The Canterbury Tales begins with a Prologue (which means “a few words to begin”). In the prologue Chaucer describes the time of year, which is April, when the weather begins to get warmer after winter. He says that it is at this time that people begin to go on pilgrimage.
How do The Canterbury Tales start?
The pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales start their journey together in south London and aim for Canterbury Cathedral, roughly seventy miles away. The Canterbury Cathedral houses the shrine of an English saint: Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, who was martyred in the 1100s.
Where does The Canterbury Tales start and end?
Written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century, The Canterbury Tales tells the story of a group of 31 pilgrims who meet while travelling from the Tabard Inn in Southwark to the shrine of St Thomas Becket in Canterbury.
When did The Canterbury Tales start?
1387
The Canterbury Tales was one of the first major works in literature written in English. Chaucer began the tales in 1387 and continued until his death in 1400.
Which is the first of The Canterbury Tales?
Order
| Fragment | Group | Tales |
|---|---|---|
| Fragment I | A | General Prologue The Knight’s Tale The Miller’s Tale The Reeve’s Tale The Cook’s Tale |
| Fragment II | B1 | The Man of Law’s Tale |
| Fragment III | D | The Wife of Bath’s Tale The Friar’s Tale The Summoner’s Tale |
| Fragment IV | E | The Clerk’s Tale The Merchant’s Tale |
What order does The Canterbury Tales go in?
The Canterbury Tales consists of the General Prologue, The Knight’s Tale, The Miller’s Tale, The Reeve’s Tale, The Cook’s Tale, The Man of Law’s Tale, The Wife of Bath’s Tale, The Friar’s Tale, The Summoner’s Tale, The Clerk’s Tale, The Merchant’s Tale, The Squire’s Tale, The Franklin’s Tale, The Second Nun’s Tale, The
What is the basic plot of The Canterbury Tales?
In The Canterbury Tales, a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury Cathedral compete in a storytelling contest. This overarching plot, or frame, provides a reason for the pilgrims to tell their stories, which reflect the concerns sparked by the social upheavals of late medieval England.
Who tells the first story in Canterbury Tales?
The Reeve’s Prologue and Tale
The Reeve tells the story of two students, John and Alayn, who go to the mill to watch the miller grind their corn, so that he won’t have a chance to steal any. But the miller unties their horse, and while they chase it, he steals some of the flour he has just ground for them.
Where does the prologue of The Canterbury Tales take place?
Southwark
The Prologue describes the various pilgrims who are ready to go on the journey to Canterbury. They are gathered at an inn called The Tabard, located in Southwark.
What was the journey in Canterbury Tales?
One of the most famous works of medieval literature is based around a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral. Geoffey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, written between 1387 and 1400, is a long poem concerning a group of thirty pilgrims on their way from Southwark, in south London, to the shrine of St Thomas Becket in Canterbury.
What was The Canterbury Tales inspired by?
From the 1370s on, Italian poetry became the overriding influence for Chaucer’s work. Obviously familiar with the writings of Dante and Petrarch, Boccaccio especially was a major source.
What was the purpose of The Canterbury Tales?
The tales could be described both as social realism and as estates satire. At the same time that Chaucer takes care to honestly show the perspective of each of his characters, he also aims to critique the hypocrisy of the church and the social problems posed by Medieval politics and social custom.
What is the most famous Canterbury Tale?
Perhaps the most famous – and best-loved – of all of the tales in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, ‘The Miller’s Tale‘ is told as a comic corrective following the sonorous seriousness of the Knight’s tale.
What are the four orders Canterbury Tales?
There were four orders of friars who supported themselves by begging: Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians.
How long is The Canterbury Tales journey?
The Canterbury Tales and Pilgrimages
Another popular pilgrimage site for English Christians was Canterbury, about sixty miles southeast of London, or about a week-long journey.
Who are the 31 pilgrims in Canterbury Tales?
The Pilgrims
- The Narrator. The narrator makes it quite clear that he is also a character in his book.
- The Knight. The first pilgrim Chaucer describes in the General Prologue, and the teller of the first tale.
- The Wife of Bath.
- The Pardoner.
- The Miller.
- The Prioress.
- The Monk.
- The Friar.
What are 3 reasons The Canterbury Tales are important?
The Canterbury Tales is considered Chaucer’s masterpiece and is among the most important works of medieval literature for many reasons besides its poetic power and entertainment value, notably its depiction of the different social classes of the 14th century CE as well as clothing worn, pastimes enjoyed, and language/
What is the climax in Canterbury Tales?
Arcite’s forces capture Palamon, ending the joust in Arcite’s favor. During his victory ride, though, Arcite tumbles from his horse and gets hurt really badly.
Why is the knight first to tell a tale?
Why is the Knight first in the General Prologue and first to tell a tale? The Knight is first to be described in the General Prologue because he is the highest on the social scale, being closest to belonging to the highest estate, the aristocracy.
Which season is it when Chaucer begins his tale?
The Canterbury Tales begins with a Prologue (which means “a few words to begin”). In the prologue Chaucer describes the time of year, which is April, when the weather begins to get warmer after winter. He says that it is at this time that people begin to go on pilgrimage.
How do the pilgrims decide who tells the first story?
The other pilgrims agree that Harry Bailly should judge who tells the best tale. In order to decide who will tell the first story, Harry Bailly asks the Knight, the Clerk and the Prioress to draw straws. The Knight draws the shortest straw. Consequently, “The Knight’s Tale” is the first of The Canterbury Tales.