4Ab Literature ME Canterbury Tales

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4,5

Welcome

Today: Canterbury Tales 
any questions so far?

What themes/topics were introduced after 1066?

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

1. Summarise the story in a few sentences

2. How is this story typical for the time period?

3. How is this story different from Beoulf?

The Canterbury Tales

- Middle English period

- written by Geoffrey Chaucer

- inspired after travelling through Europe

Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) is the most famous poet from the Middle English period. He was a courtier and was sent on diplomatic missions in Europe. Later in life he also worked for the government. 

He wrote poetry and was well-respected.

The Canterbury Tales

- Frame story: a collection of 24 stories (never finished)
- pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury, Kent.
- 30 pilgrims, agree to engage in a storytelling contest

- each 4 stories

- enabled Chaucer to bring together people from many walks of life

The Pilgrims

General prologue

1. introduces the setting

2. introduces ALL the characters 

3. gives a general overview of the set-up

--> finished, gives us a lot of information that is missing

introduces the setting: what?

introduces the characters: what?

Irony

Irony is a literary device in which contradictory statements or situations reveal a reality that is different from what appears to be true  or is expected.

some real life examples:
- Sweden’s Icehotel, built of snow and ice, contains fire alarms.
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is considered an anti-censorship novel, and it is one of the most consistently banned books in the United States.
- Many people claimed and/or believed that the Titanic was an “unsinkable” ship.

satire

Satire is a literary device for the artful ridicule of a folly or vice as a means of exposing or correcting it. The subject of satire is generally human frailty, as it manifests in people’s behavior or ideas as well as societal institutions or other creations. Satire utilizes tones of amusement, contempt, scorn, or indignation towards a flawed subject with the hope of creating awareness and subsequent change.

satire examples

Deadpool–movie that satirizes super hero genre

Shrek–movie that satirizes fairy tales
political cartoons–satirize political
events and/or politicians

The Onion–American digital media
and newspaper company that satirizes
 everyday news on an international,
national, and local level

One of the characters

The wife of bath is one of the pilgrims discussed in the Canterbury Tales

The Wife of Bath

- Detailed description of her appearance:
-Red stockings, broad hips, big butt
    = medieval stereotype of a lustful person
- Renowned clothmaker, makes lots of money, lots of travelling
- Widowed, since married women couldn't travel or do business

The Wife of Bath Prologue

- Establishes herself as an expert on marriage
- First three husbands were good, last two husbands were bad
- Make them feel guilty for drinking
- Make them give her whatever she wanted
- Fourth husband had a mistress
- Fifth husband she actually loved, but he beat her

The Wife of Bath

• gold digger
• 5 marriages
• enjoys sex

women were meant to be chaste. They were not to experience sexual pleasure.

Read the summary 

Read the summary of "the wife of Bath"

What is the story about?

The Wife of Bath's Tale

- Set in the time of King Arthur 
- Young knight has raped a woman
- Queen Guinevere: find the answer to what women want most
- One year to find the answer
- Comes across an old woman with fairies
- Will tell him if he gives her whatever she wants
- Agrees and they go back to the court

The Wife of Bath's Tale

- Woman: "what women want most is power over their husband"
- In exchange the old woman wants to marry the knight
- Offers him choice: a. old and ugly, but faithful wife,
                                           b. young and beautiful, but unfaithful wife
- Knight cannot choose and leaves it to her
- What she wanted most (power) and turns beautiful & faithful
- Live happily ever after

Some questions: discuss

- How does irony play a role in the story?

- The wife of bath is described as a medieval sterotype of a lustful person. How does this relate to her story?

- Could you describe the wife of Bath as a 'feminist' why (not) ?

The Wife of Bath claims she's an expert on marriage. Why?

1. She wrote a best-selling book on marriage
2. She's had multiple husbands
3. She's been married for 37 years
4. She has a lot of married friends

How many husbands has the Wife of Bath had?

1. 3
2. 4
3. 5
4. 6

Which of the following did the Wife of Bath not do?

1. Praying for the poor
2. Clothmaking
3. Remarrying several times
4. Travelling around

The Wife of Bath had several husbands, but some good and some bad. How many of each?

1. 1 good & 3 bad husbands
2. 2 good & 3 bad husbands
3. 3 good & 2 bad husbands
4. 4 good & 2 bad husbands

Why does the knight need to find the answer to what women want most?

1. He killed a woman
2. He raped a woman
3. He hit a woman
4. He stole from a woman

What do women want most according to the old woman in the tale?

1. Powerful husbands
2. Freedom of choice
3. Power over their husbands
4. Freedom of speech

Homework

Finish the assignments that go with BOTH stories
(Wife of Bath AND the Miller's tale)