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Background for. The Canterbury Tales Semester 1 Review. Why is CT so great?. Variety of people (character sketch). Normal Universality of experience Emotions Behavior Etc. Wrote in the VERNACULAR Language of a group of people/common people. Poetic Rhyme Scheme. Told in couplets
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Background for The Canterbury Tales Semester 1 Review
Why is CT so great? • Variety of people (character sketch). • Normal • Universality of experience • Emotions • Behavior • Etc. • Wrote in the VERNACULAR • Language of a group of people/common people.
Poetic Rhyme Scheme • Told in couplets • 2 lines that end in a rhyme • Heroic couplets • 2 lines that end in rhyme & the meter is iambic pentameter • IAMB – 2 syllables /unstressed, stressed u • u/u/u/u/u = 2x5 = 10 syllables • 2 syllables – one metrical foot
Type of Story • FRAME Story Format (a story within a story within a story within a story). • CT = Big Story about pilgrims on trip • Pilgrim = telling a story • Character inside the Pilgrim = tells a story
“The Prologue to the CT” • Character Sketch – literary technique. • Painting a picture of a character through direct and indirect characterization.
Direct Characterization • When the author/narrator TELLS the character traits (i.e. He is mean.) • Indirect Characterization • When the author/narrator HINTS/suggests through actions, thoughts, or words of the character • Through how others react to the character. • Through how the character dresses, etc. • The READER infers the character traits.
SATIRE • Writing that ridicules in order to reform (change) something.
CT Setting • When? • Spring (April) • Weather is warmer and a time for rebirth • (especially with Easter, resurrection). • Where? • To the Shrine of Thomas a Beckett in Canterbury, England. • The journey begins at the Tabard Inn, Southwark (near London). • Canterbury is 60 miles from Southwark • Takes three (3) days to travel.
Characters • 29 Original Pilgrims • 1 Narrator • Total of 30 Pilgrims + the Host who is NOT a pilgrim.
The Host • Owns the Tabard Inn • Proposed the game of telling stories along the trip.
The Game • The Rules: • Each pilgrim tells two stories on the way there and two stories on the way (2+2=4) • All the pilgrims agreed. IF a pilgrim goes back on his word, he must pay for the entire trip. • The winner gets a banquet/feast at the Tabard Inn at the expense of all the losers.
The Reason • Why would the Host come up with such a contest? • He says it is the pass the time … BUT the REAL REASONS is ….. • MONEY!