the canterbury tales english 12 - erwc and ap english lit & comp class notes © copyright...
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The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury TalesEnglish 12 - ERWC and AP English
Lit & Comp Class Notes © Copyright Academic Year 2007-2008, by M. Baltsas. All Rights Reserved.
The Medieval Period – 1200-1450The Medieval Period – 1200-1450
Period of great change in culture, politics, science, society, agriculture and economics.
Urbanization of northern and western Europe took place
© Copyright Academic Year 2007-2008, by M. Baltsas. All Rights Reserved.
The Seven Deadly SinsThe Seven Deadly Sins
• gluttony - too much food or drink
• ambition - strong desire to get ahead
• sloth - laziness
• avarice - greed
• pride - conceited
• wrath - anger
• envy - jealousy which leads to hate
Literary TermsLiterary Terms
• Allusion - A reference to a historical person, place, or event that the average reader is unfamiliar with.
• Frame story– A story is told within a narrative story or frame. – The frame is introduced in the prologue of the
“Canterbury Tales”• Characterization
– Development of characters through speech, thoughts, feelings, actions, appearance
• Genre– A category that literature is grouped into
• Fiction, mystery, science fiction…
© Copyright Academic Year 2007-2008, by M. Baltsas. All Rights Reserved.
Literary TermsLiterary Terms
• Oxymoron– A statement which brings together two
contradictory terms• civil war, jumbo shrimp, awfully good
• Satire– Ideas, customs, and behaviors are ridiculed
for the purpose of improving behavior• Tone
– The writer’s attitude toward the worksatirical, comical, objective, condescending
© Copyright Academic Year 2007-2008, by M. Baltsas. All Rights Reserved.
Literary Terms – Types of IronyLiterary Terms – Types of Irony
• Irony– Contrast between expectation
and reality. • Sarcasm
– Literal meaning is complementary, but actual meaning is critical
• Hyperbole– Truth is exaggerated for
emphasis or humorous effect• Understatement
– Creating an emphasis by saying less than is literally true.
IRONY
Sarca
sm
Hyperbole
Understatem
ent
© Copyright Academic Year 2007-2008, by M. Baltsas. All Rights Reserved.
Background InformationBackground Information
Point of view Each of the tales is told from
an omniscient third-person point of view, providing the reader with the thoughts as well as actions of the characters.
Omniscient – all knowing
Narrator The primary narrator is an
anonymous member of the pilgrimage, who is not described. The other pilgrims narrate most of the tales.© Copyright Academic Year 2007-2008, by M. Baltsas. All Rights Reserved.
Background InformationBackground Information
Setting (Time) - The late fourteenth century, after 1381
Setting (Place) - The Tabard Inn and the road to Canterbury
Time and place written – Around 1386–1395, England
Author• Geoffrey Chaucer
© Copyright Academic Year 2007-2008, by M. Baltsas. All Rights Reserved.
Social ClassSocial Class
• Feudal (knighthood)
• Ecclesiastical (church)
• Urban (working class).
© Copyright Academic Year 2007-2008, by M. Baltsas. All Rights Reserved.
Major ConflictsMajor Conflicts
involve clashes between social classes
differing tastescompeting professionsconflict between the
sexes
© Copyright Academic Year 2007-2008, by M. Baltsas. All Rights Reserved.
The PrologueThe Prologue
• Prologue - An introduction to the characters going on the pilgrimage
• Setting - Spring in the city of Southwark at the Tabard Inn
• 30 pilgrims in all• 3 groups of pilgrims – –1)Oratores (those who pray),–2) Bellatores (those who fight), and
–3) Laborares (those who work)