Okay -- let's try this again. Answer two questions and then the next person on the blog will answer the next two and so on...So, if you are the first person on the blog, you answer 1 &2, second person answers 3&4, and so on .... yes.
The Canterbury Tales Prologue Questions
1. Why did everyone “especially” pilgrimage to Canterbury? (Who is the “martyr?”)
2. Including the narrator, how many pilgrims were at the Tabard that night?
3. What three pieces of information does the narrator plan to give for each pilgrim?
4. What (other than his military prowess) made him such a great knight?
5. Compare and contrast the Squire to his father, the Knight.
6. What does the fact that the Yeoman’s arrow feathers “never drooped” suggest?
7. What is a “Christopher?”
8. How does the Yeoman’s character seem to fit with his employer’s?
9. How well does Madame Eglantine really speak French?
10. Why does the narrator focus so much on how the Prioress eats? What does this suggest about her?
11. At a time when most people couldn’t afford fine food, what does the Prioress’s treatment of her dogs tell you about her?
12. Why would a religious woman be so concerned about imitating “court behavior?”
13. What would you most likely find the Monk doing on a beautiful fall day?
14. What is the Monk’s attitude toward traditional religious texts about proper “monkish” behavior?
15. The Monk had “found husbands for many young women at his own expense.” Why?
16. When did the Monk give easy penance to those who confessed their sins to him?
17. Why does the Monk avoid poor people and the sick if he’s a religious man?
18. How does the Monk “protect” his territory from other monks?
19. What is the Merchant’s favorite topic of conversation, generally?
20. Why do you suppose the Merchant is “so closemouthed” about his dealings?
21. On a beautiful fall afternoon, what would the Cleric most likely be doing?
22. The Lawyer “was discreet and well thought of –at least he seemed so, his words were so wise.” What is the narrator implying about the Lawyer?
23. “No man was as busy as [the Lawyer], and yet he seemed busier than he was.” Speculate about what the narrator is suggesting about the Lawyer.
24. How does the Lawyer acquire so much land?
25. What clues in the description of the guildsmen suggest that they are “newly rich?”
26. What do the guildmen’s wives enjoy about their prosperity?
27. What does the Sailor do while his client, the wine-merchant, sleeps?
28. Is the Physician a good doctor? What are his “best” qualifications?
29. What scheme does the Physician have going with the apothecaries?
30. How did the Physician make most of his money, and what is his attitude towards money?
31. Describe the Wife of Bath’s romantic history, both explicit and implicit.
32. The narrator says that the Priest “practiced good deeds, and afterward he preached them.” What details in the description support this statement?
33. Name one negative trait of the Priest.
34. Who is the Priest’s brother?
35. What is a plowman? Compare the Plowman to the Priest.
36. What is the irony of the intelligence of the lawyers that the Manciple works for?
37. What evidence suggests that the Reeve might be taking advantage of his lord?
38. Why are children frightened by the Summoner’s face?
39. Is the Summoner truly intelligent? What evidence does the narrator provide?
40. How does the Pardoner make most of his money?
41. What is so ironic about the Pardoner’s abilities in light of his money-making schemes?
42. What competition does the Host propose? What is the prize for the winner?
43. What standards will the Host use to judge the tales?
44. What if someone refuses to accept the Host’s judgment along the way?
45. Who tells the first tale, and why?
so no answers the the questions? I tried yesterday but it wasn't working
ReplyDeleteSame here...
ReplyDeleteWait wait wait there's no question but we have to comment? I'm confused...
ReplyDelete1. They are going to Canterbury to visit the tomb of Sir Thomas Beckett
ReplyDelete2. 30 Pilgrims
5. Both Perfect, look perfect.
ReplyDelete-Knight has already proved himself, highest social class
-Squire--obedient, good looking, lover, ladies-man, loves to sing.
6. He's always using them
45. The knight tells the first tale because he is the highest in class of all of the pilgrims, and one of the most honorable in Chaucer's line. This is the same reason why Chaucer mentions him first in the prologue of the tales.
ReplyDelete39. The summoner is not truly intelligent, because Chaucer points out that a jay can be taught to yell 'Walter' better than the pope, and that while the summoner "had mugged up some degree", "had you tried to test his wits and grope/for more, you'd have found nothing in the bag." (Chaucer 20)
7) A Christopher is a medal that the Yeoman wore. (St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers)
ReplyDelete8) The Yeoman's employer is the Squire. They both care about their appearances a lot. It's most likely that the Yeoman is traveling with the Squire because the Yeoman was the only servant that would go.
3) The three pieces of information that the narrator reveals about each pilgrim are their clothing, their appearance, their occupation and their social status (okay, that's four).
ReplyDelete4) Other than his military prowess, the fact that the Knight was chivalrous, brave, protects the less fortunate, and overall follows the code of chivalry is what makes him a great knight.
21: You would probbally find the cleric out hunting in the woods, with hunting dogs and not doing very many "monkly things."
ReplyDelete42:The knight tells the first tale because he draws the shortest cut.
13. What would you most likely find the Monk doing on a beautiful fall day?
ReplyDeleteYou would most likely find him hunting and enjoying the weather.
14. What is the Monk’s attitude toward traditional religious texts about proper “monkish” behavior?
The Monk disregards this code of behavior. It seems that he prefers hunting and riding to doing religious duties.
Why does the Monk avoid poor people and the sick if he’s a religious man?
ReplyDeleteHe wants money and the poor people can not provide him with money.
How does the Monk “protect” his territory from other monks?
He rents the territory.
15. The Friar had “found husbands for many young women at his own expense.” Why?
ReplyDeleteThe friar found husbands for these women presumably because he impregnated them, and didn't want to be involved or associated with the baby, as this was not a good thing for a friar to be doing.
16. When did the Friar give easy penance to those who confessed their sins to him?
The friar gave easy penance to those who paid him money when they made their confessions. This, in addition to his impregnation of women, made him a very dishonest and untrustworthy man.
11.At a time when most people couldn't afford fine food, what does the Prioress's treatment of her dogs tell you about her?
ReplyDeleteIt shows that she values her dogs over the other peasants and that she thinks she and her dogs are better than the peasants and are more deserving.
12.Why would a religious women be so concerned about imitating "court behavior"?
She wants to impress people and she is putting on airs so they will think more of her.
33. Name a negative trait of the Priest
ReplyDeleteHe really doesn't have one. But if he were to have one it would be that he is stubborn.
34. Who is the Priest's brother?
The Priest's brother is the plowman
9. Madame Eglantyne does not speak French all that well. On page 6, the narrator says "French in the Paris style [Madame Eglantyne] did not know."
ReplyDelete10. The narrator focuses so much on and carefully describes the manner in which the Prioress eats in order to convey her courtliness. The narrator speaks of the Prioress on page 6 when he says, "At meat her manners were taught withal; No morsel from her lips did she let fall, Nor dipped her fingers in the sauce too deep."
25. What clues in the description of the guildsmen suggest that they are “newly rich?”
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Some descriptions were "They were so trim and fresh their gear would pass For new." (Chaucer 13) this shows that their clothes were extreemly nice and fit for someone with maybe even more money than themselves. "fit to grace A guild hall with a seat upon the dais." (Chaucer 13) Meaning that they were held in high esteem in their respective guilds. "They had capital and revenue." (Chaucer 13) Meaning they had money and land and their wives "declared it was their due." (Chaucer 13) Meaning in the past they had not the goods and wealth they had now. so they were new into their wealth.
26. What do the guildmen’s wives enjoy about their prosperity?
Answer: The wives take was that "they ought to be called 'Madam' is a glorious thought, And so is going to church and being seen Having your mantle carried like a queen." (Chaucer 13) The wives enjoyed being called 'Madam' and having their mantles carried for them like a person of very high class like the queen. They also enjoyed going to church and being seen by society in all their newly made clothes and money.
29.The Physician has an agreement with apothecaries to split extra costs levied on treatments he prescribes.
ReplyDelete30.This scheme is where the Physician makes most of his money. He is rich, and he takes pains stay rich.
27. The sailor stole wine and sold it while he was sleeping.
ReplyDelete28. The physician was a good doctor, because "no one alive could talk as well as he did on points of medicine and surgery" (chaucer 14). He was as good a doctor as one could be during this time, but he cheated his clients with his medicine he prescribes.
21. On beautiful, sunny afternoon, the cleric would most likely be sitting under a tree, researching or reading a book.
ReplyDelete30. The physician makes most of his money by "cooperating with the apothecary"by telling his clients to by certain expensive drugs.
#23.
ReplyDelete"No man was busy as he, and yet he seemed busier than he was." (Chaucer, 11)
I believe that Chaucer was implying that the lawyer strives to appear that he works very hard, but in reality, he doesn't. He manages to seem to diligently work by remembering "every judgement, case and crime ever recorded since King William's time," (Chaucer,11) and being able to converse knowledgeably about his subject. He can speak well and became a "man of reverence, or so he seemed, his sayings were so wise," (Chaucer, 11) but Chaucer implies to the reader that the lawyer is all words and no action. This being said, he is also clearly experienced in his field, who by "his fame and learning and his high position had won him many a robe and many a fee."(Chaucer, 11) While he is a celebrated lawyer, it would seem that his fame is won through boasts.
24.
The lawyer acquires so much land because "he knew every statute off by rote," (Chaucer, 12) and "he could dictate defences or draft deeds; no one could pinch a comma from his screeds." (Chaucer, 12) As he knows so many statutes and laws by heart, he can make other people do what he wants.
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ReplyDelete31. The wife of Bath has had 5 husbands in addition to the numerous other male "companions." Additionally, she had gap-teeth, which back then people believed indicated that she was extremely lustful. She had large hips, implying that she had born numerous (illegitimate and legitimate) children. The author mentions that she "knew the remedies for love's mischances," implying that she was skilled as an abortionist. Both explicitly and implicitly, the Wife of Bath was a "slut."
ReplyDelete32. The parson believes that "if gold rust, what then will iron do?"; he believes that the priests' actions should be models for the normal people. He preaches that priests shouldn't "run to London to earn easy bread by singing masses for the wealthy dead." He believes that priests should not avoid the hard role of a parson as a guide to the people, but that they should bear with their parish, as he does.
20. He was in debt.
ReplyDelete17) he goes to the bar, sings, dances, drinks, sleeps with girls when he should associate with lepers, beggars, the poor, and the sick! he doesn't because he thinks they suck.
ReplyDeleteblahhhhhhhhhhhhh
ReplyDelete