POETRY-1 (ENG403)

LECTURE – 3

REVIEW OF LECTURE 2

• Introduction to the 14th century• Different Aspects of the 14th Century

o Politicalo Social o Religiouso Literary

REVIEW OF LECTURE 2

• Notable Writers of the Age:o Langland, Gower, Wycliffe, Mandeville, Chaucer

• Chaucer’s Contributiono Representative poet of 14th centuryo Realismo Heroic Coupleto Pioneer of writing in vulgar English

REVIEW OF LECTURE 2

• Chaucer’s Biography• Chaucer’s Literary Career

o The French Periodo The Italian Periodo The English Period

• Chaucer’s Language

REVIEW OF LECTURE 2

• Introduction to the Canterbury Taleso Framework Pilgrimageo Diverse assembly of narrators oWritten in Heroic Couplet in Middle Englisho Collection of stories narrated by 3o pilgrimso The shrine of Thomas à Becketo Each will tell 4 storieso Plan of 120 stories

REVIEW OF LECTURE 2

• HEROIC COUPLET• A pair of rhyming lines written in Iambic Pentameter• ‘Iambic’ refers to the foot used• Pentameter Five feet• Groups of syllables are called ‘feet’• An unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable

Befell ∣ that, in ∣ that sea ∣ son on ∣ a day,∣In south ∣ work at ∣ the Ta ∣ bard as ∣ I lay,∣

THE PROLOGUE TO THE CANTERBURY TALES

• General plan• Gives individualized portraits of characters• Social types• No particular order• The Knight Begins• Higher social rank

THE GENERAL PROLOGUE

• Lay out of the prologue is simpleo Lines 1-34: Elaborate Introductiono Lines 35-719: Series of Portraitso Lines 720-821: Host’s suggestion of a story telling

competition & its acceptanceo Lines 822-858: The next morning the pilgrims

assemble & it is decided, the knight shall tell the first tale

Whan that aprill with his shoures soote L.1The 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 breeth L.5

• Whan – when• aprill – April• Shoures – showers• Soote – sweet• Drought – dryness• Perced – pierced• Roote – root

• Swich – such• Licour – moisture • Vertu – vital energy• Engendered – created • Flour – flower• Zephirus – west wind • Eek – also

Inspired hath in every holt and heeth L.6Tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne

Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne,And smale foweles maken melodye,

That slepen al the nyght with open ye L.10

• Heeth – heath• croppes – tree-tops • Yonge sonne–young sun• Ram – 1st Zodaic sign• Halve – half

• Yronne – run, complete• Foweles – birds• Maken melodye – make

melody• Slepen – sleep• ye – eye

: (so priketh hem nature in hir corages); L.11Thanne 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 ende L.15

• Priketh – stirs, arouses• Hem – them• Hir – their• Corages – hearts• Thanne – then• Longen – desire• To goon – to go• Pilgrimages – journey to

the holy place

• To seken – to seek• Straunge strondes –

foreign places • Ferne halwes – distant

holy places• Kowthe – known • sondry londes – various

lands

Of engelond to caunterbury they wende, L.16The hooly blisful martir for to seke,

That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke. Bifil that in that seson on a day,

In southwerk at the tabard as I lay L.20

• Wende – go• Hooly – holy • Blisful – blessed by God• Martir – martyr• Holpen – helped

• Bifil – happened• Southwerk - southwark• Tabard – Inn• Lay - Live

Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage L. 21To caunterbury with ful devout corage,At nyght was come into that hostelryeWel nyne and twenty in a compaignye,Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle L.25

• Redy – ready• Wenden – go• Nyght – night• Hostelrye – inn

• Nyne – nine• Compaignye – company• Sondry – different

classes• Aventure - chance

In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle, L.26That toward caunterbury wolden ryde.

The chambres and the stables weren wyde,And wel we weren esed atte beste.

And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste, L.30

• Felaweshipe – fellowship

• Alle – all• wolden ryde – would

ride

• Chambres – rooms• Wyde - wide• Esed – given comforts• Atte beste – at best

So hadde I spoken with hem everichon L.31That I was of hir felaweshipe anon,And made forward erly for to ryse,

To take oure wey ther as I yow devyse. L.34

• Everichon – each one• Forward – agreed• Devyse - mention

LINES 1-34

• Introduction• Description of Spring• Source of excitement

But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space, L.35Er that I ferther in this tale pace,

Me thynketh it acordaunt to resounTo telle yow al the condicioun L.38

• Nathelees – none the less• acordaunt to resoun - reasonable

Of ech of hem, so as it semed me, L. 39And whiche they weren, and of what degree,And eek in what array that they were inne;

And at a knyght than wol I first bigynne. L.42

• Whiche – what type of men• Array- dress• Wol – will

A knyght ther was, and that a worthy man, L.43 That fro the tyme that he first bigan

To riden out, he loved chivalrie,Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie.

Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre, L.48

• Fro – from• Tyme – time• To riden out – to go out• Chivalrie – glory in the

deeds of bravery and adventure

• Trouthe – truth

• Curteisie – refinement• Worthy – worthy in his

brave exploits• lordes were – wars

fought by his lords• Therto – over and

above doing service to his feudal lord

As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse, L.49And evere honoured for his worthynesse At alisaundre he was whan it was wonne.Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne

Aboven alle nacions in pruce;In lettow hadde he reysed and in ruce,

No cristen man so ofte of his degree. L.55

• Cristendom – land of Christians

• Hethenesse – land of heathens

• Worthynesse - His glory as a soldier

• Alisaundre – Alexandria• Cristen – Christian

• Ful ofte tyme – at many occasions

• Hadde the bord bigonne - headed the board

• Pruce - Prussia• Ruce - Russia• Lettow - Lithuania

In gernade at the seege eek hadde he be L.56Of algezir, and riden in belmarye.

At lyeys was he and at satalye,59: Whan they were wonne; and in the grete see

60: At many a noble armee hadde he be. L.60 • Gernade – Granada

• Seege – attack• Belmarye – Benmarian• Lyeys - Layas• Satalye – Attalia

• Satalye – Attalia• Grete see - Great sea• Armee - army

At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene, L.6162: And foughten for oure feith at tramyssene

63: In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo.This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also

Somtyme with the lord of palatyeAgayn another hethen in turkye. L.66

• Feith – faith (christian)• Lystes – enclosed place• Thries – thrice• Ay – ever

• Ilke – same• Somtyme – sometime• Palatye – Anatolia• Agayn – against

And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys; L.67And though that he were worthy, he was wys,

And of his port as meeke as is a mayde.He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde

In al his lyf unto no maner wight. L.71

• Port – demeanour• Vileynye – not

appropriate speech

• maner wight – kind of person

He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght. L.72But, for to tellen yow of his array,

His hors were goode, but he was nat gay.Of fustian he wered a gypon

Al bismotered with his habergeon,For he was late ycome from his viage,

And wente for to doon his pilgrymage. L.78• verray – very• Parfit – perfect,noble• Fustian – rough cloth• Wered - wore• Gypon – a short

waist-coat

• Bismotered – soiled• Habergeon – an iron

coat for males • Viage – voyage• Wente - went• Doon - do

LINES 35-78

• Host’s Declaration of Describing the Pilgrims• THE KNIGHT’S DESCRIPTION

o As a charactero His achievementso His dressingo His armaments

With hym ther was his sone, a yong squier, L.79A lovyere and a lusty bacheler,

With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse.Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse.

Of his stature he was of evene lengthe,And wonderly delyvere, and of greet strengthe. L.84• Sone – son• Yong – young• Squier - squire• Lovyere – lover• bacheler – trainee• Lokkes – locks•

• crulle – curly• Leyd – laid• Presse – pressed• Gesse – guess• Stature – structure• Evene – average• Delyvere – active

And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie L.85In flaundres, in artoys, and pycardie,

And born hym weel, as of so litel space,In hope to stonden in his lady grace. Embrouded was

he, as it were a meedeAl ful of fresshe floures, whyte and reede. L.90

• Chyvachie – journey• Flaundres – Flanders• Artoys and Pycardie –

northern provinces of France

• Born – carried• Weel – well• Stonden – stand

• Embrouded – Embroidered

• Meede - meadow• Fresshe – fresh• Floures – flowers• Whyte – white• Reede - red

Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day; L.91He was as fressh as is the month of may.

Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde.Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde.

He koude songes make and wel endite, L.95Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write.

• Floytynge – fluting• Endite – write• Juste – take part in a dispute• Purtreye – draw

So hoote he lovede that by nyghtertale. L.97He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale.

Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable,And carf biforn his fader at the table. L.100

• Nyghtertale – night time• Dooth – does• Nyghtyngale – nightingale• Lowely – humble• Carf – carving

LINES 79- 100

• THE SQUIRE’S DESCRIPTIONo As a charactero His achievementso His dressingo His armaments

A yeman hadde he and servantz namo L.101At that tyme, for hym liste ride so,

And he was clad in cote and hood of grene.A sheef of pecok arwes, bright and kene,

Under his belt he bar ful thriftily,(wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly:

His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe)And in his hand he baar a myghty bowe. L.108

• Yeman – yeoman• servantz namo – no

other servants • Cote- coat• hood of grene – a green

hood• Sheef - bundle

• Kene – sharp• Bar – carried• Thriftily – carefully• Myghty – huge, strong

A not heed hadde he, with a broun visage. L.109Of wodecraft wel koude he al the usage.

Upon his arm he baar a gay bracer,And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler, L.112

• Not heed – head with closely handled hair

• Broun – brown• Visage – features• Wodecraft – woodwork• Koude – could, knew• Usage – do, practice

• Baar – bore• Gay – bright• Bracer – a protector for

arms• Syde – side• Swerd – sword• Bokeler – small shield

And on that oother syde a gay daggere L. 113Harneised wel and sharp as point of spere;A cristopher on his brest of silver sheene.

An horn he bar, the bawdryk was of grene;A forster was he, soothly, as I gesse.L.117

• Daggere – dagger• Harneised – decorated• Spere – spear• Cristopher – An image

of St. Christopher• Brest – breast

• Sheene – shown brightly

• Bawdryk – belt• Forster – forester• Soothly – truly • Gesse - guess

LINES 101 - 117

• THE YEOMAN’S DESCRIPTIONo As a charactero His dressingo His armaments

Ther was also a nonne, a prioresse, L.118That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy;

Hire gretteste ooth was but by seinte loy;And she was cleped madame eglentyne. L.121

• Nonne - nun • Smylyng – smiling• Symple – simple• Coy – Quiet• Gretteste – great

• Ooth - oath• seinte loy – Saint Loy• Cleped – called• Eglentyne - Eglantine

Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne, L.122Entuned in hir nose ful semely,

And frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,After the scole of stratford atte bowe,

For frenssh of parys was to hire unknowe. L.126

• Entuned – Intoned• faire and fetisly – well and prettily• Scole – school• Unknowe - unknown

At mete wel ytaught was she with alle: L.127She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe;

Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepeThat no drope ne fille upon hire brest. L.131

• Mete – food• Wette – to wet• Depe – deeply

In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest.L.132Hir over-lippe wyped she so clene

That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng seneOf grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte.

Ful semely after hir mete she raughte. L.136

• Curteisie – courtesy• Muchel – much• hir lest – her pleasure• over-lippe – upper lip• Wyped – wiped• Clene - clean• Coppe - cup

• Ferthyng – farthing, slightest

• Grese - grease• dronken hadde –had

drunk• Draughte – drink• Semely – nicely• Raughte – took her food

And sikerly she was of greet desport, L.137And ful plesaunt, and amyable of port,And peyned hire to countrefete cheere

Of court, and to been estatlich of manere,And to ben holden digne of reverence. L.141

• Sikerly – certainly• Greet desport – full of

fun• Amyable – cultured &

dignified• Port – manners• peyned hire – pained

her• Countrefete - imitate

• Cheere – manners• estatlich of manere –

stately manners• to ben holden – to get

respect • Digne – dignity• Reverence - respect

But, for to speken of hire conscience, L.142She was so charitable and so pitous

She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mousKaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.Of smale houndes hadde she that she fedde

With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed.L. 147

• Pitous – full of pity• Mous – mouse• Kaught – caught• Trappe – trap• Deed – dead • Bleede - bleed

• Smale - small• Fedde – feed• Rosted flessh – roasted

flesh• wastel-breed – cake

made of fine flour

But soore wepte she if oon of hem were deed, L.148Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte;And al was conscience and tendre herte.

Ful semyly hir wympul pynched was,Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas,

Hir mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed; L.153

• Soore – sure• Oon – one• Smoot –beat• Yerde - yard• smerte – smartly• Ful semyly – in fine

manner

• hir wympul – her head dress

• Pynched – formed• Tretys – long and well

shaped• Eyen – eyes• softe and reed – soft

and red

But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed; L. 154It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe;For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe.

Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war. L.157

• Sikerly – certainly, surely• fair forheed – broad forehead• Hardily - hardly• Undergrowe – undergrown

Of smal coral aboute hire arm she bar L.158A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene,

And theron heng a brooch of gold ful sheene,On which ther was first write a crowned a,

And after amor vincit omnia. L.162

• A peire of bedes – a pair of beeds • Gauded – larger one• Heng – to hang• Amor – divine love• amor vincit omnia – love conquers all

Another nonne with hire hadde she, L.163 That was hir chapeleyne, and preestes thre. L.164

• Nonne - nun• Chapeleyne – chapelain, private secretary• Thre - three

LINES 118-164

• THE PRIORESS’ DESCRIPTIONo As a charactero Her nameo Her mannerso Her natureo Her chaplaino Three priests

RECAP OF LECTURE 3

• Introduction• The Knight’s Description• The Squire’s Description• The Yeoman’s Description• The Prioress’ description

REFERENCES

• http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/canterbury-tales/study-help/full-glossary-for.html

• www.sparknotes.com › No Fear Literature › The Canterbury TalesCached – Similar

• TEXT Prologue to the Canterbury Tales