The Canterbury Tales (written c. 1388-1400 CE) is a medieval literary work by the poet Geoffrey Chaucer (l. c. 1343-1400 CE) comprised of 24 tales related to a number of literary genres and touching on subjects ranging from fate to God’s will to love, marriage, pride, and death.
What is the main message of Canterbury Tales?
One of the main lessons throughout all of the tales and main story is that honor and honesty is valued. In stories like the Physician’s Tale, we see that the lying Appius who lusts after a young girl, is eventually caught for his lies and thrown in jail where he kills himself.
What does Canterbury symbolize?
Canterbury is the symbol of the celestial city: the and of life. The journey of the pilgrims becomes the allegory of the course of the human life.
How does The Canterbury Tales reflect society?
Its vivid portrayal of a diverse group of travelers reveals much about the composition and values of society in late medieval England. It shows us shifting dynamics of social power, an economy in flux, and diverse expressions of faith and doubt within late medieval Christianity.
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 are 3 themes found in The Canterbury Tales?
The Canterbury Tales Themes
- Social Class. One present theme throughout The Canterbury Tales is the importance of social status during Chaucer’s time.
- Deceit. Deceit is a reoccurring theme in The Tales involving the Miller, the Merchant, and the Pardoner.
- Religion.
- Social Satire.
- Courtly Love.
- The Significance of Company.
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 social types did The Canterbury Tales represent? All social types: clergy, nobility, the middle classes, and businesspeople.
What is Chaucer is trying to say about society?
Chaucer’s society represents every social class. In doing so, it shows what it takes to actually make a society function. The different people carry different stories to share. These stories carry lessons learned in hopes of sharing them with others so that they may not end up in the same predicaments.
What is the purpose and message of the Prologue to the Canterbury?
The General Prologue is the first part of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. It introduces the frame story, in which a group of pilgrims travelling to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury agree to take part in a storytelling competition, and describes the pilgrims themselves.
What are the main features of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales?
The tales are by turns satirical, elevated, pious, earthy, bawdy, and comical. The reader should not accept the naïve narrator’s point of view as Chaucer’s. Protagonists Each individual tale has protagonists, but Chaucer’s plan is to make none of his storytellers superior to others; it is an equal company.
What is The Canterbury Tales story about?
What is The Canterbury Tales about? Chaucer’s long poem follows the journey of a group of pilgrims, 31 including Chaucer himself, from the Tabard Inn in Southwark to St Thomas à Becket’s shrine at Canterbury Cathedral.
Who is the most moral character in The Canterbury Tales?
Match
- Geoffrey Chaucer. The British author of The Canterbury Tales.
- The Knight. a true, perfect knight; most respected, most moral; going to thank the saints for protecting him during battle.
- The Host, Harry Bailey.
- The Summoner.
- The Manciple.
- The Franklin.
- The Pardoner.
- The Nun’s Priest.
What are the three levels of society shown in The Canterbury Tales?
- Nobility/Ruling Class – Knight and Squire.
- Clergy – Monk, Friar, Prioress, Parson, Summoner, Pardoner.
- Middle Class – Merchant, Doctor, Student, Wife of Bath.
- Peasants – Miller, Plowman, Skipper.
- Physical Characteristics, Clothing, and Accessories.
- Words, Experiences, and Personality Traits.
Why is The Canterbury Tales a satire?
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is sometimes called an estates satire, meaning that it satirizes the three estates, or sociopolitical groups in England at the time he was writing.
What is the most important quote from The Canterbury Tales?
The Canterbury Tales Quotes
“The First Great Cause and Mover of all above When first He made that fairest chain of love, Great was the consequence and high the intent.”
What was Chaucer trying to expose in humans?
Chaucer exposes negative aspects of life by portraying the corrupt character traits of religious figures among the pilgrims.
What is the Chaucer’s view of life?
Based on “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” Chaucer’s view of life is good-humored and expansive, forgiving of human frailty and hopeful of human improvement. It is a view of life that applauds virtue, fairness, decency, and generosity wherever such qualities are found, whether in nobles or commoners.
What is the purpose of the pilgrims telling their tales?
To pass the time and entertain each other on their way the pilgrims take it in turns to tell stories, many of a humorous or bawdy nature. Chaucer’s poem thus takes the form of a series of these individual tales connected within a framing device of the pilgrimage and interludes descibing the pilgrims’ behaviour.
What is the main purpose of the prologue from The Canterbury Tales quizlet?
The main purpose of The Prologue is to introduce the pilgrims through description, so it frames the rest of The Tales.
What is the main purpose of the prologue in the beginning of the play?
The definition of prologue introduce important information—such as background details, or characters—that have some connection to the main story, but whose relevance is not immediately obvious.