The Canterbury TalesPilgrims in the Walk of Life

Historical Setting

1337-1435—100 Years War 1381—Peasant’s Revolt Growth of London Rise of middle classes 1348-1349—Black Death Fall of John of Gaunt Richard II’s deposition

Geoffrey Chaucer

Born 1343 Page at 14, squire at 16, captured in France Married in 1366 to Phillipa John of Gaunt’s patronage More battles, squiring, travels in Italy (Petrarch/Dante?) 1374—controller of customs 1385—JP in Kent 1389—Richard II appoints Clerk of Kings Works/Deputy

Forester 1400—dies pretty poor

Works

1369—Book of the Duchess—John of Gaunt’s wife dies

1380—Parliament of Fowls 1383—Boece 1383-1386—Troilus and Criseyde/Legend

of Good Women 1387-1392—General Prologue and some

Tales 1393-1400—Later Tales

Literary Influences

Dante Petrarch Boccaccio—Decameron/Teseida/Filostrato Jean de Meung—Roman de la Rose William Langland—Piers Plowman

Structure

Framework Tale Southwark—Tabard Inn—Harry Bailey’s

prize Twenty-nine pilgrims (all but 2 in Prologue) Twenty-two tell tales, plus Chaucer’s two,

and Canon’s Yeoman for total of 25 Seven don’t—Plowman, Yeoman, and 5

guildsmen

Binding Elements

Stages Places Times Progress Interaction in and out of tales These links—interesting, late, dominated

by Harry Bailey

The Six Groups

Upper to lower society Knight/Squire/Yeoman—upper secular Prioress/Monk/Friar—upper ecclesiastical Professionals and Moneyed class—from the

Merchant to the Wife of Bath Clerk, Sergeant of Law, Franklin, Shipman,

Doctor, Five guildsmen and Cook Humble Christians—Parson and Plowman The Rogues—Miller, Manciple, Reeve,

Summoner, Pardoner, Chaucer

Groups

Good Worldly striving Depraved Horses and instruments

Three Levels

Historical window Entertaining short stories Interplay of characters leads to overall

themes

Themes

Love and marriage Ten of twenty-four stories Six more figure prominently Religion and Philosophy Science, Medicine, and Pseudo-Science

Group One

Knight’s Tale —Teseida Amazons/Theseus in Legend of Good

Women Three Temples Courtly love—pity vs dedication to honor

and virtue Venus vs Mars

Group One

Miller and Reeve Comic sex told against each other Cuckoldry Cook—nasty lowest character, boil, tale cut

short Man of Law —saint’s tale, correction of previous

tales Heroine’s absolute refusal of help to save herself

—God must do all (comment on Augustinianism and Lollards)

Group Two

Shipman’s through Nun’s Priests Tales Best dialogue between the pilgrims Lollardism (John of Gaunt) Fabliaux—comic short stories Bawdy Middle class Cynical Monk’s Tale--randy outrider—no theology—

wheel of fortune Debt to wife, failure to pay, husband to blame

Group Two

Prioress Tale Miracle story Anti-semitism Reflection of her character Amor vincit omnia—Eros vs Agape One priest not three as in Prologue Story from Hugh of Lincoln—pogroms Usury

Group Two

Tale of Sir Thopas Satire on metrical romance Heavy rhyme scheme Ridiculous elements—Flemish

knight/goshawk/oaths/oafish knight Tale of Melibee —French story, confiding

and trusting wife Daughter Sophia receives five wounds

Group Two

Nun’s Priest Tale Beast fable Boethius’ philosophy Widow story Rooster—symbol of sensual indulgence Free will vs predestination

Group Three

Physician’s Tale —Roman de la Rose Pardoner’s Tale Perfect short story At the pub? Exemplum in homily Questionable sexual practices of Pardoner Moral self-exposure in tale

Group Four

Wife of Bath to Franklin’s Tale Marriage Group Wife of Bath’s Tale Theology of Wife’s Prologue Psychology of sex Jankyn and anti-feminism Arthurian story of loathly hag Wooing vs taking

Group Four

Friar and Summoner tell stories contra one another

Clerk’s Tale —Petrarch Postscript opposite of tale Merchant’s Tale —best of four fabliaux—

January/May/Damian Squire’s Tale —Cambuscan, Canace—

true love and faithfulness

Group Four

Franklin’s Tale Wealth of Franklin Breton Lay Marriage of absolute trust and equality Catastrophic consequences Who was most righteous?

Group Five

Second Nun’s Tale Cecilia and Valerian, saint’s tale Canon’s Yeoman —interesting

autobiographical possibilities Disillusion with alchemy Manciple’s Tale —tell-tale bird from Ovid

and Roman de la Rose Parson’s Sermon —summation of tale,

real themes

General Themes

Use of classical literary references Use of classical gods Virgil Ovid Venus

Courtly Matters

Fight bravely and often Win woman’s love through obedience OK for nobles, not for church or middle

class Chivalric code Swore to avoid false judgment Commit no treason Honor and help all women Attend Mass and fast on Fridays

Chivalry

Chastity Humility Loyalty Courtesy Prowess Largess God—Lord, Man—vassal Liege—Lord, Man--vassal Woman—Lord, Man—vassal

Breakdown of the System

Extramarital affairs Woman grants two kinds of grace Permission to serve Sexual favors Mercy and pity lead to desire Songs of complaint to Serenade to

Aubade Very allegorical—flowers and furry animals

Religion

Church=Society—Law—Arts—Integrated Whole

Boethius—Problem of unjust suffering Boethius—Nature of Free Will and God’s

Sovereignty Occam—Razor—No Universals—

Nominalism Wycliffe—Pro-Occam—Importance of

Personal Behavior

Science and Pseudo-Science

Astronomy and Astrology Astronomy—Observational and Judicial Gods—Planets—Hours Zodiac—Governs parts of the body Intersection of psychology, medicine, and

astronomy

Pseudo-Science

Alchemy—Transmutation—Philosopher’s stone—hints of transubstantiation

Numerology—Pythagoras to Plato Physiognomy tells psychology Optics Lapidary lore Five categories of dreams

Medicine

Four Properties—Hot/Cold vs Dry/Moist Fire—Hot and Dry—Choleric—bile—bad

tempered--quarrelsome Earth—Cold and Dry—Melancholy—black

bile--gloomy Air—Hot and Moist—Sanguine—blood—

sensual--happy Water—Cold and Moist—Phlegmatic—

phlegm—lethargic--dull

Conclusion

Dante’s balance The use of the grotesque and immoral Cyril of Jerusalem: “The dragon sits by

the side of the road, watching those who pass. Beware lest he devour you. We go to the Father of Souls, but it is necessary to pass by the dragon.”