The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Talesby Geoffrey Chaucerby Geoffrey Chaucer

Background of these talesBackground of these tales

Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer wrote this story in wrote this story in the late 1300’s but the late 1300’s but never finished it.never finished it.

He wrote in the He wrote in the native language or native language or vernacular of the vernacular of the Medieval period in Medieval period in Britain called Britain called Middle English.Middle English.

The StoryThe Story

Twenty nine people Twenty nine people that represent all that represent all aspects of aspects of Medieval society Medieval society go on a pilgrimage go on a pilgrimage to the cathedral at to the cathedral at Canterbury in Canterbury in southeast England. southeast England.

The cathedral at The cathedral at Canterbury is the Canterbury is the main cathedral of main cathedral of the Church of the Church of England. The England. The shrine to the shrine to the martyr Saint martyr Saint Thomas a Becket is Thomas a Becket is located at this located at this cathedral.cathedral.

The story formatThe story format

Chaucer’s Chaucer’s characters are characters are going to pay going to pay respects to this respects to this shrine as a part of shrine as a part of a religious a religious pilgrimage. They pilgrimage. They all meet at a all meet at a tavern to begin tavern to begin their journey.their journey.

Saint Thomas a Becket was the archbishop Saint Thomas a Becket was the archbishop of Canterbury, and in 1170 he was of Canterbury, and in 1170 he was martyred by some knights of the king of martyred by some knights of the king of England, Henry II, who was overheard England, Henry II, who was overheard complaining about Becket’s loyalty to the complaining about Becket’s loyalty to the church at Rome over his loyalty to his church at Rome over his loyalty to his king.king.

Some of the charactersSome of the characters

The host of the tavern The host of the tavern or innkeeper is the or innkeeper is the man who suggests man who suggests that the pilgrims each that the pilgrims each tell a story on the way tell a story on the way to entertain the group. to entertain the group. Chaucer intended for Chaucer intended for each to tell 2 stories, each to tell 2 stories, but he only got to but he only got to write one apiece.write one apiece.

The following characters are the wife of Bath The following characters are the wife of Bath and the pardoner, and the pardoner,

The following characters are the priest and The following characters are the priest and the millerthe miller

And two more familiar characters are the And two more familiar characters are the knight and his squireknight and his squire

Format of the poetryFormat of the poetry

The Canterbury The Canterbury Tales Tales are called a are called a frame storyframe story, , meaning that there meaning that there are many stories are many stories “framed” in the “framed” in the larger story of the larger story of the pilgrimage to pilgrimage to Canterbury. Canterbury.

1: Whan that aprill with his shoures soote 2: The droghte of march hath perced to the roote, 3: And bathed every veyne in swich licour 4: Of which vertu engendred is 8: Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne, 9: And smale foweles maken melodye, 10: That slepen al the nyght with open ye 11: (so priketh hem nature in hir corages); 12: Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, 13: And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, 14: To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; 15: And specially from every shires ende 16: Of engelond to caunterbury they wende, 17: The hooly blisful martir for to seke, 18: That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke. 19: Bifil that in that seson on a day, 20: In southwerk at the tabard as I lay 21: Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage 22: To caunterbury with ful devout corage, 23: At nyght was come into that hostelrye 24: Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye, 25: Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle 26: In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle, 27: That toward caunterbury wolden ryde.

                Whan that Aprill with his shoures sooteWhan that Aprill with his shoures soote                  When April with its sweet-smelling showers                  When April with its sweet-smelling showers2         2         The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,                 Has pierced the drought of March to the root,                 Has pierced the drought of March to the root,3         3         And bathed every veyne in swich licourAnd bathed every veyne in swich licour                 And bathed every vein (of the plants) in such liquid                 And bathed every vein (of the plants) in such liquid4         4         Of which vertu engendred is the flour;Of which vertu engendred is the flour;                 By which power the flower is created;                 By which power the flower is created;5         5         Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breethWhan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth                 When the West Wind also with its sweet breath,                 When the West Wind also with its sweet breath,6         6         Inspired hath in every holt and heethInspired hath in every holt and heeth                 In every wood and field has breathed life into                  In every wood and field has breathed life into 7         7         The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonneThe tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne                 The tender new leaves, and the young sun                 The tender new leaves, and the young sun8         8         Hath in the Ram his half cours yronne,Hath in the Ram his half cours yronne,                 Has run half its course in Aries,                 Has run half its course in Aries,9         9         And smale foweles maken melodye,And smale foweles maken melodye,                 And small fowls make melody,                 And small fowls make melody,10         10         That slepen al the nyght with open yeThat slepen al the nyght with open ye                 Those that sleep all the night with open eyes                 Those that sleep all the night with open eyes11         11         (So priketh hem Nature in hir corages),(So priketh hem Nature in hir corages),                 (So Nature incites them in their hearts),                 (So Nature incites them in their hearts),12         12         Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,                 Then folk long to go on pilgrimages,                 Then folk long to go on pilgrimages,13         13         And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,                 And professional pilgrims to seek foreign shores,                 And professional pilgrims to seek foreign shores,14         14         To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;                 To distant shrines, known in various lands;                 To distant shrines, known in various lands;15         15         And specially from every shires endeAnd specially from every shires ende                 And specially from every shire's end                 And specially from every shire's end16         16         Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende,Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende,                 Of England to Canterbury they travel,                 Of England to Canterbury they travel,17         17         The hooly blisful martir for to seke,The hooly blisful martir for to seke,                 To seek the holy blessed martyr,                 To seek the holy blessed martyr,18         18         That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.                 Who helped them when they were sick.                 Who helped them when they were sick.