The Power of Faith - breathitt.k12.ky.us › userfiles › 46 › Classes › 33299 › Unit 1 Part 2-0.pdfBritish Library, London, UK/Bridgeman Art Library Part 2 81 The Power of

British Library, London, UK/Bridgeman Art Library

Part 2

81

The Power of Faith

Lydgate and the Canterbury Pilgrims Leaving Canterbury (detail), from the Troy Book and the Siege of Thebes, c. 1412–1422. Vellum. British Library, London.

“And specially, from every shire’s endOf England, down to Canterbury they wendTo seek the holy blissful martyr, quickTo give his help to them when they were sick.”

—Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales

0081 U1P2-845482.indd 810081 U1P2-845482.indd 81 6/21/06 9:16:20 AM6/21/06 9:16:20 AM

The Art Archive / British Library

BEFORE YOU READ

from The Ecclesiastical History of the English People

MEET THE VENERABLE BEDE

About the same time that a scop may have been singing in a hushed mead-hall about the heroic deeds of Beowulf, a monk named Bede was studying and writing in the equally quiet library of a monastery. Whereas the gifted scop remained forever nameless, this monk’s name became known throughout the world.

A Life of Religious Study When Bede was a boy of seven, he went to study and live in a mon-astery at Wearmouth, England. About two years later, Bede moved to a monastery in Jarrow, just a short distance away. There he remained for the rest of his life, devoting himself to religion and scholarly pursuits.

“It has ever been my delight to learn or teach or write.”

—Bede

A man of great learning, Bede had far-ranging interests that included religion, poetry, grammar, music, art, mathematics, and science. His passion for calculating time and dates led him to use a method of dating still in use today. This method starts from the birth of Jesus in the year A.D. 1 (A.D. stands for the Latin Anno Domini, “the year of our Lord”). Bede’s use of this form of dating in his histories helped to popularize it.

Bede wrote in Latin, the language of religion and learning, rather than in Old English, the language of the people. With almost forty vol-umes bearing his name, Bede is the first impor-tant writer of prose in England and is considered the father of English history. Bede’s masterpiece, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, documents the influence of the church on the development of English civilization.

Writing History Fortunately for us, Bede was a talented storyteller. His histories are far more than mere chronicles of events; they present meticulously researched stories of conquests, saints, missionaries, and monasteries. To write his great works, Bede did research in the library of the monastery, sent letters all over the world, and spoke with artists and scholars from afar who visited the monastery. Bede reveals in his histories how people actually lived, providing most of what we know about life in Britain between the years 46 and 731.

Except for visits to York and Lindisfarne, Bede never left Jarrow. Nevertheless, his reputation spread widely. About a century after his death, he was given the title “Venerable” to honor his wis-dom and piety. In 1899 he was declared a saint of the Catholic Church. Historian Kemp Malone writes of Bede’s legacy, “Bede makes every effort to be accurate. He admits wonders only after he has investigated them and found them well authenti-cated. His standards of verification are not ours, of course. If today a victim of snakebite were to drink down some scrapings of Irish books and get well, we should not conclude that the scrapings had worked the cure.”

Bede was born in 672 or 673 and died in 735.

Author Search For more about the Venerable Bede, go to www.glencoe.com.

82 UNIT 1 THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD AND THE MIDDLE AGES

0082-0089 U1P2APP-845482.indd 820082-0089 U1P2APP-845482.indd 82 6/21/06 8:09:35 AM6/21/06 8:09:35 AM

LITERATURE PREVIEW READING PREVIEW

Connecting to the ChronicleHave you ever had to face a major change in your life? In The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, two men face miraculous changes. As you read the excerpts, consider what can cause people to make major life changes.

Building BackgroundThe Anglo-Saxon invasions of the mid-fifth century overthrew the Christian society of Celtic Britain. Nearly 150 years later in 596, Pope Gregory I sent missionar-ies to convert the Anglo-Saxons. By about 650, Anglo-Saxon England was largely Christianized.

The first selection from Bede’s Ecclesiastical History takes place during the early 600s. In it, Edwin, who has recently conquered his enemies to become king of Northumbria in northern England, is discussing Christianity with Paulinus, his wife’s religious counselor. The second selection takes place in the late 600s in Whitby, England. It tells of the miraculous talent of Caedmon, the first poet to use Old English verse forms to recite religious poetry.

Setting Purposes for Reading Big Idea The Power of FaithAs you read the excerpts, note how the power of faith played a role in the lives of people living in Anglo-Saxon England.

Literary Element Historical NarrativeA historical narrative is a factual account of events that occurred in the past. It is usually presented chronologi-cally and seeks to provide a detailed, accurate descrip-tion of life in a particular time period. As you read the two excerpts from The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, identify the features that make it a his-torical narrative.

• See Literary Terms Handbook, p. R8.

Interactive Literary Elements Handbook To review or learn more about the literary elements, go to www.glencoe.com.

BEDE 83

Reading Strategy SummarizingA summary is a brief restatement, in one’s own words, of the main ideas and events in a literary work. Summarizing what you have read is an excellent tool for understanding and remembering a passage.

Reading Tip: Taking Notes When you read, stop periodically to summarize and record important ideas and events. Create a chart to organize your notes.

Vocabulary

expound (iks pound�) v. to set forth in detail, explain; p. 86 I didn’t understand the theory, so I asked the teacher to expound its meaning.

diligently (dil�ə jənt lē) adv. persistently; p. 86 After diligently submitting many applications, I finally found a job.

aspire (əs p�̄r��) v. to strive for; p. 87 I practice the guitar often because I aspire to become a famous musician.

frivolous (friv� ə ləs) adj. not serious, silly; p. 87 His frivolous manner made him seem incapable of taking on anything responsibly.

Vocabulary Tip: Word Origins Word origins, or etymologies, refer to the history and development of words. Word origins are included in dictionary entries.

SummaryMain Event or IdeaPaulinus visits the king.

In studying this selection, you will focus on the following:

• exploring the history of English literature• evaluating historical narrative• summarizing text

OBJECTIVES



A Scribe Writing, 12th century. Latin (Durham). Illumination from Bede’s Life and Miracles of St. Cuthbert. British Library, London

British Library, London/Bridgeman Art Library, London/New York

0084-0088 U1P2SEL-845482.indd 840084-0088 U1P2SEL-845482.indd 84 1/29/07 8:58:47 AM1/29/07 8:58:47 AM

BEDE 85

King Edwin hesitated to accept the word of God which Paulinus preached but, as we have said, used to sit alone for hours at a time, ear-nestly debating within himself what he ought to do and what religion he should follow. One day Paulinus came to him and, placing his right hand on the king’s head, asked him if he recognized this sign.

The king began to tremble and would have thrown himself at the bishop’s feet but Paulinus raised him up and said in a voice that seemed familiar, “First you have escaped with God’s help from the hands of the foes you feared; secondly you have acquired by His gift the kingdom you desired; now, in the third place, remember your own promise; do not delay in fulfilling it but receive the faith and keep the

commandments of Him who rescued you from your earthly foes and raised you to the honor of an earthly kingdom. If from henceforth you are willing to follow His will which is made known to you through me, He will also rescue you from the everlasting torments of the wicked and make you a partaker with Him of His eternal kingdom in heaven.”

When the king had heard his words, he answered that he was both willing and bound to accept the faith which Paulinus taught. He said, however, that he would confer about this with his loyal chief men and his counsellors so that, if they agreed with him, they might all be conse-crated together in the waters of life. Paulinus agreed, and the king did as he had said. A meet-ing of his council was held, and each one was asked in turn what he thought of this doctrine1 hitherto unknown to them and this new worship of God which was being proclaimed.

Coifi, the chief of the priests, answered at once, “Notice carefully, King, this doctrine which is

Historical Narrative In what way is this detail characteristic of a historical narrative?

Literary ElementSummarizing Summarize the argu-ment that Paulinus makes in the following speech.

Reading Strategy

The Venerable BedeTranslated by Bertram Colgrave

1. A doctrine is a body of principles taught or advocated, as of a religion or a government.



now being expounded to us. I frankly admit that, for my part, I have found that the religion which we have hitherto held has no virtue nor profit in it. None of your followers has devoted himself more earnestly than I have to the worship of our gods, but nevertheless there are many who receive greater benefits and greater honor from you than I do and are more successful in all their undertak-ings. If the gods had any power, they would have helped me more readily, seeing that I have always served them with greater zeal.2 So it follows that if, on examination, these new doctrines which have now been explained to us are found to be better and more effectual, let us accept them at once without any delay.”

Another of the king’s chief men agreed with this advice and with these wise words and then added, “This is how the present life of man on earth, King, appears to me in comparison with that time which is unknown to us. You are sitting feasting with your eldermen and thanes3 in winter time; the fire is burning on the hearth in the middle of the hall and all inside is warm, while outside the wintry storms of rain and snow are raging; and a sparrow flies swiftly through the hall. It enters in at one door and quickly flies out through the other. For the few moments it is inside, the storm and wintry tempest cannot touch it, but after the briefest moment of calm, it flits from your sight, out of the wintry storm and into it again. So this life of man appears but for a moment; what follows or indeed what went before, we know not at all. If this new doctrine brings us more certain information, it seems right that we should accept it.” Other elders and counsellors of the king continued in the same manner, being divinely prompted to do so.

Coifi added that he would like to listen still more carefully to what Paulinus himself had to say about God. The king ordered Paulinus to speak, and when he had said his say, Coifi exclaimed, “For a long time now I have realized that our religion is worthless; for the more diligently I sought the truth in our cult, the less I found it. Now I confess openly that the truth shines out clearly in this teaching which can bestow on us the gift of life, salvation, and eter-nal happiness. Therefore, I advise your Majesty that we should promptly abandon and commit to the flames the temples and the altars which we have held sacred without reaping any benefit.” Why need I say more? The king publicly accepted the gospel which Paulinus preached, renounced idolatry, and confessed his faith in

2. Zeal means “enthusiastic devotion.”

3. Eldermen are advisers; thanes are nobles.

The Power of Faith What point do you think Bede is making about the afterlife by relating this parable of the sparrow?

Big Idea

Historical Narrative How might a modern historian represent this scene differently?

Literary Element

diligently (dil� ə jənt lē) adv. persistently

Vocabulary

Summarizing Summarize Coifi’s atti-tude toward religion.

Reading Strategy

expound (iks pound�) v. to set forth in detail; explain

Vocabulary

Illuminated manuscript page. Kungl. Bernadotte-Biblioteket, The Royal Collection, Sweden.

Kungl. Bernadotte-Biblioteket (The Royal Collection)


BEDE 87

Christ. When he asked the high priest of their religion which of them should be the first to profane4 the altars and the shrines of the idols, together with their precincts, Coifi answered, “I will; for through the wisdom the true God has given me no one can more suitably destroy those things which I once foolishly worshipped, and so set an example to all.” And at once, casting aside his vain superstitions, he asked the king to pro-vide him with arms and a stallion; and mounting it, he set out to destroy the idols. Now a high priest of their religion was not allowed to carry arms or to ride except on a mare. So, girded with a sword, he took a spear in his hand, and mount-ing the king’s stallion, he set off to where the idols were. The common people who saw him thought he was mad. But as soon as he approached the shrine, without any hesitation he profaned it by casting the spear which he held into it; and greatly rejoicing in the knowledge of the worship of the true God, he ordered his com-panions to destroy and set fire to the shrine and all the enclosures. The place where the idols once stood is still shown, not far from York, to the east, over the river Derwent. Today it is called Goodmanham, the place where the high priest, through the inspiration of the true God, profaned and destroyed the altars which he him-self had consecrated.5

6

Translated by Leo Sherley-Price

In this monastery of Whitby there lived a brother7 whom God’s grace made remarkable. So skilful was he in composing religious and devo-tional songs, that he could quickly turn what-ever passages of Scripture were explained to him into delightful and moving poetry in his own English tongue. These verses of his stirred the hearts of many folk to despise the world and

aspire to heavenly things. Others after him tried to compose religious poems in English, but none could compare with him, for he received this gift of poetry as a gift from God and did not acquire it through any human teacher. For this reason he could never compose any frivolous or profane8 verses, but only such as had a religious theme fell fittingly from his devout lips. And although he followed a secular9 occupation until well ad vanced in years, he had never learned anything about poetry: indeed, whenever all those present at a feast took it in turns to sing and entertain the company, he would get up from table and go home directly he saw the harp approaching him.

aspire (əs p�̄r�) v. to strive forfrivolous (friv� ə ləs) adj. not serious; silly

Vocabulary

4. Profane means “to treat with disrespect; to desecrate.”5. Consecrated means “set apart as sacred.”6. Caedmon (kad� mən)7. A brother is a member of a religious community who is not

a priest or a monk.

Kneeling crusader with his horse behind him (page from Westminster Psalter), 13th Century. Illuminated manuscript. The British Library, London.

The Power of Faith What historical fact about religion do Coifi’s actions illustrate?

Big Idea

8. Here, profane means “worldly.”9. Secular means “not religious.”

Ronald Sheridan/Ancient Art & Architecture



On one such occasion he had left the house in which the entertainment was being held and went out to the stable, where it was his duty to look after the beasts that night. He lay down there at the appointed time and fell asleep, and in a dream he saw a man standing beside him who called him by name. “Caedmon,” he said, “sing me a song.” “I don’t know how to sing,” he replied. “It is because I cannot sing that I left the feast and came here.” The man who addressed him then said: “But you shall sing to me.” “What should I sing about?” he replied. “Sing about the Creation of all things,” the other answered. And Caedmon immediately began to sing verses in praise of God the Creator that he had never heard before, and their theme ran thus: “Let us praise the Maker of the kingdom of heaven, the power and purpose of our Creator, and the acts of the Father of glory. Let us sing how the eternal God, the Author of all marvels, first created the heavens for the sons of men as a roof to cover them, and how their almighty Protector gave them the earth for their dwelling place.” This is the general sense, but not the actual words that Caedmon sang in his dream; for however excellent the verses, it is impossible to translate them from one language into another10 without losing much of their beauty and dignity. When Caedmon awoke, he remembered everything that he had sung in his dream, and soon added more verses in the same style to the glory of God.

Early in the morning he went to his superior the reeve,11 and told him about this gift that he had received. The reeve took him before the abbess,12 who ordered him to give an account of his dream and repeat the verses in the presence of many learned men, so that they might decide

their quality and origin. All of them agreed that Caedmon’s gift had been given him by our Lord, and when they had explained to him a passage of scriptural history or doctrine, they asked him to render13 it into verse if he could. He promised to do this, and returned next morning with excel-lent verses as they had ordered him. The abbess was delighted that God had given such grace to the man, and advised him to abandon secular life and adopt the monastic state. And when she had admitted him into the Community as a brother, she ordered him to be instructed in the events of sacred history.14 So Caedmon stored up in his memory all that he learned, and after meditating on it, turned it into such melodious verse that his delightful renderings turned his instructors into his audience. He sang of the creation of the world, the origin of the human race, and the whole story of Genesis. He sang of Israel’s depar-ture from Egypt, their entry into the land of promise, and many other events of scriptural his-tory. He sang of the Lord’s Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the teaching of the Apostles. He also made many poems on the terrors of the Last Judgement, the horrible pains of Hell, and the joys of the kingdom of heaven. In addition to these, he composed several others on the blessings and judgements of God, by which he sought to turn his hearers from delight in wickedness, and to inspire them to love and do good. For Caedmon was a deeply religious man, who humbly submitted to regular disci-pline, and firmly resisted all who tried to do evil, thus winning a happy death. �

The Power of Faith What does Bede mean by a “happy death”?

Big IdeaSummarizing Put the “general sense” of Caedmon’s song into your own words.

Reading Strategy

10. Caedmon’s poetry was translated from one language into another—from Old English to Latin.

11. A reeve is the manager of a manor or farm. 12. An abbess is the head of a convent or monastery.

13. Render means “to express in another form.” 14. [The abbess . . . history.] The abbess is delighted with

Caedmon’s gift and advises him to join the monastery and learn the narratives of the Bible.


AFTER YOU READ

Respond1. After reading the selections, what questions would

you like to ask Bede? Why?

Recall and Interpret2. (a)What arguments convince Edwin to convert to

Christianity? (b)What does Edwin’s reaction to the arguments reveal about his personality?

3. (a)Summarize the analogy, or comparison, made by one of the king’s chief men. (b)What do the sparrow and the storm symbolize?

4. (a)Why does Coifi volunteer to be the first person to profane the shrine? (b)Why might the “common people” be impressed by Coifi’s actions?

5. (a)What is Caedmon’s life like before his dream? (b)How does it change after the dream?

Analyze and Evaluate6. (a)Which of Paulinus’s arguments for conversion

did you find the most convincing? Explain. (b)Which of the arguments by Edwin’s advisers did you find the most convincing? Explain.

7. (a)Analyze the poem that came to Caedmon in his dream. To what is heaven compared? (b)Why is Caedmon’s dream considered to be a miracle?

Connect8. (a)Why was a humble poet such as Caedmon so

revered in his time? (b)Do you think that a poet could be regarded as equally important today? Explain.

9. Big Idea The Power of Faith How do the events in the two excerpts from The Ecclesiastical History portray the power of faith in England during the Anglo-Saxon period?

RESPONDING AND THINKING CRITICALLY

Literary Element Historical NarrativeA historical narrative tells the story of real people and events during a particular time and place. For this reason, a historical narrative contains many details about the period that it describes. These details are intended to present an objective rendering of reality.

1. In your opinion, do the excerpts from Bede’s Ecclesiastical History fit the above definition of a historical narrative? Explain.

2. Although historians try to be objective, they are nevertheless influenced by the time in which they live. What biases, prejudices, or other “blind spots” might have colored Bede’s work?

Listening and SpeakingWith three other students, read aloud the excerpt about the conversion of Edwin. Each student should choose one of these “parts”: Paulinus, Coifi, the unnamed counselor, and the narrator. After rehearsing your parts, do a dramatic reading of the selection for the class.

LITERARY ANALYSIS READING AND VOCABULARY

Reading Strategy SummarizingThe best summaries can easily be understood by some-one who has not read the selection being summarized.

1. What are the main ideas or events in the first excerpt, “The Anglo-Saxons Embrace Christianity”?

2. What are the main ideas and events in the second excerpt, “Caedmon”?

Vocabulary PracticePractice with Word Origins Match each vocabu-lary word with its corresponding Latin root. Use a dictionary for assistance.

1. expound

2. diligently

3. aspire

4. frivolous

a. aspirare, “to breathe upon”

b. frivolus, “of little weight”

c. exponere, “to explain”

d. diligere, “to esteem”

BEDE 89

Web Activities For eFlashcards, Selection Quick Checks, and other Web activities, go to www.glencoe.com.

0082-0089 U1P2APP-845482.indd 890082-0089 U1P2APP-845482.indd 89 1/9/07 12:20:48 PM1/9/07 12:20:48 PM


LITERARY H ISTORY

The Development of English

“One cannot but be impressed by the amazing hospitality of the English language.”

—Robert Burchfield

MODERN ENGLISH BEGAN AS ENGLISC, THE speech of a scattered population of Anglo-Saxon peoples on an island off the European coast. Today, English is a global language spoken by perhaps a billion people around the world. This is largely due to the political power and cultural influence of the British Empire and the United States. However, it is also the result of the simplicity that English grammar has acquired during its long history. Modern English passed through two major stages, Old English and Middle English.

Old English: 450–1150The Anglo-Saxons spoke various Germanic dialects, a mixture of which are the basis of Old English, the form of the English language used from the mid-400s to the early 1100s. To present-day readers of English, Old English looks like a foreign language, as these lines from the Old English epic poem Beowulf show:

Dā cōm of mōre under mist-hleoþumGrendel gongan, Godes yrre bær

(translation)Then out of the marsh, under mist-covered cliffs,Grendel stalked bearing God’s wrath

Old English had a significant effect on Modern English. Although less than one percent of the words—4,500 out of 500,000—in the Oxford English Dictionary are from Old English, these words form our most basic (man, wife, work, Friday, house) and functional (to, for, but, and) vocabulary. One computer analysis revealed that all of the hundred most commonly used English words are of Anglo-Saxon origin.

By the 600s, Christian scribes had further developed English by replacing the ancient Germanic characters known as runes with the Old English alphabet of twenty-four letters. The scribes who transcribed Beowulf around the year 1000 used this alphabet.

Middle English: 1150–1500Between 450 and 1200, Latin, Danish, Old Norse, and Norman French fed the growing English language.After the Norman Conquest in 1066, England’s new aristocracy spoke French. Well-educated people needed to know three languages, however: French for dealing with the nobility or the courts; Latin for the church, business, and scholarship; and English for communication with the majority of the common people. French had a strong influence on English. Many French words were introduced into the

Interior of Scriptorium, School of Segovia. Spanish School. Oil on panel. Museo Lazaro Galdiano, Madrid, Spain.

the Bridgeman Art Library/ Getty Images

0090-0091 U1P2LH-845482.indd 900090-0091 U1P2LH-845482.indd 90 1/29/07 9:00:16 AM1/29/07 9:00:16 AM

LITERARY HISTORY 91

language that was becoming Middle English, and many Old English words were dropped. In fact, French increased the English vocabulary by a staggering 10,000 words, 7,500 of which are still in use. Today, almost half of Modern English’s vocabulary comes from Latin and French. French influence also led to the gradual simplification of English grammar and

RESPONDING AND THINKING CRITICALLY

1. What most surprises you about the development of the English language? Explain.

2. Why do you think Old English remained an important influence on the development of English even after the Norman Conquest?

3. Why do you think the form of Middle English used in the London region became the standard form?

4. In what ways is the passage from The Canterbury Tales more accessible to a modern reader than the passage from Beowulf?

Literary History For more about the development of English, go to www.glencoe.com.

spelling. Middle English slowly developed into a language somewhat similar to the English used today.

Linguistic diversity, however, remained so great during this period that people in one part of England could often not understand people who lived in another part. Over time, the dialect spoken in London—the language in which Geoffrey Chaucer wrote—eventually became the standard. Compare these opening lines of his Canterbury Tales with the passage from Beowulf quoted earlier.

Whan that Aprille with his shoures sooteThe droghte of March hath perced to the roote,And bathed every veyne in swich licourOf which vertu engendred is the flour;Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breethInspired hath in every holt and heethThe tendre croppes, and the yonge sonneHath in the Ram his halve cours yronne,And smale foweles maken melodye,That slepen al the nyght with open ye(So priketh hem nature in hir corages);Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;And specially from every shires endeOf Engelond to Caunterbury they wende,The hooly blisful martir for to seke,That hem hath holpen when that they were seeke.

Illuminated page from St. Luke’s Gospel taken from Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 695.

Getty Images

• Trace the development of the English language. • Connect to historical context of literature.OBJECTIVES

0090-0091 U1P2LH-845482.indd 910090-0091 U1P2LH-845482.indd 91 1/8/07 9:31:52 AM1/8/07 9:31:52 AM

BEFORE YOU READ

from The Canterbury Tales

MEET GEOFFREY CHAUCER

Geoffrey Chaucer has often been called the father of English poetry. In “The Prologue” to The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer presents a portrait gallery virtually unparalleled in English literature. It offers a catalogue of the virtues, vices, and idiosyncrasies of a diverse cross section of medieval English society that still resonates for modern readers.

A Man of the World Chaucer understood how a variety of people spoke and acted. This knowledge proved invaluable to his writing. Chaucer’s father was a prosperous middle-class wine merchant, and the young Chaucer was likely exposed to the colorful banter of the characters who frequented the London docks. Chaucer became a page in the royal house-hold while still a teenager. Despite the lowly duties of the job, such as running errands, the position offered Chaucer exposure to a world of fine manners and high-born people. In 1359 he went to France to fight in the Hundred Years’ War. Taken prisoner, he was ransomed in the following year with money contrib-uted by King Edward himself.

“Although Chaucer’s invented personages are now six hundred years old, they are flesh and blood today; they are, in fact, the people whom we have known all our lives.”

—Louis Untermeyer

Public Servant While in his twenties, Chaucer was made a court official, an appointment that was the start of many years of public service. During his

career, he traveled abroad on diplomatic missions to France, Spain, and Italy and became familiar with the literature and culture of these countries. Thereafter he held a variety of governmental posts.

Despite his busy professional duties, Chaucer man-aged to write a large body of work. His early poetry, influenced by the French medieval tradition, includes the Book of the Duchess and the Roman of the Rose. Later he wrote the Parliament of Fowls and the mas-terful Troilus and Cressida. Chaucer’s most mature writing, crafted while he was in his forties, includes the Legend of Good Women and The Canterbury Tales.

Literary Innovator The Canterbury Tales is con-sidered Chaucer’s masterpiece for several reasons. First, it marks the beginning of a new tradition—Chaucer was the first writer to use English in a major literary work. Before him, literature was composed in French or Latin. Secondly, because The Canterbury Tales focuses on an assortment of people who are thrown together on a journey, it gives a lifelike and engaging picture of the various strata of English society during the 1300s. Finally, it is an outstanding literary achievement. Chaucer created approximately 17,000 lines of vivid poetry that still entertain readers six centuries later.

Geoffrey Chaucer was born about 1342 and died in 1400.

Author Search For more about Geoffrey Chaucer, go to www.glencoe.com.


Initial with a portrait of Chaucer holding a book. English illumination, c.1400.


LITERATURE PREVIEW READING PREVIEW

Connecting to the PoemHave you ever wondered about fellow travelers on a trip and imagined what their lives are like? As you read “The Prologue” to The Canterbury Tales, think about to what extent you can judge a person’s character from his or her profession, appearance, and manners.

Building BackgroundIn The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer uses a frame story, which is a plot structure that includes the telling of a story within a story. The pilgrims’ contest and journey, narrated in “The Prologue,” is the frame story. The vari-ous tales told by the pilgrims on their journey com-prise the stories within the frame.

Chaucer’s English was not the same English that we use today. He wrote in what is now known as Middle English, the language that resulted when Old English was infused with the Old French imported by the Norman invaders. The version of The Canterbury Tales that you will read is a modern English translation. To sample Chaucer’s Middle English, read the famous opening lines of “The Prologue” in the Literary History feature on page 91.

Setting Purposes for Reading Big Idea The Power of FaithAs you read “The Prologue,” note the various ways in which the pilgrims interpret and act upon the require-ments of their religious faith.

Literary Element CharacterizationCharacterization refers to the methods a writer uses to reveal the values and personalities of his or her characters. A writer may make explicit statements about a character or may reveal a character indirectly through well-chosen words, thoughts, and actions.

• See Literary Terms Handbook, p. R3.

Reading Strategy ParaphrasingWhen you paraphrase, you put a text you have read into your own words. Paraphrasing is a useful strategy to help you review the content of complex passages. A paraphrase differs from a summary in that a summary is always shorter than the original, while a paraphrase may be approximately the same length as the original.

Reading Tip: Finding Subjects and Verbs You may find it helpful, especially when paraphrasing long, complex sentences or passages, to search for the simple subject and simple predicate in a sentence. Use a standard sentence diagram to find the subject and predicate of sentences in “The Prologue.”

Vocabulary

solicitous (sə lis� ə təs) adj. full of concern; p. 98 The store owner was especially solicitous toward Helen because her accident occurred on store property.

estimable (es� tə mə bəl) adj. deserving of esteem; admirable; p. 102 The estimable volun-teers raised five thousand dollars.

discreet (dis krēt�) adj. having or showing care-ful judgment in speech and action; prudent; p. 102 The talk show guest was discreet and did not criticize his fellow actors.

disdainful (dis dān� fəl) adj. feeling or showing contempt; scornful; p. 107 Even though he had come from an impoverished background, Robert was often disdainful toward the homeless.

prevarication (pri var� ə kā shən) n. the act of evading the truth; a lie; p. 111 You had better tell the truth; your prevarication will only get you into more trouble.

Vocabulary Tip: Synonyms Words that have the same or nearly the same meaning are called syn-onyms. The words fame and renown, for example, are synonyms. Note that synonyms are always the same part of speech.

GEOFFREY CHAUCER 93

Interactive Literary Elements Handbook To review or learn more about the literary elements, go to www.glencoe.com.

In studying this selection, you will focus on the following:

• analyzing literary periods• analyzing characterization• paraphrasing text

OBJECTIVES



When in April the sweet showers fall And pierce the drought of March to the root, and all The veins are bathed in liquor of such power As brings about the engendering of the flower, 5 When also Zephyrus° with his sweet breath Exhales an air in every grove and heath Upon the tender shoots, and the young sun His half-course in the sign of the Ram° has run, And the small fowl are making melody 10 That sleep away the night with open eye (So nature pricks them and their heart engages) Then people long to go on pilgrimages And palmers° long to seek the stranger strands Of far-off saints, hallowed in sundry° lands, 15 And specially, from every shire’s end Of England, down to Canterbury they wend To seek the holy blissful martyr,° quick To give his help to them when they were sick. It happened in that season that one day 20 In Southwark, at The Tabard,° as I lay Ready to go on pilgrimage and start For Canterbury, most devout at heart, At night there came into that hostelry°

Paraphrasing Paraphrase the opening lines (1–12) that introduce the subject of the poem.

Reading Strategy

Geoffrey ChaucerTranslated by Nevill Coghill

5 Zephyrus (ze� fə rəs): Greek mythological god of the west wind, which brings mild weather.

8 Ram: the constellation Aries and the first sign of the zodiac. Evidence suggests that the pilgrimage began on April 11, 1387.

13 palmers: pilgrims who wore palm leaves as a sign that they had visited the Holy Land.14 hallowed: regarded as sacred or holy. sundry: various.

17 martyr: Thomas à Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, who was murdered in 1170.

20 Southwark (sə� thərk): area just across the river Thames from London; today, part of Greater London. The Tabard (tab� ərd): an inn in Southwark.23 hostelry (hos� təl rē): inn.

First page of the Canterbury Tales. Illuminated manuscript, early 15th century.

akg-images


GEOFFREY CHAUCER 95

38 array: a large grouping or collection.

47 sovereign’s: ruler’s; king’s or queen’s.

51 Alexandria: This and the place names that immediately follow are sites of wide-ranging military campaigns and crusades by medieval Christians against the Muslims and other non-Christians.

62 host: army.

64 jousted: fought in formal combat as part of a knightly tournament.65 lists: the fenced areas where jousts were held.67 Bey of Balat: a Turkish governor.

Some nine and twenty in a company 25 Of sundry folk happening then to fall In fellowship, and they were pilgrims all That towards Canterbury meant to ride. The rooms and stables of the inn were wide; They made us easy, all was of the best. 30 And, briefly, when the sun had gone to rest, I’d spoken to them all upon the trip And was soon one with them in fellowship, Pledged to rise early and to take the way To Canterbury, as you heard me say. 35 But none the less, while I have time and space, Before my story takes a further pace, It seems a reasonable thing to say What their condition was, the full array° Of each of them, as it appeared to me, 40 According to profession and degree, And what apparel they were riding in; And at a Knight I therefore will begin. There was a Knight, a most distinguished man, Who from the day on which he first began 45 To ride abroad had followed chivalry, Truth, honor, generousness and courtesy. He had done nobly in his sovereign’s° war And ridden into battle, no man more, As well in Christian as in heathen places, 50 And ever honored for his noble graces. When we took Alexandria,° he was there. He often sat at table in the chair Of honor, above all nations, when in Prussia. In Lithuania he had ridden, and Russia, 55 No Christian man so often, of his rank. When, in Granada, Algeciras sank Under assault, he had been there, and in North Africa, raiding Benamarin; In Anatolia he had been as well 60 And fought when Ayas and Attalia fell, For all along the Mediterranean coast He had embarked with many a noble host.° In fifteen mortal battles he had been And jousted° for our faith at Tramissen 65 Thrice in the lists,° and always killed his man. This same distinguished knight had led the van Once with the Bey of Balat,° doing work For him against another heathen Turk; He was of sovereign value in all eyes.

Paraphrasing What does the narrator intend to do?Reading Strategy



70 And though so much distinguished, he was wise And in his bearing modest as a maid. He never yet a boorish° thing had said In all his life to any, come what might; He was a true, a perfect gentle-knight. 75 Speaking of his equipment, he possessed Fine horses, but he was not gaily dressed. He wore a fustian° tunic stained and dark With smudges where his armor had left mark; Just home from service, he had joined our ranks 80 To do his pilgrimage and render thanks. He had his son with him, a fine young Squire, A lover and cadet, a lad of fire With locks as curly as if they had been pressed. He was some twenty years of age, I guessed. 85 In stature he was of a moderate length, With wonderful agility and strength. He’d seen some service with the cavalry In Flanders and Artois and Picardy° And had done valiantly in little space 90 Of time, in hope to win his lady’s grace. He was embroidered like a meadow bright And full of freshest flowers, red and white. Singing he was, or fluting all the day;

72 boorish: crude; bad-mannered.

77 fustian: coarse, heavy fabric of cotton and linen.

88 Flanders . . . Picardy: historic regions of Belgium, Holland, and northern France.

Characterization How does the Squire’s character differ from that of the Knight?

Literary Element

Characterization What qualities does the speaker admire in the Knight?

Literary Element

The Pilgrimage to Canterbury, 1806–1807. Thomas Stothard. Oil on wood, 31.8 x 95.2 cm. Tate Gallery, London.

Thomas Stothard, Tate Gallery, London/Art Resource, NY


GEOFFREY CHAUCER 97

He was as fresh as is the month of May. 95 Short was his gown, the sleeves were long and wide; He knew the way to sit a horse and ride. He could make songs and poems and recite, Knew how to joust and dance, to draw and write. He loved so hotly that till dawn grew pale 100 He slept as little as a nightingale. Courteous he was, lowly and serviceable, And carved to serve his father at the table. There was a Yeoman° with him at his side, No other servant; so he chose to ride. 105 This Yeoman wore a coat and hood of green, And peacock-feathered arrows, bright and keen And neatly sheathed, hung at his belt the while —For he could dress his gear in yeoman style, His arrows never drooped their feathers low— 110 And in his hand he bore a mighty bow. His head was like a nut, his face was brown. He knew the whole of woodcraft up and down. A saucy brace° was on his arm to ward It from the bow-string, and a shield and sword 115 Hung at one side, and at the other slipped A jaunty dirk,° spear-sharp and well-equipped. A medal of St. Christopher° he wore Of shining silver on his breast, and bore A hunting-horn, well slung and burnished clean, 120 That dangled from a baldrick° of bright green. He was a proper forester, I guess. There also was a Nun, a Prioress,° Her way of smiling very simple and coy. Her greatest oath was only “By St. Loy!”° 125 And she was known as Madam Eglantyne.

103 Yeoman (yō� mən): nobleman’s attendant.

113 brace: leather guard worn on the archer’s forearm.

116 dirk: a small dagger.

117 St. Christopher: patron saint of travelers.

120 baldrick: shoulder belt.

122 Prioress: the nun ranking next below the head nun in an abbey.124 St. Loy: St. Eligius, patron saint of goldsmiths and jewelers, known for his good looks and sumptuous attire.

Viewing the Art: Which of the characters in the painting match the descriptions of the pilgrims given in the poem? What mood is suggested by the pilgrims’ expressions and stances?



And well she sang a service,° with a fine Intoning through her nose, as was most seemly, And she spoke daintily in French, extremely, After the school of Stratford-atte-Bowe;° 130 French in the Paris style she did not know. At meat her manners were well taught withal; No morsel from her lips did she let fall, Nor dipped her fingers in the sauce too deep; But she could carry a morsel up and keep 135 The smallest drop from falling on her breast. For courtliness she had a special zest, And she would wipe her upper lip so clean That not a trace of grease was to be seen Upon the cup when she had drunk; to eat, 140 She reached a hand sedately for the meat. She certainly was very entertaining, Pleasant and friendly in her ways, and straining To counterfeit a courtly kind of grace, A stately bearing fitting to her place, 145 And to seem dignified in all her dealings. As for her sympathies and tender feelings, She was so charitably solicitous She used to weep if she but saw a mouse Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bleeding. 150 And she had little dogs she would be feeding With roasted flesh, or milk, or fine white bread. And bitterly she wept if one were dead Or someone took a stick and made it smart; She was all sentiment and tender heart. 155 Her veil was gathered in a seemly way, Her nose was elegant, her eyes glass-gray; Her mouth was very small, but soft and red, Her forehead, certainly, was fair of spread, Almost a span° across the brows, I own; 160 She was indeed by no means undergrown. Her cloak, I noticed, had a graceful charm. She wore a coral trinket on her arm, A set of beads, the gaudies° tricked in green, Whence hung a golden brooch of brightest sheen 165 On which there first was graven a crowned A,

126 service: daily prayers.

129 Stratford-atte-Bowe: a nunnery near London where provincial, rather than courtly, French was taught.

159 span: nine inches. A broad forehead was a sign of beauty in Chaucer’s day.

163 gaudies: large beads used in counting prayers.

Characterization What is your opinion of the Prioress’s “charity” toward animals? Explain.

Literary Element

solicitous (sə lis� ə təs) adj. full of concern

Vocabulary

The Power of Faith Does the Prioress conform to your conception of a high-ranking member of the church? Explain.

Big Idea


GEOFFREY CHAUCER 99

And lower, Amor vincit omnia.° Another Nun, the secretary at her cell, Was riding with her, and three Priests as well. A Monk there was, one of the finest sort 170 Who rode the country; hunting was his sport. A manly man, to be an Abbot° able; Many a dainty horse he had in stable. His bridle, when he rode, a man might hear Jingling in a whistling wind as clear, 175 Aye, and as loud as does the chapel bell Where my lord Monk was Prior of the cell.° The Rule of good St. Benet or St. Maur° As old and strict he tended to ignore; He let go by the things of yesterday 180 And took the modern world’s more spacious way. He did not rate that text at a plucked hen Which says that hunters are not holy men And that a monk uncloistered° is a mere Fish out of water, flapping on the pier, 185 That is to say a monk out of his cloister. That was a text he held not worth an oyster; And I agreed and said his views were sound; Was he to study till his head went round Poring over books in cloisters? Must he toil 190 As Austin° bade and till the very soil? Was he to leave the world upon the shelf? Let Austin have his labor to himself. This Monk was therefore a good man to horse; Greyhounds he had, as swift as birds, to course.° 195 Hunting a hare or riding at a fence Was all his fun, he spared for no expense. I saw his sleeves were garnished at the hand With fine grey fur, the finest in the land, And on his hood, to fasten it at his chin

166 Amor vincit omnia (a�� mo� ŕ win´ kit o�m� nē ə): Latin for “Love conquers all.”

171 Abbot: the head of a monastery.

176 Prior of the cell: head of a subordinate monastery.177 St. Benet or St. Maur: French versions of St. Benedict, who established the rules of European monasticism, and St. Maurus, one of his followers. Monastic life is governed by strict rules requiring poverty, chastity, and obedience.

183 uncloistered: not cloistered, or retired or secluded from the world, as most monks were.

190 Austin: English version of St. Augustine (A.D. 354–430), church father who instructed monks to avoid idleness by performing manual labor.

194 to course: for hunting.

Bird’s eye view of Canterbury. Georg Braun and Franz Hogenberg. Copper engraving. Civitates Orbis Terrarum, Cologne, Germany.

akg-images



200 He had a wrought-gold cunningly fashioned pin; Into a lover’s knot it seemed to pass. His head was bald and shone like looking-glass; So did his face, as if it had been greased. He was a fat and personable priest; 205 His prominent eyeballs never seemed to settle. They glittered like the flames beneath a kettle; Supple his boots, his horse in fine condition. He was a prelate° fit for exhibition, He was not pale like a tormented soul. 210 He liked a fat swan best, and roasted whole. His palfrey° was as brown as is a berry. There was a Friar, a wanton° one and merry, A Limiter,° a very festive fellow. In all Four Orders° there was none so mellow, 215 So glib with gallant phrase and well-turned speech. He’d fixed up many a marriage, giving each Of his young women what he could afford her. He was a noble pillar to his Order. Highly beloved and intimate was he 220 With County folk° within his boundary, And city dames of honor and possessions; For he was qualified to hear confessions, Or so he said, with more than priestly scope; He had a special license from the Pope. 225 Sweetly he heard his penitents at shrift° With pleasant absolution,° for a gift. He was an easy man in penance-giving Where he could hope to make a decent living; It’s a sure sign whenever gifts are given 230 To a poor Order that a man’s well shriven,° And should he give enough he knew in verity The penitent repented in sincerity. For many a fellow is so hard of heart He cannot weep, for all his inward smart. 235 Therefore instead of weeping and of prayer One should give silver for a poor Friar’s care. He kept his tippet° stuffed with pins for curls, And pocket-knives, to give to pretty girls. And certainly his voice was gay and sturdy, 240 For he sang well and played the hurdy-gurdy.° At sing-songs he was champion of the hour. His neck was whiter than a lily-flower

208 prelate: high-ranking clergyman.

211 palfrey: a horse that is saddled and ready for riding.212 wanton: lively, but here, also meaning morally lax.213 Limiter: friar licensed to beg in a certain district.214 Four Orders: referring to the four religious orders in which friars lived by begging: Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians.

220 County folk: the wealthy and socially prominent rural landowners.

225 shrift: confession.

226 absolution: formal forgiveness.

230 well shriven: completely forgiven, through confession, of his sins.

237 tippet: hood.

240 hurdy-gurdy: stringed instrument played by turning a hand crank.

Paraphrasing Paraphrase the Monk’s philosophy of life.

Reading Strategy

The Power of Faith How does the Friar represent the corruption in the medieval church?

Big Idea


GEOFFREY CHAUCER 101

But strong enough to butt a bruiser down. He knew the taverns well in every town 245 And every innkeeper and barmaid too Better than lepers, beggars and that crew, For in so eminent a man as he It was not fitting with the dignity Of his position, dealing with a scum 250 Of wretched lepers; nothing good can come Of commerce with such slum-and-gutter dwellers, But only with the rich and victual-sellers. But anywhere a profit might accrue Courteous he was and lowly of service too. 255 Natural gifts like his were hard to match. He was the finest beggar of his batch, And, for his begging-district, paid a rent; His brethren did no poaching where he went. For though a widow mightn’t have a shoe, 260 So pleasant was his holy how-d’ye-do He got his farthing° from her just the same Before he left, and so his income came To more than he laid out. And how he romped, Just like a puppy! He was ever prompt 265 To arbitrate disputes on settling days° (For a small fee) in many helpful ways, Not then appearing as your cloistered scholar With threadbare habit hardly worth a dollar, But much more like a Doctor or a Pope. 270 Of double-worsted was the semi-cope° Upon his shoulders, and the swelling fold About him, like a bell about its mold When it is casting, rounded out his dress. He lisped a little out of wantonness 275 To make his English sweet upon his tongue. When he had played his harp, or having sung, His eyes would twinkle in his head as bright As any star upon a frosty night. This worthy’s name was Hubert, it appeared. 280 There was a Merchant with a forking beard And motley° dress; high on his horse he sat, Upon his head a Flemish° beaver hat And on his feet daintily buckled boots. He told of his opinions and pursuits 285 In solemn tones, he harped on his increase Of capital; there should be sea-police (He thought) upon the Harwich-Holland ranges;° He was expert at dabbling in exchanges.

261 farthing: old British coin.265 settling days: days on which disputes could be settled out of court.270 semi-cope: short robe. A robe made of double worsted, a fine woolen fabric, would be a luxury unsuitable for a friar.

281 motley: many-colored or varied.

282 Flemish: from Flanders, a region of northwestern Europe.

287 Harwich-Holland ranges: North Sea shipping lanes between Harwich (har� ij), an English port, and Holland.

The Power of Faith How does the Friar misuse his position and power within the church?

Big Idea

The Monk, c.15th century. Facsimile of Ellesmere Chaucer illuminated manuscript. The Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

By courtesy of The Board of Trustees of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London/ET Archive, London/SuperStock



This estimable Merchant so had set 290 His wits to work, none knew he was in debt, He was so stately in administration, In loans and bargains and negotiation. He was an excellent fellow all the same; To tell the truth I do not know his name. 295 An Oxford Cleric, still a student though, One who had taken logic long ago, Was there; his horse was thinner than a rake, And he was not too fat, I undertake, But had a hollow look, a sober stare; 300 The thread upon his overcoat was bare. He had found no preferment° in the church And he was too unworldly to make search For secular employment. By his bed He preferred having twenty books in red 305 And black, of Aristotle’s° philosophy, Than costly clothes, fiddle or psaltery.° Though a philosopher, as I have told, He had not found the stone for making gold.° Whatever money from his friends he took 310 He spent on learning or another book And prayed for them most earnestly, returning Thanks to them thus for paying for his learning. His only care was study, and indeed He never spoke a word more than was need, 315 Formal at that, respectful in the extreme, Short, to the point, and lofty in his theme. A tone of moral virtue filled his speech And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach. A Sergeant at the Law° who paid his calls, 320 Wary and wise, for clients at St. Paul’s° There also was, of noted excellence. Discreet he was, a man to reverence,° Or so he seemed, his sayings were so wise. He often had been Justice of Assize° 325 By letters patent,° and in full commission. His fame and learning and his high position

301 preferment: position; sponsorship.

305 Aristotle’s: referring to the Greek philosopher (384–322 B.C.).306 psaltery (so�l� tər ē): stringed musical instrument played by plucking.308 stone . . . gold: Medieval alchemists believed that there existed a “philosopher’s stone” capable of turning ordinary metals into gold.

319 Sergeant at the Law: lawyer appointed by the king to serve as a judge.320 St. Paul’s: London cathedral outside which lawyers often met clients when the courts were closed.322 reverence: respect deeply.

324 Assize: traveling law court.

325 letters patent: royal documents commissioning Assize judges.

Characterization How does the character of the Cleric contrast with that of the Friar?

Literary Element

Characterization How is the Merchant character-ized as a hypocrite?

Literary Element

estimable (es�tə mə bəl) adj. deserving of esteem; admirablediscreet (dis krēt�) adj. having or showing careful judgment in speech and action; prudent

Vocabulary



Had won him many a robe and many a fee. There was no such conveyancer° as he; All was fee-simple° to his strong digestion, 330 Not one conveyance could be called in question. Though there was nowhere one so busy as he, He was less busy than he seemed to be. He knew of every judgment, case and crime Ever recorded since King William’s° time. 335 He could dictate defenses or draft deeds; No one could pinch a comma from his screeds° And he knew every statute off by rote. He wore a homely parti-colored coat, Girt with a silken belt of pin-stripe stuff; 340 Of his appearance I have said enough. There was a Franklin° with him, it appeared; White as a daisy-petal was his beard. A sanguine° man, high-colored and benign,° He loved a morning sop° of cake in wine. 345 He lived for pleasure and had always done, For he was Epicurus’° very son, In whose opinion sensual delight Was the one true felicity in sight. As noted as St. Julian° was for bounty 350 He made his household free to all the County. His bread, his ale were finest of the fine And no one had a better stock of wine. His house was never short of bake-meat pies, Of fish and flesh, and these in such supplies 355 It positively snowed with meat and drink And all the dainties that a man could think. According to the seasons of the year Changes of dish were ordered to appear. He kept fat partridges in coops, beyond, 360 Many a bream and pike° were in his pond. Woe to the cook unless the sauce was hot And sharp, or if he wasn’t on the spot! And in his hall a table stood arrayed And ready all day long, with places laid. 365 As Justice at the Sessions none stood higher;° He often had been Member for the Shire.° A dagger and a little purse of silk Hung at his girdle, white as morning milk. As Sheriff° he checked audit, every entry. 370 He was a model among landed gentry. A Haberdasher,° a Dyer, a Carpenter, A Weaver and a Carpet-maker were

328 conveyancer: The Sergeant specializes in land sales and leases as well as property disputes.329 fee-simple: property owned outright.

334 King William’s: referring to William the Conqueror, king of England from 1066 to 1087.336 screeds: long, tiresome writings.

341 Franklin: wealthy landowner.

343 sanguine: cheerful; optimistic. benign: of a kind or gentle disposition.344 sop: piece.

346 Epicurus’: referring to the Greek philosopher (341?–270 b.c.) who taught that the goal of life was real and enduring pleasure, in the sense of peace of mind—a view of pleasure commonly mischaracterized as mere gratification of physical appetites.349 St. Julian: patron saint of hospitality.360 bream and pike: kinds of fishes.365 Justice . . . higher: When a justice of the peace heard a case, he was the presiding judge.366 Member . . . Shire: representative of his county in Parliament.369 Sheriff: royal tax collector.371 Haberdasher: one who sells men’s clothing.

Paraphrasing What motivates the Franklin? Paraphrase lines 345–348.

Reading Strategy

The Man of Law, (detail from The Canterbury Tales), 15th century. English School. Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, CA.

PrivateCollection/Bridgeman Art Library



Among our ranks, all in the livery Of one impressive guild-fraternity.° 375 They were so trim and fresh their gear would pass For new. Their knives were not tricked out with brass But wrought with purest silver, which avouches A like display on girdles and on pouches. Each seemed a worthy burgess,° fit to grace 380 A guild-hall with a seat upon the dais. Their wisdom would have justified a plan To make each one of them an alderman;° They had the capital and revenue, Besides their wives declared it was their due. 385 And if they did not think so, then they ought; To be called “Madam” is a glorious thought, And so is going to church and being seen Having your mantle° carried, like a queen. They had a Cook with them who stood alone 390 For boiling chicken with a marrow-bone, Sharp flavoring-powder and a spice for savor. He could distinguish London ale by flavor, And he could roast and seethe and broil and fry, Make good thick soup and bake a tasty pie. 395 But what a pity—so it seemed to me, That he should have an ulcer° on his knee. As for blancmange,° he made it with the best. There was a Skipper hailing from far west; He came from Dartmouth, so I understood. 400 He rode a farmer’s horse as best he could, In a woolen gown that reached his knee. A dagger on a lanyard falling free Hung from his neck under his arm and down. The summer heat had tanned his color brown, 405 And certainly he was an excellent fellow. Many a draught of vintage, red and yellow, He’d drawn at Bordeaux,° while the trader snored. The nicer rules of conscience he ignored. If, when he fought, the enemy vessel sank, 410 He sent his prisoners home; they walked the plank. As for his skill in reckoning his tides, Currents and many another risk besides, Moons, harbors, pilots, he had such dispatch That none from Hull to Carthage° was his match. 415 Hardy he was, prudent in undertaking; His beard in many a tempest had its shaking, And he knew all the havens as they were From Gottland to the Cape of Finisterre,

373–374 livery . . . guild-fraternity: The five tradesmen all belong to the same fraternal trade organization and wear its livery, or identifying uniform.

379 burgess: citizen or freeman of a British borough; townsman.

382 alderman: high-ranking member of the town council.388 mantle: cloak; cape.396 ulcer: open sore.397 blancmange (blə ma�nj�): white pudding made of milk, rice, and seasonings.

407 vintage . . . Bordeaux: Bordeaux (bo�r dō�), France, was famous for its red and white (here, “yellow”) wine.

414 Hull to Carthage: These and the place names that immediately follow indicate how widely the Skipper has traveled.

Characterization Given this information, how is line 405 ironic?

Literary Element

The Physician, (detail from The Canterbury Tales). Private Collection.

PrivateCollection/Bridgeman Art Library



And every creek in Brittany and Spain; 420 The barge he owned was called The Maudelayne. A Doctor too emerged as we proceeded; No one alive could talk as well as he did On points of medicine and of surgery, For, being grounded in astronomy,° 425 He watched his patient closely for the hours When, by his horoscope, he knew the powers Of favorable planets, then ascendent, Worked on the images for his dependent. The cause of every malady you’d got 430 He knew, and whether dry, cold, moist or hot;° He knew their seat, their humor and condition. He was a perfect practicing physician. These causes being known for what they were, He gave the man his medicine then and there. 435 All his apothecaries° in a tribe Were ready with the drugs he would prescribe And each made money from the other’s guile;° They had been friendly for a goodish while. He was well-versed in Aesculapius° too 440 And what Hippocrates and Rufus knew And Dioscorides, now dead and gone, Galen and Rhazes, Hali, Serapion, Averroes, Avicenna, Constantine, Scotch Bernard, John of Gaddesden, Gilbertine. 445 In his own diet he observed some measure; There were no superfluities for pleasure, Only digestives, nutritives and such. He did not read the Bible very much. In blood-red garments, slashed with bluish gray 450 And lined with taffeta, he rode his way; Yet he was rather close as to expenses And kept the gold he won in pestilences.° Gold stimulates the heart, or so we’re told. He therefore had a special love of gold. 455 A worthy woman from beside Bath° city Was with us, somewhat deaf, which was a pity. In making cloth she showed so great a bent She bettered those of Ypres and of Ghent.° In all the parish not a dame dared stir 460 Towards the altar steps in front of her, And if indeed they did, so wrath was she As to be quite put out of charity. Her kerchiefs were of finely woven ground;° I dared have sworn they weighed a good ten pound,

424 astronomy: in Chaucer’s day, astrology. The planets’ positions supposedly determined the best time to treat a patient.

430 dry, cold, moist or hot: In Chaucer’s day people believed that the body was composed of four elements: earth (said to be dry and cold), water (cold and moist), air (hot and moist), and fire (hot and dry). Excess of one element could lead to illness.435 apothecaries: druggists.

437 guile: cunning; deceit; slyness.

439 Aesculapius (eś kyə lā� pē əs): This and the names that immediately follow identify medical experts from ancient times to Chaucer’s day.

452 pestilences: plagues.

455 Bath: city in southwestern England.

458 Ypres (ē� prə) . . . Ghent: Flemish cities known for weaving and wool making.

463 ground: a composite fabric.

Characterization What information in lines 435–454 about the Doctor contradicts the characterization in line 432?

Literary Element



465 The ones she wore on Sunday, on her head. Her hose were of the finest scarlet red And gartered tight; her shoes were soft and new. Bold was her face, handsome, and red in hue. A worthy woman all her life, what’s more 470 She’d had five husbands, all at the church door, Apart from other company in youth; No need just now to speak of that, forsooth. And she had thrice been to Jerusalem,° Seen many strange rivers and passed over them; 475 She’d been to Rome and also to Boulogne, St. James of Compostella and Cologne, And she was skilled in wandering by the way. She had gap-teeth, set widely, truth to say. Easily on an ambling horse she sat 480 Well wimpled° up, and on her head a hat As broad as is a buckler° or a shield; She had a flowing mantle that concealed Large hips, her heels spurred sharply under that. In company she liked to laugh and chat 485 And knew the remedies for love’s mischances, An art in which she knew the oldest dances. A holy-minded man of good renown There was, and poor, the Parson to a town, Yet he was rich in holy thought and work. 490 He also was a learned man, a clerk, Who truly knew Christ’s gospel and would preach it Devoutly to parishioners, and teach it. Benign and wonderfully diligent, And patient when adversity was sent 495 (For so he proved in much adversity) He hated cursing to extort a fee, Nay rather he preferred beyond a doubt Giving to poor parishioners round about Both from church offerings and his property; 500 He could in little find sufficiency.° Wide was his parish, with houses far asunder, Yet he neglected not in rain or thunder, In sickness or in grief, to pay a call On the remotest, whether great or small, 505 Upon his feet, and in his hand a stave. This noble example to his sheep he gave That first he wrought, and afterwards he taught;

473 Jerusalem: This and the place names immediately following were famous pilgrimage sites during the Middle Ages.

480 wimpled: A wimple is a cloth that covers the head and neck.481 buckler: small round shield.

500 He . . . sufficiency: He required little to satisfy his own needs..

Characterization What qualifies the Wife of Bath as an expert on love?

Literary Element

The Power of Faith How were religion and traveling linked in the Middle Ages?

Big Idea

The Parson, detail from The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer, c.1342–1400. English School. Vellum. Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, CA.

Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, CA, USA/Bridgeman Art Library



And it was from the Gospel he had caught Those words, and he would add this figure too, 510 That if gold rust, what then will iron do? For if a priest be foul in whom we trust No wonder that a common man should rust;

The true example that a priest should give Is one of cleanness, how the sheep should live. 515 He did not set his benefice to hire° And leave his sheep encumbered in the mire Or run to London to earn easy bread By singing masses for the wealthy dead, Or find some Brotherhood and get enrolled. 520 He stayed at home and watched over his fold So that no wolf should make the sheep miscarry. He was a shepherd and no mercenary. Holy and virtuous he was, but then Never contemptuous of sinful men, 525 Never disdainful, never too proud or fine, But was discreet in teaching and benign. His business was to show a fair behavior And draw men thus to Heaven and their Savior, Unless indeed a man were obstinate; 530 And such, whether of high or low estate, He put to sharp rebuke, to say the least. I think there never was a better priest. He sought no pomp or glory in his dealings, No scrupulosity° had spiced his feelings. 535 Christ and His Twelve Apostles and their lore He taught, but followed it himself before. There was a Plowman with him there, his brother; Many a load of dung one time or other He must have carted through the morning dew. 540 He was an honest worker, good and true, Living in peace and perfect charity, And, as the gospel bade him, so did he, Loving God best with all his heart and mind And then his neighbor as himself, repined 545 At no misfortune, slacked for no content, For steadily about his work he went

515 set . . . hire: pay someone else to perform clerical duties.

534 scrupulosity: here, overly careful attention to social niceties.

disdainful (dis dān� fəl) adj. feeling or showing contempt; scornful

Vocabulary

Characterization How does this proverb contrast the Parson’s character with that of other clerics, such as the Monk and the Friar?

Literary Element

The Power of Faith How does the Plowman demonstrate the ideals of the Christian religion?

Big Idea



To thrash his corn, to dig or to manure Or make a ditch; and he would help the poor For love of Christ and never take a penny 550 If he could help it, and, as prompt as any, He paid his tithes° in full when they were due On what he owned, and on his earnings too. He wore a tabard smock° and rode a mare. There was a Reeve,° also a Miller, there, 555 A College Manciple from the Inns of Court,° A papal Pardoner and, in close consort,° A Church-Court Summoner,° riding at a trot, And finally myself—that was the lot. The Miller was a chap of sixteen stone,° 560 A great stout fellow big in brawn and bone. He did well out of them, for he could go And win the ram at any wrestling show. Broad, knotty and short-shouldered, he would boast He could heave any door off hinge and post, 565 Or take a run and break it with his head. His beard, like any sow or fox, was red And broad as well, as though it were a spade; And, at its very tip, his nose displayed A wart on which there stood a tuft of hair 570 Red as the bristles in an old sow’s ear. His nostrils were as black as they were wide. He had a sword and buckler at his side, His mighty mouth was like a furnace door. A wrangler and buffoon, he had a store 575 Of tavern stories, filthy in the main. His was a master-hand at stealing grain. He felt it with his thumb and thus he knew Its quality and took three times his due— A thumb of gold, by God, to gauge an oat! 580 He wore a hood of blue and a white coat. He liked to play his bagpipes up and down And that was how he brought us out of town. The Manciple came from the Inner Temple;° All caterers might follow his example 585 In buying victuals; he was never rash Whether he bought on credit or paid cash. He used to watch the market most precisely And got in first, and so he did quite nicely. Now isn’t it a marvel of God’s grace 590 That an illiterate fellow can outpace The wisdom of a heap of learned men? His masters—he had more than thirty then—

551 tithes (t �̄ thz): offerings made to the church consisting of one-tenth of a person’s income.553 tabard smock: loose jacket of heavy fabric.554 Reeve: manager of a landowner’s estate.555 Manciple . . . Court: administrator in charge of providing food for the lawyers who lived and trained at London’s Inns of Court.556 Pardoner: church employee licensed by the pope to dispense papal pardons, which released people from punishment for sins, and to collect money for church charities. consort: accompaniment.557 Summoner: layman charged with summoning sinners before a church court.559 sixteen stone: 224 pounds. A stone is a British unit of weight equal to 14 pounds.

583 Inner Temple: one of the four Inns of Court.

The Friar, detail from The Canterbury Tales. 15th century. English School. Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, CA.

Characterization Given the characterization of the Miller, what sort of tale would you expect him to tell when his time comes?

Literary Element

Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, CA/Bridgeman Art Library



All versed in the abstrusest° legal knowledge, Could have produced a dozen from their College 595 Fit to be stewards in land and rents and game To any Peer° in England you could name, And show him how to live on what he had Debt-free (unless of course the Peer were mad) Or be as frugal as he might desire, 600 And make them fit to help about the Shire In any legal case there was to try; And yet this Manciple could wipe their eye.° The Reeve was old and choleric° and thin; His beard was shaven closely to the skin, 605 His shorn hair came abruptly to a stop Above his ears, and he was docked on top Just like a priest in front; his legs were lean, Like sticks they were, no calf was to be seen. He kept his bins and garners° very trim; 610 No auditor could gain a point on him. And he could judge by watching drought and rain The yield he might expect from seed and grain. His master’s sheep, his animals and hens, Pigs, horses, dairies, stores and cattle-pens 615 Were wholly trusted to his government. He had been under contract to present The accounts, right from his master’s earliest years. No one had ever caught him in arrears. No bailiff, serf or herdsman dared to kick, 620 He knew their dodges, knew their every trick; Feared like the plague he was, by those beneath. He had a lovely dwelling on a heath, Shadowed in green by trees above the sward.° A better hand at bargains than his lord, 625 He had grown rich and had a store of treasure Well tucked away, yet out it came to pleasure His lord with subtle loans or gifts of goods, To earn his thanks and even coats and hoods. When young he’d learnt a useful trade and still 630 He was a carpenter of first-rate skill. The stallion-cob he rode at a slow trot Was dapple-gray and bore the name of Scot. He wore an overcoat of bluish shade And rather long; he had a rusty blade 635 Slung at his side. He came, as I heard tell, From Norfolk, near a place called Baldeswell. His coat was tucked under his belt and splayed. He rode the hindmost of our cavalcade.

593 abstrusest: hardest to understand.

596 stewards . . . To any Peer: estate managers for any nobleman.

602 wipe their eye: get the better of or outdo them.603 choleric: easily irritated or angered.

609 garners: buildings for storing grain.

623 sward: grassland; lawn.

Paraphrasing Paraphrase Chaucer’s description of the Reeve in lines 603–638.

Reading Strategy



There was a Summoner with us at that Inn, 640 His face on fire, like a cherubin,° For he had carbuncles.° His eyes were narrow, He was as hot and lecherous as a sparrow. Black scabby brows he had, and a thin beard. Children were afraid when he appeared. 645 No quicksilver, lead ointment, tartar creams, No brimstone, no boracic,° so it seems, Could make a salve that had the power to bite, Clean up or cure his whelks° of knobby white Or purge the pimples sitting on his cheeks. 650 Garlic he loved, and onions too, and leeks, And drinking strong red wine till all was hazy. Then he would shout and jabber as if crazy, And wouldn’t speak a word except in Latin When he was drunk, such tags° as he was pat in; 655 He only had a few, say two or three, That he had mugged up° out of some decree; No wonder, for he heard them every day. And, as you know, a man can teach a jay° To call out “Walter” better than the Pope. 660 But had you tried to test his wits and grope For more, you’d have found nothing in the bag. Then “Questio quid juris”° was his tag. He was a noble varlet° and a kind one, You’d meet none better if you went to find one.

665 He and a gentle Pardoner rode together, A bird from Charing Cross° of the same feather, Just back from visiting the Court of Rome. He loudly sang “Come hither, love, come home!” The Summoner sang deep seconds to this song, 670 No trumpet ever sounded half so strong. This Pardoner had hair as yellow as wax, Hanging down smoothly like a hank of flax. In driblets fell his locks behind his head Down to his shoulders which they overspread; 675 Thinly they fell, like rat-tails, one by one. He wore no hood upon his head, for fun; The hood inside his wallet° had been stowed, He aimed at riding in the latest mode; But for a little cap his head was bare 680 And he had bulging eye-balls, like a hare. He’d sewed a holy relic° on his cap; His wallet lay before him on his lap, Brimful of pardons come from Rome, all hot.

640 cherubin: one of the angels who, in medieval art, usually had flame-colored faces.641 carbuncles: large pimples and patches of red skin, often seen as a sign of lechery or drunkenness in Chaucer’s time.

645–646 quicksilver . . . boracic: medieval skin medicines.

648 whelks: pustules.

654 tags: brief quotations.

656 mugged up: memorized.

658 jay: a bird that can be taught to mimic human speech but cannot understand what it says.

662 Questio quid juris: Latin for “The question is, what point of the law applies?”663 varlet: rascal.

666 Charing Cross: district of London.

677 wallet: pack; knapsack.

681 relic: an object cherished for its association with a saint or holy person.

Paraphrasing What does the speaker say about the Summoner’s knowledge and intelligence? Paraphrase lines 660–662.

Reading Strategy



He had the same small voice a goat has got. 685 His chin no beard had harbored, nor would harbor, Smoother than ever chin was left by barber. I judge he was a gelding, or a mare. As to his trade, from Berwick down to Ware There was no pardoner of equal grace, 690 For in his trunk he had a pillow-case Which he asserted was Our Lady’s veil. He said he had a gobbet° of the sail St. Peter had the time when he made bold To walk the waves, till Jesu Christ took hold.° 695 He had a cross of metal set with stones And, in a glass, a rubble of pigs’ bones. And with these relics, any time he found Some poor up-country parson to astound, In one short day, in money down, he drew 700 More than the parson in a month or two, And by his flatteries and prevarication Made monkeys of the priest and congregation. But still to do him justice first and last In church he was a noble ecclesiast.° 705 How well he read a lesson or told a story! But best of all he sang an Offertory,° For well he knew that when that song was sung He’d have to preach and tune his honey-tongue And (well he could) win silver from the crowd. 710 That’s why he sang so merrily and loud.

Now I have told you shortly, in a clause, The rank, the array, the number and the cause Of our assembly in this company In Southwark, at that high-class hostelry 715 Known as The Tabard, close beside The Bell.° And now the time has come for me to tell How we behaved that evening; I’ll begin After we had alighted at the Inn, Then I’ll report our journey, stage by stage, 720 All the remainder of our pilgrimage. But first I beg of you, in courtesy, Not to condemn me as unmannerly If I speak plainly and with no concealings

692 gobbet: large piece.

693–694 St. Peter . . . hold: In the Christian Bible (Matthew 14: 29–31), Jesus extended a helping hand to Peter when Peter walked on the water and became afraid.

704 ecclesiast (i klē� zē əst́ ): clergyman.

706 Offertory: song accompanying the collection of the offering in church.

715 The Bell: another inn.

prevarication (pri vaŕ ə kā� shən) n. the act of evading the truth; a lie

Vocabulary

The Power of Faith How does the Pardoner abuse his holy office and take advantage of the religious faith of his victims?

Big Idea

Paraphrasing Paraphrase the speaker’s disclaimer in lines 721–723.

Reading Strategy

Jupiter Images



735 broad: bluntly; plainly.

736 scurrility: coarseness; indecency.

737 Plato: Greek philosopher (427?–347? b.c.).745 victuals (vit� əlz): food.748 marshal in a hall: a manager in charge of making the arrangements for a banquet.

750 Cheapside: in Chaucer’s day, London’s main business district.

766 St. Thomas: here, St. Thomas à Becket.

And give account of all their words and dealings, 725 Using their very phrases as they fell. For certainly, as you all know so well, He who repeats a tale after a man Is bound to say, as nearly as he can, Each single word, if he remembers it, 730 However rudely spoken or unfit, Or else the tale he tells will be untrue, The things pretended and the phrases new. He may not flinch although it were his brother, He may as well say one word as another. 735 And Christ Himself spoke broad° in Holy Writ, Yet there is no scurrility° in it, And Plato° says, for those with power to read, “The word should be as cousin to the deed.” Further I beg you to forgive it me 740 If I neglect the order and degree And what is due to rank in what I’ve planned. I’m short of wit as you will understand. Our Host gave us great welcome; everyone Was given a place and supper was begun. 745 He served the finest victuals° you could think, The wine was strong and we were glad to drink. A very striking man our Host withal, And fit to be a marshal in a hall.° His eyes were bright, his girth a little wide; 750 There is no finer burgess in Cheapside.° Bold in his speech, yet wise and full of tact, There was no manly attribute he lacked, What’s more he was a merry-hearted man. After our meal he jokingly began 755 To talk of sport, and, among other things After we’d settled up our reckonings, He said as follows: “Truly, gentlemen, You’re very welcome and I can’t think when —Upon my word I’m telling you no lie— 760 I’ve seen a gathering here that looked so spry, No, not this year, as in this tavern now. I’d think you up some fun if I knew how. And, as it happens, a thought has just occurred To please you, costing nothing, on my word. 765 You’re off to Canterbury—well, God speed! Blessed St. Thomas° answer to your need! And I don’t doubt, before the journey’s done You mean to while the time in tales and fun.

Characterization How does the speaker character-ize himself in this passage? How is his self-portrait here consistent with the way he has portrayed himself throughout “The Prologue”?

Literary Element

Pilgrims. Illustration from the Troy Book and the Siege of Thebes.

Art Resource, NY



770 dumb: silent.

807 entreaty: an enthusiastic request.

Indeed, there’s little pleasure for your bones 770 Riding along and all as dumb° as stones. So let me then propose for your enjoyment, Just as I said, a suitable employment. And if my notion suits and you agree And promise to submit yourselves to me 775 Playing your parts exactly as I say Tomorrow as you ride along the way, Then by my father’s soul (and he is dead) If you don’t like it you can have my head! Hold up your hands, and not another word.�

Documents

The Power of Faith - breathitt.k12.ky.us › userfiles › 46 › Classes › 33299 › Unit 1 Part 2-0.pdfBritish Library, London, UK/Bridgeman Art Library Part 2 81 The Power of