Snapshot of an Age

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Canterbury Tales

• Snapshot of an Age

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Canterbury Tales

• Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories where
  all characters are on a pilgrimage.
• Pilgrimage- a religious journey made to a shrine
  or holy place.

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Background

• The group of people in CT are from many different
  stages of life.
• The group travels from London to the shrine of
  the martyr Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury (55
  miles away).

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Thomas Becket

• Thomas Becket was killed in 1170 by the men of
  King Henry II.
• After Becket was killed on the alter of his
  cathedral, he was almost immediately named a
  saint.
• Church believed his body and blood were sacred
  and how the power to cure.
• People went to Beckets shrine to be healed.

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Prologue

• Canterbury Tales begins with a General Prologue
• The Prologue tells readers it is springtime, a
  time of new life and awakening.
• Springtime, weather conditions bad for traveling
  on horseback.

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• Twenty-nine pilgrims bound for Canterbury meet at
  the Tabard Inn in Southwark.
• The host of the inn suggests that the pilgrims
  exchange tales to pass the time.
• This sets up Chaucers frame storythe main story
  of the pilgrimage that includes each pilgrims
  story.

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• The pilgrims come from all different backgrounds
  and social classes.
• They represent all of us in our universal
  pilgrimage through life.

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Characterization

• Chaucer uses the methods of characterization that
  writers continue to use even today.
• Characterization Is the process by which the
  writer reveals the personality of a
  character.

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Chaucer reveals his characters

• By telling us directly what the character is like
• By describing how the character looks and dresses
• By presenting the characters words and actions
• By revealing the characters private thoughts and
  feelings
• By showing how other people respond to the
  character

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Frame Story

• Is a story that includes any number of different
  narratives.
• Chaucer uses the outer story of the pilgrimage to
  unite his travelers individual tales
• The tales themselves have thematic unity as well

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• Chaucer spends much time describing his
  characters appearances, in what appear to be
  physical sketches.
• A closer look allows us to see details that give
  us a shrewd psychological portraits as well.

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• On a sheet of paper, describe the persons
  appearance you are about to see.
• Try to show how certain details suggest certain
  character traits.
• How does the person want others to see him/her?
• What about their personality can you tell by
  looking at their photo?

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