1 / 12

The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales. Geoffrey Chaucer. The Canterbury Tales. Written between 1387 and 1400 Before printing presses - first copies were handwritten. Written in Middle English, which was spoken by mostly lower classes between 1100 and 1500.

pahana
Download Presentation

The Canterbury Tales

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer

  2. The Canterbury Tales • Written between 1387 and 1400 • Before printing presses - first copies were handwritten. • Written in Middle English, which was spoken by mostly lower classes between 1100 and 1500. • Chaucer first to use Middle English as literary language!

  3. Pilgrimmage • Long journey to an important site or location. • Usually religious in nature. • In Canterbury, they are going to the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket.

  4. Frame Story • A framework for connecting many, unrelated short stories or tales • stories within a story Examples: • 1001 Arabian Nights Can you think of others?

  5. Frame story Chaucer's Frame Story • 29 pilgrims traveling to shrine meet at an inn to start. • the “host” (owner of inn) declares a contest • Each traveler will tell two stories on the way to the shrine and two on the way back. • The traveler with the best stories will win a free feast back at the inn, at the expense of all the others. The host also agrees to go with them and judge the contest. • The narrator also goes to Canterbury = 31 travelers in all. Unconnected stories within the story

  6. Canterbury Tales • “The Prologue” is the narrator’s (Chaucer) introduction of each character as he/she arrives at the inn to depart. He also explains the host’s suggested contest. • The “Tales” are the stories told by each pilgrim on their way to or from the shrine.

  7. Saint Thomas a Becket • Pilgrims begin in London and travel to the Shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. 68 miles

  8. Saint Thomas a Becket • Born to well-to-do parents in London, approx. 1118 • At age 25 gained employment in house of Theobald of Bec, archbishop of Canterbury • Studied law in Italy and France

  9. Saint Thomas a Becket • Appointed archdeacon of Canterbury under Theobald • Gained favor with King Henry II • Replaced Theobald as archbishop of Canterbury after Theobald’s death in 1162. • K. Henry thought he had ally in office to help gain some power over Church, but….

  10. Saint Thomas a Becket • Becket took the side of the church. • After rejecting a decree of King Henry’s that limited the power of church Becket fled and took refuge in France in 1170.

  11. Saint Thomas a Becket • While away, Becket excommunicated clergy who participated in Henry son’s coronation as co-ruler. • was called a hero by the people of England. • As a result of popularity and actions, four knights of K. Henry’s murdered Becket inside the Canterbury Cathedral in December 1170.

  12. Saint Thomas a Becket • Entombed in Canterbury Cathedral • Canonized as a saint in 1173 after reports of miracles occurring at his burial site. • Common site for pilgrims seeking healing and other miracles.

More Related