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Chaucer’s
General Prologue to The
Canterbury Tales
European Humanities
Fall 2011
Chaucer’s
Pilgrims and The Late Medieval World (c. 1397)
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Assignment:
For our next unit, you will be responsible for working with partners to create
a presentation about one group of pilgrims in Chaucer’s General Prologue to
The Canterbury Tales. By next week you should be ready to do your
presentation. These presentations will prepare the class to write an essay
on the General Prologue:
Here is the essay question:
How does Chaucer’s portrait of English society at the
end of the fourteenth century reveal the changes for both good and evil
overtaking Medieval Europe as it entered the Renaissance?
This essay is due on Thursday,
November 18th at 3:30 pm.
Here is your job:
- Do a close reading
of the section in the General Prologue about your group. You need to
carefully read Chaucer’s poetic portrait of each character and try to
determine just what the poet is up to in his presentation. (Read
your section in both Middle English and a modern translation.)
- Answer the questions
listed after the excerpt about each character. Think about how
Chaucer’s description confirms or surprises our expectations about
this social type?
- Then dive into the
links to the primary documents and secondary sources provided on the
internet. They will help you gain an understanding of your character’s
place in the heirarchy of the Medieval World. (If any links are
not working, let me know. If you find good resources, pass on the good
news as well.)
- Finally, working
with your partners, create an In-Class Presentation about your group
of characters in which you describe the place of your character in
Early Renaissance England and explain Chaucer's intention in his
portrait of him or her.
- QUOTE THE TEXT ( in Middle English) TO SUPPORT YOUR POINTS.
- Come to class in
appropriate costume!
Group One:
The Knight, The Squier, and The Yeoman
Group Two:
The Monk, The Prioresse, and The Friar
Group Three:
The Merchant, The Clerk, The Sergeant at Law, The Franklin, The Shipman, The Doctor of Physik, The Wife of Bath,
Group Four:
The Parson and The Ploughman
Group Five:
The Miller,
The Maunciple, The Reeve, The Summoner, The Pardoner
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The
Proem
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Amor
v. Amor Dei
Chaucer describes the fertilization of March
by April’s sweet showers and the subsequent conception of virtue.
Chaucer inverts traditional Church teaching
about the corruption of Earthly Love and the holiness of Divine Love.
Augustine’s formulation of Original Sin had deemed the earthly realm to be
spoiled and utterly separate from the transcendent City of God.
Chaucer suggests that God’s heaven can be
found on Earth: in Love. The most perfect expression of God’s love may be
in earthly happiness, particularly the passionate love between man and
woman best manifested in Holy Matrimony. Chaucer’s God is immanent. Chaucer’s
God gives us permission to enjoy life and to revel in instinct.
However, Chaucer is not suggesting that all
human behavior inspired by Spring is holy. Rather, the impulse itself is
holy- although it can be perverted by man.
So our task in reading The Canterbury
Tales is to use our own critical imagination to play God: we must
determine which of the pilgrims will make it into heaven and which will
not. And our job is not made easy by Chaucer: he has upset the dogmatic
judgments of the Church; instead, we must use our own imagination and
determine if each pilgrim is misusing the gifts God has given him or her,
or is he or she being true to oneself and thus natural and holy.
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Group One:
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The Knight
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A
KNYGHT ther was, and that a worthy man,
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That
fro the tyme that he first bigan
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45 To riden out,
he loved chivalrie,
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Trouthe and
honour, fredom
and curteisie.
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Ful worthy was he
in his lordes werre,
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And
therto hadde he riden, no man ferre,
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As
wel in cristendom as in hethenesse,
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50 And
evere honoured for his worthynesse.
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At
Alisaundre he was, whan it was wonne.
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Ful ofte
tyme he hadde the bord bigonne
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Aboven
alle nacions in Pruce;
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In
Lettow
hadde he reysed, and in Ruce,
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55 No
Cristen man so ofte of his degree.
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In
Gernade at the seege
eek hadde he
be
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Of
Algezir, and riden in Belmarye.
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At
Lyeys was he and at Satalye,
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Whan
they were wonne; and in the Grete See
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60 At
many a noble armee
hadde he be.
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At
mortal batailles
hadde he been fiftene,
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And
foughten for oure feith at Tramyssene
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In
lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo.
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This
ilke worthy
knyght hadde been also
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65 Somtyme
with the lord of Palatye
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Agayn
another hethen in Turkye.
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And
everemoore he hadde a sovereyn
prys;
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And
though that he were worthy, he was wys,
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And
of his port
as meeke as is a mayde.
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70 He
nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde
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In
al his lyf
unto no maner wight.
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He
was a verray,
parfit gentil knyght.
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But,
for to tellen yow of his array,
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His
hors were goode, but he was nat gay.
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75 Of
fustian he wered a gypon
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Al
bismotered with his habergeoun,
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For
he was late ycome from his viage,
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And
wente for to doon his pilgrymage.
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Knight
Resources:
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Important
Events in the 14th Century (Zatta)
The
Knight's Tale Synopsis
The
Knight (Resources at Harvard)
The Crusades:
The War Being Fought Between France
and England During Chaucer's Lifetime:
Tournaments That Took
Place During Chaucer's Life:
The Rules of Courtesy:
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Questions:
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- Describe how the
Knight is dressed: what is surprising?
- How has Chaucer
brought this idealized portrait of a type to full life?
- How many servants does
he travel with? How large would a typical knight's retinue be?
- Why has this knight
gone on pilgrimage?
- How does he treat
people from different social classes?
- Where has the knight
fought? Why? (Tell the class a bit of the history of the Crusades and the current phase of the 100 Years War
between England and France.)
What political purpose would it serve to send these warriors on a
crusade against the enemies of Christendom?
- What is a 'lyste'?
How many 'lystes' has the knight fought in? (Describe a contemporary
tournament from Chaucer's London.)
- What was the code of
chivalry that the knight upheld?
- What was 'courtly
love'? The tale that the knight tells on the pilgrimage is about
courtly love about two knights who were best friends but fell in love
with the same lady. The most famous tale of courtly love describes the
love of Lancelot for Guinevere (who was married to King Arthur). How
was the perfect knight supposed to behave?
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The Squier
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With
hym ther was his sone, a yong SQUIER,
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80 A
lovyere and a lusty
bacheler;
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With
lokkes crulle, as they were leyd in presse.
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Of
twenty yeer
of age he was, I gesse.
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Of
his stature he was of evene
lengthe,
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And
wonderly delyvere,
and of greet strengthe.
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85 And
he hadde been somtyme in
chyvachie
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In
Flaundres, in Artoys, and Pycardie,
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And
born hym weel,
as of so litel space,
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In
hope to stonden in his lady grace.
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Embrouded
was he, as it were a meede,
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90 Al
ful of fresshe floures, whyte and reede;
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Syngynge he
was, or floytynge,
al the day,
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He
was as fressh as is the monthe of May.
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Short
was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde.
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Wel
koude he
sitte on hors, and faire ryde.
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95 He
koude
songes make, and wel endite,
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Juste,
and eek daunce,
and weel purtreye
and write.
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So
hoote he lovede,
that by nyghtertale
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He
slepte namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale.
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Curteis
he was, lowely,
and servysable,
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100 And
carf biforn his fader at the table.
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Squier
Resources
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The
Squier's Tale Synopsis
The
Squier's Tale (Harvard Resources)
The Troubadour:
The Art of Courtly Love:
Chrétien de Troyes, Lancelot,
c. 1170, excerpts.
Heloise, Letter
to Abelard
Adam de la Halle, The Song of Robin and
Marian (c. 1210)
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Questions:
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- How is the Squier dressed?
What do his clothes tell us about his character?
- What was the precise
definition of a bachelor at Chaucer's time? (Go to the
OED) What does he need to do in order to move up to next step on
the social ladder?
- What military
experience does the Squire possess?
- What skills must a
troubadour possess? Find an example of the type of song that a
troubadour might have sung to his lady.
- What is the the code
of courtly love? Does this young man follow it?
- How does this son
show respect to his father?
- How has Chaucer
taken the stereotype of the medieval troubadour and brought him to
full life?
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The
Yeoman
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A
YEMAN hadde
he and servantz namo
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At
that tyme, for hym liste ride soo;
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And
he was clad
in cote and hood of grene.
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A
sheef of pecok arwes,
bright and kene
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105 Under
his belt he bar ful
thriftily,
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(Wel
koude he
dresse his takel yemanly:
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Hise
arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe)
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And
in his hand he baar
a myghty bowe.
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A
not heed
hadde he, with a broun visage,
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110 Of
woodecraft wel koude
he al the usage.
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Upon
his arm he baar
a gay bracer,
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And
by his syde a swerd
and a bokeler,
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And
on that oother
syde a gay daggere
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Harneised
wel and sharpe as point of spere.
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115 A
Cristopher on his brest of silver sheene.
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An
horn he bar, the bawdryk was of grene;
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A
forster
was he, soothly,
as I gesse.
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Yeoman
Resources:
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Medieval
Warfare (Wikipedia)
Images from
the Crusades
The Medieval Soldier
The
English Longbow
The Longbow
The War Being Fought Between
France and England During Chaucer's Lifetime:
The
Hundred Years War (Calgary)
The
Hundred Years War (introduction)
The
Hundred Years War (ehistory)
The Hundred
Years War (Kansas)
Jean
Froissart: On The Hundred Years War (1337-1453)
Jakob Burckhardt's
chapter on "War as a Work of Art" in
his classic work, The
Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy
Peasant Rebellion:
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Questions:
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- What exactly was a
yeoman?
- What job does he do
for the Knight?
- What battles has he
fought in with the Knight? (Tell the class a bit of the history of the
Crusades and the current phase of the 100
Years War between England and France.)
- Tell us about the
type of combat that went on in a battle at this time. How did the
longbow transform the art of warfare?
- What does the Yeoman
long to do when he retires as a soldier?
- How is he dressed?
Why does he need to be so well armed on a pilgrimage?
- What does he wear
around his neck?
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Group Two:
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The Prioresse
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Ther
was also a Nonne, a PRIORESSE,
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That
of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy;
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120 Hir
gretteste ooth
was but by Seinte Loy;
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And
she was cleped
Madame Eglentyne.
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Ful weel she soong the
service dyvyne,
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Entuned in
hir nose ful
semely,
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And
Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,
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125 After
the scole of Stratford-atte-Bowe,
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For
Frenssh of Parys was to hir unknowe.
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At
mete wel
ytaught was she with alle:
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She
leet no
morsel from hir lippes falle,
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Ne
wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe;
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130 Wel
koude she
carie a morsel, and wel kepe
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That
no drope ne fille upon hir brist.
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In
curteisie
was set ful muche hir list.
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Hire
over-lippe wyped she so clene
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That
in hir coppe
ther was no ferthyng
sene
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135 Of
grece, whan
she dronken hadde hir draughte.
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Ful semely
after hir mete
she raughte.
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And
sikerly,
she was of greet desport,
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And
ful plesaunt, and amyable of port,
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And
peyned hir to countrefete cheere
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140 Of
court, and been estatlich of manere,
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And
to ben holden digne of reverence.
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But,
for to speken of hir conscience,
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She
was so charitable and so pitous
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She
wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous
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145 Kaught
in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.
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Of
smale
houndes hadde she, that she fedde
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With
rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed.
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But
soore weep
she if oon of
hem were deed,
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Or
if men smoot it with a yerde smerte;
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150 And
al was conscience,
and tendre herte.
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Ful semyly
hir wympul
pynched
was,
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Hire
nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas,
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Hir
mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed;
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But
sikerly
she hadde a fair
forheed;
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155 It
was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe;
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For,
hardily,
she was nat undergrowe.
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Ful fetys
was hir cloke, as I was war;
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Of
smal coral aboute hir arm she bar
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A
peire of bedes, gauded al with grene,
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160 An
theron heng a brooch of gold ful sheene,
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On
which ther was first write a crowned A,
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And
after Amor vincit omnia.
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Prioresse
Resources:
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The
Prioresse's Tale Synopsis
The
Prioresse's Tale (Harvard Resources)
The
Benedictine Order (Encyclopedia Britannica)
The
Rule of St. Benedict (excerpts) (481) (Wikipedia)
Daily Life in A
Benedictine Nunnery
Medieval Women and
Music
Medieval Music: Gregorian Chants (A Chant at Wikipedia)
Medieval Music
Courtly Love
Study Guide
Meals
and Manners
in Medieval England (Harvard)
Benedictine
Monasteries
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Questions:
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- What was a
Benedictine monastery?
- What were the
responsibilities of a Prioresse attached to an abbey of a Benedictine
order? What was the typical day like in a priory? Find an example of the
kind of sacred music she would sing at a service.
- From which social
class does Eglentyne come? What language does she speak?
- Describe her table
manners.
- What pets has she
brought with her on this pilgrimage? How does she spoil them
- What was the model of
female beauty at Chaucer's time?
- Describe the way
that Eglentyne has altered her nun's habit. Describe the brooch
that she wears.
- Why has she gone on
this pilgrimage?
- What makes Eglentyne
an atypical prioresse?
- What has Chaucer
done to our stock expectations of the leader of a nunnery in the midst
of a holy era?
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The Monk
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A
MONK ther was, a fair for the maistrie,
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An
outridere,
that lovede venerie,
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A
manly man, to been an abbot able.
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Ful
many a deyntee
hors hadde he in stable,
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And
whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere
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170 Gynglen in a
whistlynge wynd als cleere
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And
eek as loude,
as dooth the
chapel belle.
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Ther
as this lord was keper of the celle,
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The
reule of Seint Maure, or of Seint Beneit,
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By
cause that it was old and somdel streit
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175 This
ilke Monk
leet olde thynges pace,
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And
heeld after the newe world the space.
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He
yaf nat of
that text a pulled
hen,
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That
seith that hunters beth nat hooly men,
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Ne
that a monk, whan he is recchelees,
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180 Is
likned til a fissh that is waterlees,-
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This
is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre
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But
thilke
text heeld he nat worth an oystre;
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And
I seyde his opinioun was good.
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What
sholde he studie, and make hymselven wood,
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185 Upon
a book in cloystre alwey to poure,
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Or
swynken
with his handes and laboure,
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As
Austyn bit? How shal the world be served?
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Lat
Austyn have his swynk to him
reserved!
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Therfore
he was a prikasour
aright:
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190 Grehoundes
he hadde, as swift as fowel in flight;
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Of
prikyng
and of huntyng for the hare
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Was
al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.
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I
seigh his sleves purfiled at the hond
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With
grys, and that the fyneste of a lond;
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195 And,
for to festne his hood under his chyn,
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He
hadde of gold ywroght a curious pyn;
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A
love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was.
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His
heed was balled, that
shoon as any glas,
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And
eek his face,
as it hadde been enoynt.
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200 He
was a lord ful fat and in good poynt,
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Hise
eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed,
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That
stemed as a forneys
of a leed;
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His
bootes souple, his hors in greet
estaat.
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Now
certeinly he was a fair prelaat;
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205 He
was nat pale as a forpyned goost.
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A
fat swan loved he best of any roost.
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His
palfrey was as broun as is a berye,
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Monk Resources
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The
Monk's Tale Synopsis
The
Monk's Tale (Harvard Resources)
Medieval Monasticism and the
Benedictine Order:
The
Benedictine Order (Encyclopedia Britannica)
St.
Benedict and his Order
St. Benedict of Nursia
The
Rule of St. Benedict (excerpts) (481)
Men of
God: Bishops, Priests, and Monks
Daily Life in a Benedictine
House
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Questions:
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- What was the job of a
Benedictine monk? How were Benedictine monks supposed to lead their
lives?
- How does this monk
lead his life? What makes him a modern monk? What does he think of the
monastic rules that had been laid out a thousand years before by St.
Augustine?
- What kind of horse
does he like to ride? How is it bridled?
- What does this monk
like to hunt for? (double entendre?)
- Describe the costume
that this monk wears. What do his clothes tell you about his social
class and his character? What kind of pin does he wear? What is his
favorite food? How has he gotten so rich?
- What is Chaucer
doing to our typical notions of this holy stereotype?
- What vision of the
medieval world in 1380 is emerging?
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The Friar
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A
FRERE ther
was, a wantowne
and a merye,
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A
lymytour,
a ful solempne
man.
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210 In
alle the ordres foure is noon that kan
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So
muchel of daliaunce
and fair
langage.
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He
hadde maad ful many a mariage
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Of
yonge wommen at his owene cost.
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Unto
his ordre he was a noble post,
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215 And
wel biloved and famulier was he
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With
frankeleyns
overal in his contree,
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And
eek with
worthy wommen of the toun;
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For
he hadde power of confessioun,
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As
seyde hymself, moore than a curat,
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220 For
of his ordre he was licenciat.
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Ful swetely
herde he confessioun,
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And
plesaunt was his absolucioun:
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He
was an esy man to yeve penaunce,
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Ther
as he wiste
to have a good pitaunce.
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225 For
unto a povre
ordre for to yive
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Is
signe that a man is wel yshryve;
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For,
if he yaf, he
dorste
make avaunt,
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He
wiste that
a man was repentaunt;
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For
many a man so harde is of his herte,
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230 He
may nat wepe, al thogh hym soore smerte;
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Therfore
in stede of wepynge and preyeres
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Men
moote yeve
silver to the povre
freres.
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His
typet was ay farsed
ful of knyves
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And
pynnes, for to yeven yonge wyves.
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235 And
certeinly he hadde a murye note:
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Wel
koude he
synge, and pleyen on a rote;
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Of
yeddynges he baar
outrely
the pris.
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His
nekke whit was as the flour-de-lys;
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Therto
he strong was as a champioun.
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240 He
knew the tavernes wel in every toun
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And
everich hostiler
and tappestere
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Bet
than a lazar
or a beggestere;
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For
unto swich
a worthy man as he
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Acorded
nat, as by his facultee,
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245 To
have with sike
lazars aqueyntaunce.
|
|
It
is nat honeste, it may nat
avaunce,
|
|
For
to deelen with no swich poraille,
|
|
But
al with riche and selleres of vitaille.
|
|
And
over al, ther as profit sholde arise,
|
|
250 Curteis he was, and lowely of
servyse.
|
|
Ther
nas no man nowher so vertuous.
|
|
He
was the beste beggere in his hous;
|
|
(And
yaf a certeyn
ferme for the graunt
|
|
Noon
of his brethren cam ther in his haunt;)
|
|
255 For
thogh a wydwe
hadde noght a sho,
|
|
So
plesaunt was his "In principio"
|
|
Yet
wolde he have a ferthyng, er he wente;
|
|
His
purchas was wel bettre than his rente.
|
|
And
rage he koude,
as it were right a whelp.
|
|
260 In
love-dayes ther koude he muchel help,
|
|
For
there he was nat lyk a cloysterer
|
|
With
a thredbare cope, as is a povre scoler,
|
|
But
he was lyk a maister or a pope;
|
|
Of
double worstede was his semycope,
|
|
265 That
rounded as a belle out of the presse.
|
|
Somwhat
he lipsed for his wantownesse
|
|
To
make his Englissh sweete upon his tonge;
|
|
And
in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe,
|
|
Hise
eyen twynkled in his heed aryght
|
|
270 As
doon the sterres in the frosty nyght.
|
|
This
worthy lymytour
was cleped
Huberd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friar
Resources:
|
|
|
|
|
The
Friar's Tale Synopsis
The
Friar's Tale (Harvard Resources)
Men of God:
Bishops, Priests, and Monks
St. Francis of Assisi and the
Franciscan Order:
St.
Francis of Assisi (Wikipedia)
The Rule of St.
Francis (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Spiritual
Practices of St. Francis of Assisi
St
Francis of Assissi (Encyclopedia Brittanica)
The Testament
of St. Francis (1226)
|
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
- Who established the
Franciscan order? What was the job of a Franciscan Friar?
- What kind of work in
the neighborhood does this Friar do?
- How does he use the
power of the confessional booth to befriend many of the poor women in
his neighborhood? What is his cloak stuffed with? What is this rogue’s
scam?!
- What does the
monastic order to which he belongs think of this behavior? What makes
him so talented?
- With whom does he
like to hang out? How does he defend his begging territory?
- What were 'love
days'? How would this friar distinguish himself on 'love days'?
- What does Huberd
look like? What does he wear?
- Wow! How does
Chaucer portray these representatives of the organized Church?
|
|
|
|
|
The Clerk
|
|
|
|
|
A
CLERK ther
was of Oxenford also,
|
|
That
unto logyk hadde longe ygo.
|
|
As
leene was his hors as is a rake,
|
|
290 And
he nas nat right fat, I undertake,
|
|
But
looked holwe
and therto sobrely.
|
|
Ful
thredbare was his overeste courtepy;
|
|
For
he hadde geten hym yet no benefice,
|
|
Ne
was so worldly for to have office.
|
|
295 For
hym was
levere have at his beddes heed
|
|
Twenty
bookes, clad in blak or reed,
|
|
Of
Aristotle and his philosophie,
|
|
Than
robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie.
|
|
But
al be that he was a philosophre,
|
|
300 Yet
hadde he but litel gold in cofre;
|
|
But
al that he myghte of his freendes hente,
|
|
On
bookes and on lernynge he it spente,
|
|
And
bisily gan for the soules preye
|
|
Of
hem that yaf
hym wherwith to scoleye.
|
|
305 Of
studie took he moost cure and moost heede.
|
|
Noght
o word spak he moore than was neede,
|
|
And
that was seyd in forme and reverence,
|
|
And
short and quyk,
and ful of hy sentence;
|
|
Sownynge
in moral vertu was his speche,
|
|
310 And
gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clerk
Resources
|
|
|
|
|
The
Clerk's Tale Synopsis
The
Clerk's Tale (Harvard Resources)
Humanism
(Hooker)
Medieval
Education; (more)
Medieval Schools and Universities
A Brief History of
Oxford University
Thomas
Aquinas (Encyclopedia Britannica)
Aquinas (pp.165-187) (Sophie)
Aquinas: Reasons in Proof
of the Existence of God, 1270, from the Summa Theologiae, trans
D. Burr, or another
version
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
- When was Oxford
founded?
- What would be a
typical course of study for a student at Oxford in 1380? What were the
trivium and the quadrivium?
- Define humanism.
What was the studia humanitatis?
- What will the clerk
do for a living once he has finished his studies? What would the Clerk
prefer to do with his life?
- How is he dressed?
How does he appear?
- What vision of the changing
place of education and classical learning is suggested by Chaucer’s
description of the clerk?
|
|
|
The Sergeant of Law
|
|
|
|
|
A
SERGEANT
OF THE LAWE, war
and wys,
|
|
That
often hadde been at the Parvys,
|
|
Ther
was also, ful riche of excellence.
|
|
Discreet
he was, and of greet reverence-
|
|
315 He
semed swich, hise wordes weren so wise.
|
|
Justice he
was ful often in assise,
|
|
By
patente,
and by pleyn commissioun.
|
|
For
his science,
and for his heigh renoun,
|
|
Of
fees and robes hadde he many oon.
|
|
320 So
greet a purchasour
was nowher noon:
|
|
Al
was fee
symple to hym in effect,
|
|
His
purchasyng myghte nat been infect.
|
|
Nowher
so bisy a man as he ther nas,
|
|
And
yet he semed bisier than he was.
|
|
325 In
termes hadde he caas and doomes alle
|
|
That from the tyme of Kyng William were falle.
|
|
Therto
he koude endite and
make a thyng,
|
|
Ther
koude no wight
pynche at
his writyng;
|
|
And
every statut koude he pleyn by rote.
|
|
330 He
rood but hoomly in a medlee cote
|
|
Girt with a ceint of silk,
with barres smale;
|
|
Of
his array
telle I no lenger tale.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sergeant of Law Resources
|
|
|
|
|
The
Sergeant at Law's Tale Synopsis
The
Man at Law's Tale (Harvard Resources)
Origins of English Common Law:
Ordeals
(the origins of trials)
Ordeals (Leeson)
Common Law (Wikipedia)
Medieval
Law and Order
Common
Law - Henry II and the Birth of a State (BBC)
The
Magna Carta (BBC) (text)
Bracton on
the Laws and Customs of England (1210-1268)
The Year Books (13th
c.)
The
Historical Rise of Common Law (Encyclopedia Britannica)
NetSERF: Medieval Law
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
- How busy is this
man? What makes him seem busier than he really is?
- Describe the function
of a "Sergeant of Law" at the King's Court.
- What took place at
the porches of St. Paul's Cathedral in London?
- What
responsibilities would a lawyer at the court of assizes have? How
would he assess his fee? How could he profit illicitly from these duties?
- What makes this
lawyer one of the most powerful men in the kingdom?
- How comprehensive is
his knowledge of legal precedents and statutes?
- How is this man
dressed? What does his costume tell you about him?
- What point is Chaucer
making about the law and the legal profession of his time?
|
|
|
|
|
The Franklin
|
|
|
|
|
A
FRANKELEYN
was in his compaignye.
|
|
Whit
was his berd as is a dayesye;
|
|
335 Of
his complexioun
he was sangwyn.
|
|
Wel
loved he by the morwe a sope in wyn,;
|
|
To
lyven in delit
was evere his wone,
|
|
For
he was Epicurus owene sone,
|
|
That
heeld opinioun that pleyn delit
|
|
340 Was
verray
felicitee parfit.
|
|
An
housholdere, and that a greet, was he;
|
|
Seint
Julian was he in his contree.
|
|
His
breed, his ale, was alweys after oon,
|
|
A
bettre envyned
man was nowher noon.
|
|
345 Withoute
bake mete was nevere his hous
|
|
Of
fissh and flessh, and that so plentevous,
|
|
It
snewed in his hous of mete and drynke,
|
|
Of
alle deyntees
that men koude thynke.
|
|
After
the sondry
sesons of the yeer,
|
|
350 So
chaunged he his mete and his soper.
|
|
Ful
many a fat partrich hadde he in muwe,
|
|
And
many a breem and many a luce in stuwe.
|
|
Wo
was his cook, but if his sauce were
|
|
Poynaunt
and sharp, and redy al his geere.
|
|
355 His
table
dormant in his halle alway
|
|
Stood
redy covered al the longe day.
|
|
At
sessiouns ther was he lord and sire;
|
|
Ful ofte
tyme he was knyght of the shire.
|
|
An
anlaas and
a gipser al of silk
|
|
360 Heeng
at his girdel,
whit as morne milk.
|
|
A
shirreve
hadde he been, and a countour.
|
|
Was
nowher swich
a worthy vavasour.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Franklin
Resources
|
|
|
|
|
The
Franklin's Tale Synopsis
The
Franklin's Tale (Harvard Resources)
The Rise of Parliament:
Description
of a Manor House
Meals
and Manners
in Medieval England (Harvard)
Food
and Drink in Medieval England
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
- What was a
'franklin'? (Check the OED)
- What class in
society did this 'franklin' come from? How has he made his money?
- How come this
commoner is such good friends with this wealthy nobleman? Chaucer’s
point?
- Chaucer describes
the franklin as of ‘sangwyn complexioun’. What would that disgnosis
mean to a medieval doctor?
- The Franklin is
described as ‘Epicurus’ owne sone’. What is the aim of this man's
life? What makes the franklin such a great patron of hospitality? How
does he show it? Does he have any ulterior motives?
- Chaucer tells us
that the Franklin serves as the district judge ‘at sessiouns’ in his
neighborhood. What does that mean?
- He also is the
‘knight of the shire’ for his region. What does that mean? How did he
become so rich? How does this commoner dress?
- What point is
Chaucer making about the changing composition of medieval society? How
is society also becoming more secular in its focus?
|
|
|
|
|
The Shipman
|
|
|
|
|
A SHIPMAN was ther, wonynge
fer by weste;
|
|
For
aught I woot,
he was of Dertemouthe.
|
|
He
rood upon a rouncy,
as he kouthe,
|
|
In
a gowne of faldyng
to the knee.
|
|
A
daggere hangynge on a laas hadde he
|
|
395 Aboute
his nekke, under his arm adoun.
|
|
The
hoote somer hadde maad his hewe al broun,
|
|
And
certeinly he was a good felawe.
|
|
Ful
many a draughte of wyn had he ydrawe
|
|
Fro
Burdeux-ward, whil that the chapman
sleep.
|
|
400 Of
nyce conscience
took he no keep.
|
|
If
that he faught, and hadde the hyer hond,
|
|
By
water he sente hem
hoom to
every lond.
|
|
But
of his craft, to rekene wel his tydes,
|
|
His
stremes,
and his daungers hym bisides,
|
|
405 His
herberwe
and his moone, his lodemenage,
|
|
Ther
nas noon swich
from Hulle to Cartage.
|
|
Hardy
he was, and wys to undertake;
|
|
With
many a tempest hadde his berd been shake.
|
|
He
knew alle the havenes as they were,
|
|
410 From
Gootlond to the Cape of Fynystere,
|
|
And
every cryke in Britaigne and in Spayne.
|
|
His
barge ycleped
was the Maudelayne.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Doctor of Physik
|
|
|
|
|
With
us ther was a DOCTOUR OF PHISIK;
|
|
In
al this world ne was ther noon hym lik,
|
|
415 To
speke of phisik and of surgerye,
|
|
For
he was grounded
in astronomye.
|
|
He
kepte his pacient a ful greet deel
|
|
In
houres, by his magyk natureel.
|
|
Wel
koude he fortunen
the ascendent
|
|
420 Of
his ymages for his pacient.
|
|
He
knew the cause of everich maladye,
|
|
Were
it of hoot, or coold, or moyste, or drye,
|
|
And
where they engendred, and of what humour.
|
|
He
was a verray
parfit
praktisour:
|
|
425 The
cause yknowe, and of his harm the roote,
|
|
Anon he yaf the sike man
his boote.
|
|
Ful
redy hadde he hise apothecaries
|
|
To
sende him drogges and his letuaries,
|
|
For
ech of hem made oother for to wynne-
|
|
430 Hir
frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne.
|
|
Wel
knew he the olde Esculapius,
|
|
And
Deyscorides and eek
Rufus,
|
|
Olde
Ypocras, Haly, and Galyen,
|
|
Serapioun,
Razis, and Avycen,
|
|
435 Averrois,
Damascien, and Constantyn,
|
|
Bernard,
and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn.
|
|
Of
his diete mesurable
was he,
|
|
For
it was of no superfluitee,
|
|
But
of greet norissyng, and digestible.
|
|
440 His
studie was but litel on the Bible.
|
|
In
sangwyn
and in pers
he clad was al,
|
|
Lyned
with taffata and with sendal;
|
|
And
yet he was but esy of dispence;
|
|
He
kepte that he wan in pestilence.
|
|
445 For
gold in phisik is a cordial,
|
|
Therfore
he lovede gold in special.
|
The
Physician's Tale (Synopsis)
The
Physican's Tale (Harvard Resources)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Wife of Bath
|
|
|
|
|
A
good WIF was ther, OF biside BATHE,
|
|
But
she was somdel
deef, and
that was scathe.
|
|
Of
clooth-makyng she hadde swich an haunt,
|
|
450 She
passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt.
|
|
In
al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon
|
|
That
to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon;
|
|
And
if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she,
|
|
That
she was out of alle charitee.
|
|
455 Hir
coverchiefs
ful fyne weren of ground;
|
|
I
dorste swere they weyeden ten pound
|
|
That
on a Sonday weren upon hir heed.
|
|
Hir
hosen weren
of fyn scarlet reed,
|
|
Ful
streite
yteyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe.
|
|
460 Boold
was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe.
|
|
She
was a worthy womman al hir lyve:
|
|
Housbondes
at chirche
dore she hadde fyve,
|
|
Withouthen
oother compaignye in youthe, -
|
|
But
therof nedeth nat to speke as nowthe.
|
|
465 And
thries hadde she been at Jerusalem;
|
|
She
hadde passed many a straunge
strem;
|
|
At
Rome she hadde been, and at Boloigne,
|
|
In
Galice at Seint-Jame, and at Coloigne.
|
|
She
koude muchel of wandrynge by the weye.
|
|
470 Gat-tothed
was she, soothly
for to seye.
|
|
Upon
an amblere
esily she sat,
|
|
Ywympled
wel, and on hir heed
an hat
|
|
As
brood as is a bokeler or a targe;
|
|
A
foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large,
|
|
475 And
on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe.
|
|
In
felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carpe.
|
|
Of
remedies of love she knew per chaunce,
|
|
For
she koude
of that art the olde daunce.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wife of Bath Resources
|
|
|
|
|
Medieval
Bath
The
Wife of Bath's Tale Synopsis
The
Wife of Bath's Prologue (Harvard Resources)
The Wife of Bath’s Prologue
(Spragins Notes)
The Place of Women in Medieval Society:
Women in the
Middle Ages
Selections
from the Bible on Marriage
St. Augustine on On Marriage
and ConcupiscenceWomen
in Medieval Society: Aspects of Marriage
The
Costume Page - Medieval Era Costume (Julie Zetterburg)
Pilgrimages
(Harvard)
Le Menagier [or Goodman] of Paris: On ideal marriage
Bernardino of Siena: Sermons
on Wives and Widows
Margery Kempe (1413-1415): Book of Margery
Kempe
Jaume Roig Spill: A
Fictional Pilgrimage from Valencia to Santiago in the Fifteenth Century
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
- How many husbands
has this merry widow had? How old is she?
- What was the town of
Bath renowned for in England? How is the Wife a walking advertisement
for her business? What does she look like?
- How does her
behavior at church show us that she is filthy rich?
- How many times has
she been to Jerusalem? Where else has she traveled? (Is this wide
range of travel even possible for a person during this era?) Why does
she go on so many pilgrimages?
- How has the Wife of
Bath learned to make a highly lucrative living? Where does she meet
her prospective husbands? What did medieval superstition say
about gap-toothed women?
- How is she
dressed? What is she wearing on her boots? What knowledge does
she have of remedies for disease?
- What is Chaucer’s
purpose in his depiction of the Wife of Bath? How does this
outrageous, larger than life character seem to jump off the page and
into our lives directly from the Middle Ages?
What is the measure of Chaucer’s genius as an artist?
|
|
|
|
|
Group Four:
|
|
|
The Parson
|
|
|
|
|
A
good man was ther of religioun,
|
|
480 And
was a povre
PERSOUN
OF A TOUN,
|
|
But
riche he was of hooly thoght and werk.
|
|
He
was also a lerned man, a clerk,
|
|
That
Cristes gospel trewely wolde preche;
|
|
His
parisshens
devoutly wolde he teche.
|
|
485 Benynge he
was, and wonder diligent,
|
|
And
in adversitee ful
pacient,
|
|
And
swich he
was ypreved
ofte
sithes.
|
|
Ful
looth were hym to cursen for his tithes,
|
|
But
rather wolde he yeven, out of doute,
|
|
490 Unto
his povre
parisshens aboute
|
|
Of
his offryng and eek
of his substaunce.
|
|
He
koude in litel thyng have suffisaunce.
|
|
Wyd
was his parisshe, and houses fer asonder,
|
|
But
he ne lefte nat, for reyn ne thonder,
|
|
495 In
siknesse nor in meschief to visite
|
|
The
ferreste
in his parisshe, muche and lite,
|
|
Upon
his feet, and in his hand a staf.
|
|
This
noble ensample
to his sheep he yaf,
|
|
That
first he wroghte, and afterward he taughte.
|
|
500 Out
of the gosple he tho wordes caughte,
|
|
And
this figure
he added eek
therto,
|
|
That
if gold ruste, what shal iren do?
|
|
For
if a preest be foul,
on whom we truste,
|
|
No
wonder is a lewed man to ruste;
|
|
505 And
shame it is, if a prest take keep,
|
|
A
shiten
shepherde and a clene sheep.
|
|
Wel
oghte a preest ensample for to yive,
|
|
By
his clennesse,
how that his sheep sholde lyve.
|
|
He
sette nat his benefice to hyre
|
|
510 And
leet his
sheep encombred
in the myre
|
|
And
ran to Londoun unto Seinte Poules
|
|
To
seken hym a chaunterie for soules,
|
|
Or
with a bretherhed
to been witholde;
|
|
But
dwelt at hoom,
and kepte wel his folde,
|
|
515 So
that the wolf ne made it nat myscarie;
|
|
He
was a shepherde and noght a mercenarie.
|
|
And
though he hooly were and vertuous,
|
|
He
was to synful men nat despitous,
|
|
Ne
of his speche daungerous ne digne,
|
|
520 But
in his techyng discreet and benygne;
|
|
To
drawen folk to hevene by fairnesse,
|
|
By
good ensample,
this was his bisynesse.
|
|
But
it were any persone obstinat,
|
|
What
so he were, of heigh or lough estat,
|
|
525 Hym
wolde he snybben
sharply for the nonys.
|
|
A
bettre preest I trowe, that nowher noon ys.
|
|
He
waited after no pompe and reverence,
|
|
Ne
maked him a spiced conscience,
|
|
But
Cristes loore, and Hise apostles twelve
|
|
530 He
taughte, but first he folwed it hymselve.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parson
Resources
|
|
|
|
|
An Age of Faith:
The
Parson's Tale Synopsis
The
Parson's Tale (Harvard Resources)
Men of God:
Bishops, Priests, and Monks
Innocent III: Sermon on the
Resurrection of the Lord.
Thomas à Kempis (c.1380-1471): The Imitation of
Christ
Sermon
Stories: Tales of Confession,
Sermon
Stories: Tales of The Virgin,
Sermon
Stories: Tales of The Host, Sermon
Stories: Tales of Relics
|
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
- In what ways does
Chaucer affirm the traditional principles of feudal society? How
does the parson epitomize the principles of church and society that
held together the rule of the Catholic Church throughout the European world
for a millennium?
- What are 'tithes'?
Why doesn't the parson punish the parishioners who do not pay their
tithes to the church? What does he give them instead?
- What are the
parson's various responsibilities as parish priest? Why does he
carry a shepherd's staff with him?
- What example does
the parson set for his parishioners?
- Unfortunately, what
have many parish priests done instead of fulfilling their
responsibilities? How have they found ways to enrich themselves?
- How does the parson
treat the sinful in his parish?
- In short, he strives
to follow Christ’s laws as best he can. For what purpose is he taking
his pilgrimage to Canterbury?
|
|
|
|
The
Ploughman
|
|
|
|
|
With hym ther was a PLOWMAN, was his
brother,
|
|
That
hadde ylad of dong ful many a fother;
|
|
A
trewe swynkere
and a good was he,
|
|
Lyvynge
in pees and parfit
charitee.
|
|
535 God
loved he best with al his hoole herte
|
|
At
alle tymes, thogh him gamed or smerte,
|
|
And
thanne his neighebor right as hym-selve.
|
|
He
wolde thresshe, and therto dyke and delve,
|
|
For
Cristes sake, for every povre wight
|
|
540 Withouten
hire, if it
lay in his myght.
|
|
Hise
tithes payed he ful faire and wel,
|
|
Bothe
of his propre swynk
and his catel.
|
|
In
a tabard he rood, upon a mere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ploughman
Resources
|
|
|
|
|
Feudalism
(Calgary)
Economy on a Medieval Manor:
Acmylen from Wichamstow, a virtual English
Estate
Medieval Economy (Calgary)
Medieval English Towns (Stephen Alsford)
The
lifestyle of the Medieval Peasant
"The
Poor Peasant"
Medieval
farming
The
farming year
Medieval Fiefdom
William Langland: Piers
Plowman: Excerpts. [At
Harvard]
Technology in
the Middles Ages
Wharram Percy
Page (Wharram Percy is a deserted English Medieval village.)
The Great Plague of 1348-50
Wat Tyler’s Peasant Revolt 1381
English
Peasants’ Revolt 1381
Anonimalle Chronicle: English
Peasants' Revolt 1381
|
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
- How have willing
workers like this ploughman preserved the stability of the medieval
world for centuries?
- How is the ploughman
related by family to the parson?
- Is he a serf?
- What kind of work
does he do, besides ploughing the fields?
- Does he receive
profit for his labours? What does he live on?
- Are these portraits of the Parson and the
Plowman nostalgic glances back at a world fast receding into the past,
or are they emblematic of the ideal world towards which the corrupt
pilgrims in their pilgrimage needed to rededicate themselves? What is
Chaucer’s purpose?
|
|
|
|
|
Group
Five:
|
|
|
The Miller
|
|
|
|
|
The
MILLERE was a stout carl for the nones;
Ful byg he was of brawn
and eek
of bones-
That
proved wel, for over
al ther he cam
550
At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram.
He
was short-sholdred, brood,
a thikke
knarre,
Ther
was no dore that he nolde heve
of harre,
Or
breke it at a rennyng with his heed.
His
berd as any sowe or fox was reed,
555
And therto
brood, as though it were a spade.
Upon
the cop
right of his nose he hade
A
werte, and thereon
stood a toft of herys,
Reed
as the brustles of a sowes erys;
Hise
nosethirles
blake were and wyde.
560
A swerd
and bokeler
bar he by his syde.
His
mouth as greet was as a greet forneys.
He
was a janglere
and a goliardeys,
And
that was moost of synne and harlotries.
Wel
koude
he stelen
corn, and tollen thries;
565
And yet he hadde
a thombe of gold, pardee.
A
whit cote and a blew hood wered he
A baggepipe wel koude
he blowe and sowne,
And therwithal he broghte us out of towne.
|
Miller
Resources
|
|
|
|
|
The
Miller's Tale Synopsis
The Miller's Tale
(Harvard Resources)
The
Peasant Rising of 1381
Economy on
a Medieval Manor:
Acmylen
from Wichamstow,
a virtual English Estate
Medieval Economy (Calgary)
Medieval
English Towns (Stephen Alsford)
The
lifestyle of the Medieval Peasant
"The Poor Peasant"
Medieval farming
The farming year
Medieval Fiefdom
The
Fabiliaux
(Harvard Chaucer Site)
Popular English Drama: The Mystery Plays
(Harvard Chaucer Site)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
- What
essential service does a miller perform for his community?
How does this miller misuse his position to cheat the
villagers?
- During
times of famine does the miller alter his practices? How does he
represent the very worst aspects of the emerging market economy?
- Describe
the physical attributes of this man. What prize does he always win at
the local fair? Why can no door hold him? What does he look like? How
are his facial features described? What kinds of stories does he like
to tell?
- What
musical instrument does he play as the pilgrims make their
march?
|
|
|
The Maunciple
|
|
|
|
|
A gentil MAUNCIPLE
was ther of a temple,
|
|
|
570
Of which achatours
myghte take exemple
|
|
|
For to be
wise in byynge
of vitaille;
|
|
|
For wheither that he payde or took by taille,
|
|
|
Algate
he wayted so in his achaat
|
|
|
That he
was ay
biforn, and
in good staat.
|
|
|
575
Now is nat that of God a ful fair
grace,
|
|
|
That swich
a lewed
mannes wit shal pace
|
|
|
The wisdom
of an heep of lerned
men?
|
|
|
Of maistres hadde
he mo than thries ten,
|
|
|
That weren of lawe
expert and curious,
|
|
|
580
Of whiche ther
weren a duszeyne
in that hous
|
|
|
Worthy to
been stywardes of rente
and lond
|
|
|
Of any
lord that is in Engelond,
|
|
|
To maken hym
lyve by his propre good,
|
|
|
In honour dettelees
(but if he were wood),
|
|
|
585
Or lyve as scarsly
as hym list desire,
|
|
|
And able
for to helpen al a shire
|
|
|
In any caas
that myghte falle or happe-
|
|
|
And yet
this Manciple sette hir
aller cappe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Reeve
|
|
|
|
|
The REVE
was a sclendre
colerik
man.
|
|
590
His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan;
|
|
His heer
was by his erys
ful
round yshorn;
|
|
His top
was dokked
lyk a preest biforn.
|
|
Ful
longe
were his legges, and ful lene,
|
|
Ylyk
a staf, ther was no calf ysene.
|
|
595
Wel koude
he kepe
a gerner
and a bynne;
|
|
Ther was noon auditour koude
on him wynne.
|
|
Wel wiste
he by the droghte
and by the reyn,
|
|
The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn.
|
|
His lordes sheep, his neet,
his dayerye,
|
|
600
His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye,
|
|
Was hoolly in this Reves governynge,
|
|
And by his
covenant
yaf
the rekenynge,
|
|
Syn
that his lord was twenty yeer
of age,
|
|
Ther koude no man brynge hym
in arrerage.
|
|
605
Ther nas baillif,
ne hierde, nor oother hyne,
|
|
That he ne
knew his sleighte
and his covyne;
|
|
They were adrad
of hym as of the deeth.
|
|
His wonyng
was ful faire upon an heeth;
|
|
With grene trees shadwed was his place.
|
|
610
He koude
bettre
than his lord purchace.
|
|
Ful riche he
was astored
pryvely:
|
|
His lord wel koude
he plesen subtilly,
|
|
To yeve
and lene hym of his owene good,
|
|
And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood.
|
|
615
In youthe he hadde lerned
a good myster;
|
|
He was a wel good wrighte,
a carpenter.
|
|
This Reve sat upon a ful good stot,
|
|
That was
al pomely grey, and highte
Scot.
|
|
A long surcote
of pers
upon he hade,
|
|
620
And by his
syde
he baar
a rusty blade.
|
|
Of Northfolk was this Reve, of which I telle,
|
|
Bisyde a toun
men clepen Baldeswelle.
|
|
Tukked he was as
is a frere aboute,
|
|
And evere he rood the hyndreste
of oure route.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reeve
Resources
|
|
|
|
|
The
Reeve's Tale Synopsis
The
Reeve's Tale (Harvard Resources)
Economy on
a Medieval Manor
The
lifestyle of the Medieval Peasant
Medieval farming
The farming year
Acmylen
from Wichamstow,
a virtual English Estate
Medieval English Towns (Stephen Alsford)
Medieval Economy -- Medieval Professions
: Some information on the guild systems
Medieval Economy :
Information on medieval commodities.
Medieval Fiefdom
The Fabiliaux
(Harvard Chaucer Site)
Popular English Drama: The Mystery
Plays (Harvard Chaucer Site)
|
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
- What job
does a reeve perform on a farm? What makes this reeve particularly good
at this job? Why do the peasants not even try to cheat him? Why are the
people on the estate terrified of him?
- Why do he
and the Miller hang out together?
- What does
this guy look like? Why does he dress like a friar? What is the real
religion that he practices? What would a medieval physician
have said about a man who is 'choleric'?
- Why do you
think he takes the ‘hyndereste’
place on the route?
|
|
|
|
|
The Summoner
|
|
|
|
|
A SOMONOUR
was ther with us in
that place,
|
|
That hadde a fyr-reed
cherubynnes
face,
|
|
For saucefleem
he was, with eyen narwe.
|
|
As hoot he
was and lecherous as a sparwe,
|
|
With scalled browes
blake,
and piled berd,
|
|
630
Of his visage
children were aferd.
|
|
Ther nas quyk-silver,
lytarge,
ne brymstoon,
|
|
Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre
noon,
|
|
Ne oynement, that wolde clense
and byte,
|
|
That hym myghte
helpen
of his whelkes
white,
|
|
635
Nor of the
knobbes
sittynge
on his chekes.
|
|
Wel loved he garleek,
oynons,
and eek
lekes,
|
|
And for to
drynken
strong wyn, reed
as blood;
|
|
Thanne wolde he speke
and crie as he were wood.
|
|
And whan that he wel dronken
hadde
the wyn,
|
|
640
Than wolde he speke
no word but Latyn.
|
|
A fewe termes
hadde
he, two or thre,
|
|
That he
had lerned out of som decree-
|
|
No wonder
is, he herde it al the
day,
|
|
And eek
ye knowen wel how that a jay
|
|
645
Kan clepen "Watte"
as wel as kan the pope.
|
|
But whoso koude in oother
thyng hym grope,
|
|
Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophie;
|
|
Ay
"Questio
quid iuris"
wolde
he crie.
|
|
He was a gentil
harlot
and a kynde;
|
|
650
A bettre felawe
sholde
men noght fynde;
|
|
He wolde suffre,
for a quart of wyn,
|
|
A good felawe to have his concubyn
|
|
A twelf-monthe, and excuse hym atte
fulle;
|
|
Ful prively
a fynch eek
koude
he pulle.
|
|
655
And if he foond owher
a good felawe,
|
|
He wolde techen
him to have noon awe,
|
|
In swich
caas,
of the ercedekenes curs,
|
|
But if a mannes soule
were in his purs;
|
|
For in his
purs
he sholde ypunysshed
be.
|
|
660
"Purs is the erchedekenes helle," seyde
he.
|
|
But wel I woot
he lyed right in dede;
|
|
Of cursyng
oghte ech
gilty
man him drede,
|
|
For curs wol slee,
right as assoillyng
savith,
|
|
And also
war him of a Significavit.
|
|
665
In daunger hadde
he at his owene gise
|
|
The yonge girles
of the diocise,
|
|
And knew hir conseil,
and was al hir reed.
|
|
A gerland hadde
he set upon his heed
|
|
As greet
as it were for an ale-stake;
|
|
670
A bokeleer
hadde
he maad him of a cake.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summoner Resources
|
|
|
|
|
The
Summoner's
Tale Synopsis
The Summoner's
Tale (Harvard Resources)
Judgment
and Salvation:
Ecclesiastical
Courts Catholic Encyclopedia
An Avaricious Archdeacon The Scots
chronicler of Lanercost
(13th Century)
Decameron; Sixth Day, Tenth Tale
The selling of false relics was an abuse
frequently satirized; the adventure of Friar Cipollo
(Friar Onion) in Boccaccio's Decameron
has some general similarities to the Pardoner's trickery.
Sermon Stories: Tales of Relics,
12th-13th Century.
Invention of the Relics of St. Benedict,
(7th century?)
Amulo of
Lyon: Letter on the Misuse of Relics in Dijon.
mid-9th
Century. Trans. by Thomas Head
Claudius of Turin: Apology: An Attack on Veneration of
Relics. 8-9th Cent.
Guibert of Nogent (1053-1124): On
the Relics of the Saints: Book I,
Guibert of Nogent (1053-1124): from
Treatise on Relics.
Stephen de Bourbon: De Supersticione:
On St Guinefort,
The Translation of Saint Nicholas [Greek Anonymous],
13th Century MS. The story of the sacred theft of the relics of St.
Nicholas from Myra in 1087.
The Questioning of John Rykener,
A Male Cross-Dressing Prostitute, 1395.
|
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
- What is an
ecclesiastical court? What kind of sentence could an ecclesiastical
court impose on a person? What job does a summoner
perform for the court? How could a corrupt summoner
exploit his position? How has this particular guy exploited his
position? Why is he particularly terrifying to the children and young
women in his village?
- What does
this summoner look
like? What does his breath smell like? What does he do when he gets
drunk? What is his costume?
- Why is he
on this pilgrimage?
|
|
|
|
|
The Pardoner
|
|
|
|
|
With hym ther
rood a gentil
PARDONER
|
|
Of Rouncivale, his freend
and his compeer,
|
|
That streight was comen fro the court of Rome.
|
|
Ful loude he soong
"Com hider, love, to me!"
|
|
675
This Somonour bar to hym a stif
burdoun;
|
|
Was nevere trompe
of half so greet a soun.
|
|
This
Pardoner hadde heer
as yelow as wex,
|
|
But smothe it heeng as dooth
a strike of flex;
|
|
By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde,
|
|
680
And therwith he hise shuldres
overspradde;
|
|
But thynne it lay by colpons oon
and oon.
|
|
But hood,
for jolitee, wered
he noon,
|
|
For it was
trussed
up in his walet.
|
|
Hym thoughte he rood al of the newe jet;
|
|
685
Dischevelee, save
his cappe, he rood al bare.
|
|
Swiche glarynge eyen hadde he as an hare.
|
|
A vernycle
hadde
he sowed upon his cappe.
|
|
His walet lay biforn hym
in his lappe
|
|
Bretful
of pardoun
come from Rome al hoot.
|
|
690
A voys he hadde
as smal
as hath a goot,
|
|
No berd hadde
he, ne nevere sholde have;
|
|
As smothe it was as it were late
shave,
|
|
I trowe
he were a geldyng or a
mare.
|
|
But of his
craft, from Berwyk into
Ware,
|
|
695
Ne was ther swich
another pardoner;
|
|
For in his
male
he hadde a pilwe-beer,
|
|
Which that
he seyde was Oure Lady veyl:
|
|
He seyde he hadde
a gobet
of the seyl
|
|
That Seint Peter hadde, whan
that he wente
|
|
700
Upon the see,
til Jesu Crist
hym hente.
|
|
He hadde a croys
of latoun
ful of
stones,
|
|
And in a glas he hadde
pigges
bones.
|
|
But with thise relikes,
whan
that he fond
|
|
A povre
persoun
dwellyng
upon lond,
|
|
705
Upon a day
he gat hym moore moneye
|
|
Than that
the person gat in monthes
tweye;
|
|
And thus,
with feyned flaterye and japes,
|
|
He made
the persoun and the peple his apes.
|
|
But trewely
to tellen atte laste,
|
|
710
He was in chirche
a noble ecclesiaste.
|
|
Wel koude
he rede a lessoun or a storie,
|
|
But alderbest
he song an offertorie;
|
|
For wel he wiste,
whan
that song was songe,
|
|
He moste preche,
and wel affile his tonge
|
|
715
To wynne silver, as he ful wel
koude;
|
|
Therfore he song
the murierly and loude.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Pardoner Resources
|
|
|
|
|
The
Pardoner's Tale Synopsis
The
Pardoner (Resources at Harvard)
Judgment
and
Salvation
:
Ecclesiastical
Courts (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Papal Indulgences (Wikipedia)
Purgatory
(Wikipedia)
Christian Relics (Wikipedia)
An Avaricious Archdeacon
The Scots chronicler of Lanercost
(13th Century)Decameron; Sixth Day, Tenth Tale:
The selling of false relics was an abuse
frequently satirized; the adventure of Friar Cipollo
(Friar Onion) in Boccaccio's Decameron
has some general similarities to the Pardoner's trickery.
Sermon Stories: Tales of Relics,
12th-13th Century.
Invention of the Relics of St. Benedict,
(7th century?)
Amulo of
Lyon: Letter on the Misuse of Relics in Dijon.
mid-9th
Century. Trans. by Thomas Head
Claudius of Turin: Apology: An Attack on Veneration of
Relics. 8-9th Cent.
Guibert of Nogent (1053-1124): On
the Relics of the Saints: Book I,
Guibert of Nogent (1053-1124): from
Treatise on Relics.
Stephen de Bourbon: De Supersticione:
On St Guinefort,
The Translation of Saint Nicholas [Greek Anonymous],
13th Century MS. The story of the sacred theft of the relics of St.
Nicholas from Myra in 1087.
The Questioning of John Rykener,
A Male Cross-Dressing Prostitute, 1395.
|
|
|
|
|
George Lyman
Kittredge, Chaucer's Pardoner,
The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 72, 1893, pp. 829-33.
Monica McAlpine, The
Pardoner's Homosexuality and How It Matters,
PMLA 95, (1980), pp. 8-22.
David Benson, "Chaucer's Pardoner: His Sexuality and
Modern Critics," Medievalia 8 (1985 [for 1982]),
pp. 337-46.
Richard F. Green, "The Sexual Normality of Chaucer's
Pardoner," Medievalia
8 (1985 [for 1982]), 351-57.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Questions:
|
|
- The Summoner’s good buddy is his
traveling companion, the pardoner.
- What is
the pardoner's job in the church? Why was the sale of relics
so popular? What are 'indulgences'?
- Why was
the sale of indulgences so lucrative in the medieval church? What
should have been done with the monies raised through the sale of relics
and indulgences?
- How does
this pardoner exploit his position for personal gain?
- Describe
the personal characteristics of this guy. What does he look like? What
kind of singing voice does he have? Why does Chaucer give him such an
effeminate appearance?
- What is
Chaucer up to?
|
|
|
|
|
Chaucer's
Apology
|
|
|
|
|
Now
have I toold you
shortly in a clause,
|
|
|
Th'estaat, th'array,
the nombre,
and eek
the cause
|
|
|
Why that
assembled was this compaignye
|
|
|
720
In Southwerk, at this gentil
hostelrye
|
|
|
That highte
the Tabard, faste by
the Belle.
|
|
|
But now is
tyme to yow
for to telle
|
|
|
How that
we baren us that ilke
nyght,
|
|
|
Whan we were
in that hostelrie
alyght;
|
|
|
725
And after wol I telle
of our viage
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And all
the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage.
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But first
I pray yow, of youre curteisye,
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That ye n'arette it nat my vileynye,
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Thogh that I pleynly speke
in this mateere,
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730
To telle yow hir wordes
and hir cheere,
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Ne thogh I speke
hir wordes proprely.
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For this
ye knowen also wel as I,
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Whoso shal telle
a tale after a man,
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He moot
reherce
as ny
as evere he kan
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735
Everich a word,
if it be in his charge,
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Al
speke he
never so rudeliche
or large,
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Or ellis he moot
telle his
tale untrewe,
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Or feyne thyng,
or fynde wordes newe.
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He may nat spare, al thogh he were his brother;
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740
He moot
as wel seye o word as another.
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Crist spak hymself
ful
brode
in hooly writ,
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And, wel ye woot,
no vileynye
is it.
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Eek
Plato seith, whoso kan hym
rede,
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The wordes moote
be cosyn to the dede.
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745
Also I
prey yow to foryeve
it me,
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Al have I nat set folk in hir degree
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Heere in this
tale, as that they sholde
stonde.
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My wit
is short, ye may wel understonde.
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