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The Canterbury Tales By, Dr. Achamma Alex Associate Professor in English

The Canterbury Tales By, Dr. Achamma Alex Associate Professor in English. Language. Original inhabitants Celts & their Lang. was Celtic With Roman invasion Latin was also used Coming of Jutes, S axons & Angles OE—a mixture of all these languages

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The Canterbury Tales By, Dr. Achamma Alex Associate Professor in English

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  1. The Canterbury TalesBy,Dr. Achamma Alex Associate Professor in English

  2. Language • Original inhabitants Celts & their Lang. was Celtic • With Roman invasion Latin was also used • Coming of Jutes, Saxons & Angles • OE—a mixture of all these languages • 4 Major OE dialects—Northumbrian, Mercian, West Saxon, Kentish—West Saxon the most prominent • Norman Conquest of 1066—beginning of Middle English period--French was introduced • OE became a spoken tongue--lang of illiterate • 5Major dialects—Northern, East Midland, West Midland, Southern & South Eastern

  3. East Midland—most prominent—Lang used by Chaucer, Gower & Langland • Social hierarchy • Church was all powerful • Corruption rampant in all fields, especially religion • Chaucer a civil servant—well experienced with men & matters of 14th Century • Presents a microcosm of 14th Century England in his The Canterbury Tales • Chooses pilgrimage as the setting—to bring people of all classes together • Group of 30 pilgrims moving towards Canterbury

  4. Visit to tomb of St.Thomas Beckett • Beckett—Archbishop of canterbury killed by 4 henchmen of King Henry II in 1170 • Canonisd in 1174—famous pilgrim centre • Black death of 1348—Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 • Feudal system shattered • Social hierarchy weakened

  5. Geoffrey Chaucer 1340-1400 • Son of a middle class wine merchant • Served Edward III, Richard II, Henry IV • Came under the influence of French Literature and Latin Literature • Important French and Latin works • Influenced by Dante, Boccaccio, PetrarchThe Canterbury Tales—mature work • Similar structure found in Deccameron • The C.Tales– a conspectus of 14th Century England • East Midland dialect—direct ancestor of Modern English

  6. The Canterbury Tales • Began in 1386 • Original plan 120 tales (30 pilgrims* 4 tales) • Completed 22 tales—2 tales incomplete • Pilgrimage a “framework”– gives “thematic unity” • 1 pilgrim--2 stories on the way to cathedral & 2 on the way back • Stories reflected the beliefs, Practices of the day • 3 categories of pilgrims—those who fought, those who prayed & those who worked

  7. Chaucer the pilgrim tells 2 stories • Chaucer the poet observes & comments on them • Pictographic description of characters • Universality of Chaucer • Characters are types & individuals at the same time • Puckish & elvishhumour—attacks the corruption in society—corruption maximum within the church—but genial in attitude • Nobody higher than the Knight & lower then the plowman • Deliberately avoids Aristocracy & serfs • Prologue presents characters—ends as they reach Canterbury Cathedral.

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