The Canterbury Tales take place in England of the 14th century. It is spring time and a group of 30 people from all social classes is gathering together in the Tabard Inn in Southwark near London to plan their pilgrimage to Becket’s tomb at Canterbury. To kill time during their journey a story-telling contest is created. Each pilgrim has to tell a story and the winner of the best story will get a free supper.
The Canterbury Tales are structured as a frame narrative. The General Prologue mainly builds the frame where all the characters are introduced and the story-telling competition was invented.
Its structure is very simple. After an introduction in lines 1-34, the narrator begins the series of portraits (lines 35-719). Afterwards the Host
suggests the tale-telling contest which is then accepted by the pilgrims (lines 720-821). In the following the pilgrims gather and decide that the Knight should tell the first story.
The frame in which the story is embedded has a long tradition. Boccaccio’s “Decamerone” was for example written in this style and Chaucer read it when visiting Italy.
Originally Chaucer wanted each of the pilgrims to tell two stories on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back. This would have led to 120 single stories, but he never finished this enormous work. In fact there are only 23 tales, some of which are even incomplete.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Plot
- About the author
- The language of Chaucer
- Structure
- Characterization techniques
- Characters
- The Knight
- The Wife of Bath
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This work provides a comprehensive overview of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, exploring the plot, the author's life, the language used, the structure, and the key characters. It aims to provide a detailed analysis of this significant piece of medieval literature, highlighting its themes and its enduring relevance.
- The influence of other literary works on Chaucer's writing
- The use of Middle English as a tool for social commentary
- The representation of social classes and the rising middle class in 14th century England
- The portrayal of women in medieval society and the power dynamics within marriage
- The exploration of various genres within the Canterbury Tales framework
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Plot: This section outlines the basic narrative structure of the Canterbury Tales, introducing the pilgrims, their journey, and the story-telling contest. It sets the scene for the work, highlighting the social diversity of the characters and the central concept of the tale-telling competition.
- About the author: This chapter delves into the life of Geoffrey Chaucer, highlighting his family background, his role as a diplomat, and his exposure to influential figures and literary works in Europe. It explains how these experiences shaped his writing and contributed to the development of the Canterbury Tales.
- The language of Chaucer: This section discusses the significance of Chaucer's use of Middle English, the vernacular language of his time, and its impact on English literature. It emphasizes the originality of his approach, which aimed to make poetry accessible to a wider audience, and the enduring beauty and humor of his writing.
- Structure: This chapter examines the structural framework of the Canterbury Tales, explaining the use of the frame narrative, the influence of works like Boccaccio's Decamerone, and the organization of the individual tales into fragments. It highlights the potential for a more extensive work and the variation in manuscript structures.
- Characterization techniques: This chapter explores Chaucer's methods of characterization, revealing how he blends typicalization and idealization with a realistic approach. It discusses the use of physiological features, professions, and the alignment of characters' traits with the narratives they tell.
- Characters: This section provides an overview of the diverse characters within the Canterbury Tales, representing various social classes and highlighting the author's interest in realism. It introduces two key characters: the Knight and the Wife of Bath, offering a brief glimpse into their personalities and their respective tales.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The Canterbury Tales explores themes of social commentary, medieval life, literary influences, language, and the use of narrative techniques to portray diverse characters. Key figures include Geoffrey Chaucer, Dante Aligherie, Francesco Petrarca, and Boccaccio, whose works influenced Chaucer's writing. The concept of the frame narrative, the representation of social classes, the role of women, and the exploration of different literary genres are also central to the text.
- Quote paper
- Catharina Kern (Author), 2005, Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/70883
