Tales - discussion

Knight’s Tale

How does Chaucer describe Knight? Can we claim that this Knight is the one who follows knight’s duties?

Remember what “courtly love” cult means. How is this cult presented in the tale?

Find the examples of knighthood behaviour in the tale.

What features of classical antique literature can be found in Knight’s tale? How does it influence the plot?

Compare Knight’s tale with chivalric romances and other genres of courtly literature.

Explore the sources of Knight’s Tale.

Miller's Tale

How do you think why Miller’s tale follows Knight’s tale? Do these stories have anything in common?

What kind of imagery does Chaucer use to describe Alison? Is she a well-rounded character or a type? Why?

What are we supposed to think of the final "justice" in the end of "The Miller's Tale"?

What do you think about the Miller and the Miller's Tale?

Is there any relationship between the Miller's appearance and the content of his tale?

Who is the winner in "The Miller's Tale"? Justify your answer.

Wife of Bath's Tale

According to the anti-feministic theologians in the medieval church, what are the characteristics of women?

What metaphor does Wife of Bath use to describe the situation when man and woman are put together?

Why does Chaucer have such a long detailed prologue for the Wife of Bath?

In Wife of Bath's Tale, what is the point of telling us at the beginning of the story about the supernatural creatures and their disappearance later?

What do you think about Chaucer's arrangement of the change of the old wife's appearance and the happy ending? Explore the sources of this story. In particular, pay attention to legends about Sir Gawain in Arthurian cycle.

What is special about the Wife of Bath's appearance and personality? Is there a connection between her personality and the story?

What is Bildungsroman? Can we somehow name the story of knight “Bildungsroman”?

How does Chaucer use humor in the tales of the Miller and the Wife of Bath? Is there any difference in how he uses it in the two?

Pardoner's Tale

What are the three biblical examples that the Pardoner uses to illustrate "The luxur is in Win and dronkenesse"?
What do you think of the Pardoner's tale? Is the tale consistent to the story teller's character?

Clerk's Tale

Read the 10th chapter of Giovanni Boccaccio's novel «The Decameron» and compare it with the story told by Clerk (Рассказ Студента).

Compare two images of Griselda. What do you think about her relations with her husband and her opinion concerning marriage?

Read Chaucer's afterword to the tale. Comment. Are Chaucer's ideas up-to date?

“Tales” as an encyclopedia of genres

• features of the romance in the story of Knight;

• prologue to Wife of Bath’s story — the genre of confession;

• Wife of Bath’s story — chivalric romance and the genre of ballad;

• Pardoner’s tale — parable;

• Priest’s tale about a cock and a hen and the traditions of beast fable;

• Monk’s tale and traditions of medieval drama;
• Miller’s and Reeve’s tales and the genre of fabliau.

Style

1. Сделайте компаративный лингвистический анализ рассказов рыцаря и мажордома ("Кентерберийские рассказы" Д. Чосера). Составьте список слов и выражений, свидетельствующих о принадлежности авторов-рассказчиков к различным социальным группам. С помощью каких средств автор добивается столь различного звучания?

2. Найдите примеры стилистических средств в "Кентерберийских рассказах" Чосера (например, рассказ батской ткачихи, слуги каноника, врача, юриста, монаха). Выделите особенности повествовательной манеры отдельного рассказчика.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-31