Transcript Canterbury Tales New

Canterbury Tales
Ally Simon and Rachel Dean
The Franklin
Wealthy landowner who
travels with the Man
of Law
Physical Characteristics, Clothing,
and Accessories
“White as a daisy-petal was his beard. A sanguine man,
high-colored and benign” (line 342-343). He is an aged
man with a pure white beard and a confident, cheerful
personality.
His complexion is ruddy (due to his high alcohol
intake), and he is stout (due to his consumption of
sweets).
He wore a white silk purse attached
to his belt, and a dagger.
Words, experiences, personality
traits
“He loved a morning sop of cake in wine. He lived for
pleasure and had always done” (344). He is a big
eater, and his house is overflowing with a large variety
of foods. For example, “his house was never short of
baked-meat pies, of fish and flesh” (353-354).
Furthermore, he changes his meats and drinks
according to what foods are in season. He is a
man who takes pleasure in all life has to offer
without sacrificing his desires. However, he is also
hospitable and generous with his culinary fare. “In
his hall a table stood arrayed and ready all day
long, with places laid” (363-364).
Indirect Characterization
Franklin is a shallow, self-indulgent man who
cares too much about eating. “It positively
snowed with meat and drink and all the
dainties that a man could think” (355-356).
Social Class
Member for the Shire (Parliamentary representative for the
county).
Inferences
Franklin is described as wealthy but
doesn’t seem to come from a class of
aristocracy. “He was a model among
landed gentry” (370) .
Deadly Sin or Moral Virtue
Franklin is described as “Epicurus’ very son,” (line
346) which means that he lived primarily for
personal pleasure.
Epicurus was a Greek philosopher who taught that
pleasure was the most important goal in life. This
is because once the body died, the soul died too.
Therefore all life should be enjoyed. However,
Chaucer implies that the pursuit of pleasure is
gluttony.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX5ZOBzXJdU&feature=r
elated&fb_source=message
Yes, Franklin upholds the proper values
of his social position. He is generous,
a patron of hospitality, and always has
food on the table.
Chaucer is criticizing the men that
indulge in alcohol (wine in particular),
sweets, and other excesses in
consumption of food.
Squire
The Squire is the Knight's
son, accompanying him on
this pilgrimage.
Physical Characteristics
Squire is young (around 20 years old), agile and of moderate height. He
is “a lover and cadet, a lad of fire.” (82) Chaucer is tongue-in-cheek
here describing a young person raised in privilege that is
experimenting and sampling pleasures with minimal responsibilities.
In his carriage, behavior and tastes, he is still immature, with nothing
like his father’s gravity.
The imagery that Chaucer uses to describe him includes meadows, fresh
flowers, and songs. “He was as fresh as is the Month of May.” (94)
Chaucer also keenly notes that the Squire’s exploits in battle were not
motivated by any loyalty to the realm, but to impress a lady.
Words, Experiences, Personality
Traits
Chaucer tells us that the Squire is an
accomplished gentleman who rides a horse
well, jousts well, writes verse, draws,
dances and carves the meat for his father,
the Knight, at dinner (which shows good
manners). He also stays out all night and
sleeps “as little as a nightingale” (100).
Indirect Characterization
Chaucer spends a lot of time describing the
Squire’s social accomplishments and
passion. We get the impression that the
Squire is immature, self-indulgent, a little
spoiled, a bit of a pretty boy, and prone to
pursuing ladies that keep him up all night.
Social Class
The Knight’s son
Deadly sin or moral virtue
The Squire represents youthfulness, exuberance,
curiosity and passion. In the extreme, this is the
venal sin of lust.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZwQQTrY
GyY&feature=related&fb_source=message
Yes, the Squire upholds the proper values of his social position.
In the prologue, the Knight is a grown-up version of the Squire,
who is still callow and carefree. The Squire knows how to have a
good time (he gets very little sleep), how to handle a horse and
joust, how to be entertaining (he writes, draws, sings, plays music),
and also courteous and respectful (he carves the meat at dinner
for his father).
Chaucer criticizes the character of the Squire subtly. He paints a
portrait of an accomplished and attractive young man who is
nevertheless not engaged in any serious pursuits. The Squires
were supposed to be "the finests" as many policemen are called
today. These were the young men who would one day become
powerful Knights. However, they are busy “fluting all the day”
(93) and carousing all night.
The Miller
Physical Characteristics, Clothing, and
Accessories
He’s huge, with a red beard, wide black nostrils, a gaping mouth,
and a wart on his nose with a tuft of hairs growing on it that are
as red as the bristles in a sow’s ears.
“A great stout fellow big in brawn and bone” (562).
“His beard, like any sow or fox, was red and broad as well, as
though it were a spade” (568-569).
“He wore a hood of blue and a white coat” (582).
Words, Experiences, and Personality
Traits
Many of the Miller’s activities are physical as well: he can
break doors open with his head and always wins the ram,
or top prize, at wrestling matches
He regularly steals corn from his customers (probably by
mixing filler into their sacks) or charges 3 times the
proper fee for it
“He liked to play his bagpipes up and down” (583).
Miller
Franklin
Squire
Social Class
The Miller’s portrait draws heavily upon
negative medieval stereotypes about lowerclass people. The idea was that such
people were “all brawn, no brains.”
Deadly Sin or Moral Virtue
In "The Miller's Tale”, one has three different
possibilities: 1) Get a job and a house, 2) Move
into a woman’s building 3) Be really romantic,
sending her a lot of flowers and gifts, and singing
moonlight love songs outside her window.
In the tale, winning a woman over is only half the
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt1rvRgBaI
o&fb_source=message
Yes, the Squire upholds the proper values of his social
position. In the prologue, the Knight is a grown-up version
of the Squire, who is still callow and carefree. The Squire
knows how to have a good time (he gets very little sleep),
how to handle a horse and joust, how to be entertaining
(he writes, draws, sings, plays music), and also courteous
and respectful (he carves the meat at dinner for his father).
Chaucer is criticizing the relationships of two
individuals. He explains how a carpenter's
wife cheats on him with a clerk, which
confirms the Miller's lustful predisposition.
Therefore, the Miller's character questions as
many stereotypes as it draws upon.