Tuesday, September 18, 2012

READING NOTES pp.90-115

  1.  Prepare to Read from The Canterbury Tales: The Prologue
    • Geoffrey Chaucer (1343?-1400)
      • son of a merchant, page in royal house, soldier, diplomat, royal clerk
      • varied experiences helped prepare him to write The Canterbury Tales
      • takes reader on journey through medieval society
    • The Poet's Beginning
      • exact date of Geoffrey Chaucer's birth is unknown
      • born into middle-class family / sent in his early teens to work as a page to the wife of Lionel of Antwerp (son of reigning monarch, Edward III)
      • introduced into aristocratic society of England
      • 1359, captured & held prisoner
      • King Edward paid a 16 lb ransom for release
      • 1366, married Philippa Pan (a lady-in-waiting to the queen)
      • Thomas (eldest child) continued father's rise in world
    • The Poet Matures
      • began writing in his 20's 
      • early poems bases on works of European poets
      • followed by various translators and French poetry
      • The Book of the Duchess (1369) first major work (1 yr after death of Blanche of Lancaster / wrote poem for  those grieving husband, John of Gaunt)
      • Troilus and Criseyde (drawn from Greek legend of Trojan War) displays human character
    • The Canterbury Takes
      • no one knows who prompt him to begin his work
      • inspiration may have come from own participation in pilgrimage to Canterbury
      • Pilgrimage- long journey to shrine or holy site, taken by people who wish to express their devotion
      • window of London home overlooked pilgrim road that led to Canterbury
      • romance to comedy, medieval literature
      • only 24 of projected 120 takes finished, but they stand together as complete work
    • The Father of English Poetry
      • considered greatest English poet
      • recognized as shrewd storyteller  / "rain the golden dewdrops of speech and eloquence" 
      • lies buried in Westminister Abbey 
      • honorary burial area for distinguished writers
      • Poets' Corner established around his tomb
  2. Chaucer's Guided Tour of Medieval Life and Literature (pg. 92)
    • The Journey Begins
      • Prologue: Chaucer meets 29 other pilgrims at Tabard Inn (London)
      • Harry Bailey, host of inn, sets a challenge: two stories on the way to Canterbury and two stories on the return trip
      • Prize: treated to feast by other pilgrims
      • 24 different tales set within the overarching tale of pilgrimage
    • Snapshots of an Era
      • begins survey of medieval society with courtly world (centered around nobility) 
      • Chaucer's Knight held land granted by lord or king
      • variety ranks of church represented by characters from the Prioress to the Summoner
    • A Literary Tour
      • no science fiction stories in his day
      • popular genres: romances (tales of chivalry), fabliaux (short humorous stories), stories of saint's lives, sermons allergories(pride & honor)
      • Knight tells a romance
      • Miller a bawdy story
      • Middle ages, meters & sound effects of Old English poetry no longer suited changing English language
      • adapted French poetic forms to English oh his day
      • wrote using: own form, heroic couplet, a pair of rhyming line with 5 stresses syllables each
      •  known as father of English poetry
    • The Endless Road
      • reminds us that every journey from here to there if filled with stories, waiting to be told
  3. Inside the Classroom 0 Period (September 19, 2012)
    • Important to Remember (since we did get asked in class this morning)
      • The Parson's brother is a Plowman
      • Narrator rejoices in renewing the cycle of life
      • Narrator appears to be naive
      • Pilgrim whose profession gives "a special love of gold" is the Doctor
      • Characters are religious pilgrimage
      • Chaucer's Wife of Bath's independent
      • Knights had been engaged in battles overseas
      • The Monk neglects religious duties in order to hunt
      • "a noble pillar to his order" uses irony (Friar: high minded beggar)
    • irony (subject of the day in 0 Period): opposite of what was intended
      • situational irony: audience knows what going to happen but the character doesn't
      • verbal irony: word usage opposite of what they're trying to say
      • dramatic ironycontradicting what character thinks


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