window in the dark and lets him kiss it. Absolon runs and gets a red-hot poker, returns to the window, and asks for another kiss; when Nicholas sticks his bottom out the window and farts, Absolon brands him on the buttocks. Nicholas’s cries for water make the carpenter think that the flood has come, so the carpenter cuts the rope connecting his tub to the ceiling, falls down, and breaks his arm.
characters:
The carpenter
· jealous, old
· typical situation à marriage in of May and December à contract between them results in complication
Nicholas:
· scholar
· clever
· interested in astronomy
· young and attractive
· authority for carpenter
Absalon
· parish clerck
· very interested in woman
· behaves inappropriately during religious worship
· his position in society is high,
Alison
· presented as a part of nature (child of nature)
· men desire her
· very young
LITERARY GENRE USED IN MILLER’S TALE:
FABLIAU:
ª associated with middle class,
ª anti-romantic in character,
ª Very realistic tales very often of satirical character
ª The subject matter is often sexual (Nicholas, who persuades his landlord’s sexy young wife, Alison, to spend the night with him), elements of love are left out. Anti-romantic character
ª A vast number of different characters, especially from the middle class (e.g.: clergy, cuckolded (przyprawiający rogi)husbands, foolish clergy, beggars, thieves, whores)
ª Not sophisticated type of literature
ª Appeared in 12th century in France, in 14th century in England
ª Based on crude (ordynarny) humour and
ª Comical and grotesque(success thanks to characters’ sharp wits)
THE WIFE OF BATH’S PROLOGUE AND TALE
The Wife of Bath gives a lengthy account of her feelings about marriage. Quoting from the Bible, the Wife argues against those who believe it is wrong to marry more than once, and she explains how she dominated and controlled each of her five husbands. She married her fifth husband, Jankyn, for love instead of money. After the Wife has rambled on for a while, the Friar butts in to complain that she is taking too long, and the Summoner retorts that friars are like flies, always meddling. The Friar promises to tell a tale about a summoner, and the Summoner promises to tell a tale about a friar. The Host cries for everyone to quiet down and allow the Wife to commence her tale.
In her tale, a young knight of King Arthur’s court rapes a maiden; to tone for his crime, Arthur’s queen sends him on a quest to discover what women want most. An ugly old woman promises the knight that she will tell him the secret if he promises to do whatever she wants for saving his life. He agrees, and she tells him women want control of their husbands and their own lives. They go together to Arthur’s queen, and the old woman’s answer turns out to be correct. The old woman then tells the knight that he must marry her. When the knight confesses later that he is repulsed by her appearance, she gives him a choice: she can either be ugly and faithful, or beautiful and unfaithful. The knight tells her to make the choice herself, and she rewards him for giving her control of the marriage by rendering herself both beautiful and faithful.
Literary genre used in The Wife of Bath’s tale:
PARODY OF ROMANCE
Elements of romances are disrupted and ridiculed
ª Knights are not perfect – in romances knights are perfect, here the knight rapes a woman
ª Quest for trivial reason – the quest is just the answer –‘what women most desire?’
in romance we have sth more serious like looking for treasure (Holly Gral)
ª Supernatural elements – old lady transformation, in romances we have supernatural elements but here supernatural elements are ridiculed
THE NUN’S PRIEST’S TALE:
this story takes place in the farmyard of a widow and her two daughters.
Here lives a cock called Chaunticleer(the rooster) who was a magnificent beast and was renowned for his crowing – no other cock could match him. He watched over seven hens, the leader of which was a gracious hen named Lady Pertelote. Chaunticleer and the Lady were in love.
One day, the Lady noticed that Chaunticleer was not his usual self. He tells her that he has had a terrible dream, that some kind of beast came into the yard and seized him. His color was similar to a fox. The Lady scolds him for being cowardly and that dreams are nothing to be afraid of. He probably ate too many worms (is ill humorous) – that is what causes bad dreams.
The Lady quotes Cato who said that dreams have no consequence, but Chaunticleer thinks differently. He has heard that dreams can foretell the future.
Now there was a fox named Daun Russel who had been hiding near the farmyard, and suddenly Chaunticleer notices the fox and immediately begins to run around, but the fox calls out saying don’t be afraid, I have only come to hear your beautiful voice. He believes that Chaunticleer’s voice is even better than his father, and he was a good crower. The vain cock shuts his eyes and bursts into song, demonstrating his prowess to the fox. The fox grasps him about the neck and makes off into the countryside.
The hens, seeing what has happened, make a terrible din that arouses the entire household. The widow and her two daughters, plus all the farmyard animals, dogs, geese, ducks and even the bees, chase the fox.
Chaunticleer says to the fox, “Why don’t you turn round and throw them a few insults?” The fox thinks this is a good idea and as soon as he opens his mouth Chaunticleer escapes and flies into the trees.
Priest:
· attractive, healthy, well built, handsome
· is said to have secrete affair
Literary genre used in The Nun’s Priest’s tale:
A MIXTURE OF GENRES:
BEAST FABLE:
ª Characters are animals but behave like humans e.g. the cock – man, the hen – woman
They posses’ human features ( knowledge in medicine, astronomy, philosophy)
ª Didactic elements, moral lesson (e.g.: to have our eyes open, to hold out tongues when we shouldn’t speak)
EXEMPLUM:
ª a short tale used as an example to illustrate a moral point
ª usually in a sermon or other didactic work
MOCK HEROIC:
It makes fun of heroic poem
ª lofty style and vocabulary specific for heroic poems are used to describe trivial situations e.g.: chase after the fox – it’s not a real battle but it is presented as sth great
ª Language doesn’t fit the text. The contrast between dignified (dostojny) style and the situations creates comic mood.
ª References to epic texts about Troy – the hens compared to women weeping at their men’s deaths at Troy.]
DIDACTICISM
· character’ vices are used against them
· written for our learning
THE WAY GENRES ARE LINKED WITH THE CHARACTERS:
MILLER – FABLIAU
Miller is from the middle class, he is drunk and behaves inappropriately. He doesn’t care whether his wife will sleep with sb when he is here. His story about a student wanting sex is compatible with Miller’s personality. Miller is very crude person and his story is also full of crude elements like e.g. the student’s plan to have a sex with Alisoun
THE WIFE – PARODY OF ROMANCE
In prologue the wife described his husband. He points out his bad and good features. The wife of Bath had many experiences with her husband’s – she had 5 husbands already and she doesn’t exclude to have another one. She explains why she was married 5 times e.g. she says that God blesses marriages, the Bible doesn’t say no to multiple marriages. She describes also how she gained control over her husband’s – she used her body as a tool – for sexual pleasure she gets what she wants
That’s why her story is about a marriage. She presents a moral lesson in her story:
ª Respecting one’s choices – the basic law of love
ª Fulfilling one’s wishes. Woman fulfills man’s wishes and the other way round
ª When you let sb choose you are reworded (the knight let the old lady decide whether it’s better to be pretty and unfaithful or ugly and faithful – and he is reworded for giving the choice)
ª We may be gentle on the basis of the way we live and treat other people
THE NUN’S PRIEST – EXEMPLUM, BEAST FABLE
This literary genres is typical of clergy, people delivering sermons and that’s way the nun’s priest uses exemplum as a literary genre in his story. He uses plenty of examples to give moral lessons.
MOCK HEROIC
The nun’s priest tells a light story because he tells a story after a monk who told sth tragic and now the knight beg sb to tell something what would be light, sth what would be the opposition of tragedy. The rest of the company also demands sth what will gladden (uradować, ucieszyć) the hearts of the company members
Ylayda