IV Creative Tasks (you may complete these tasks individually or in pairs)

1) If Chaucer was writing The Canterbury Tales now, what is one “character type” he’d be sure to include?

Consider what this character type looks like as well as his/her positive and negative personality traits.

Just as Chaucer was known for his use of indirect characterization, be sure to utilize both direct and indirect characterization in the character sketch.

2) Before telling her story Wife of Bath proclaims some kind of confession. Compose a “confession” for one of the modern characters:

• A politician

• The owner of a dating agency

• A businessman / woman

V Language

Extract 1

Look at the differences between modern English and Middle English. Make a note of at least 5 Middle English words which are spelled differently but you can still tell what they mean.

Even though the language is probably unfamiliar, try to make some sense of the passage.

A povre wydwe, somdeel stape in age

Was whilom dwellyng in a narwe cotage,

Biside a grove, stondynge in a dale.

This wydwe, of which I telle yow my tale,

Syn thilke day that she was last a wyf,

In pacience ladde a ful symple lyf,

For litel was hir catel and hir rente.

By housbondrie of swich as God hire sente

She foond hirself and eek hir doghtren two.

Thre large sowes hadde she, and namo,

Three keen, and eek a sheep that highte Malle.

What impression do you have of the widow?

Read this modern English prose 'translation':

Once upon a time there was a poor widow quite advanced in years, who lived in a small cottage beside a small wood situated in a valley. Since that day when she was last a wife, this widow about whom my story is concerned had patiently lived a simple life, for her property and income were small. By means of careful management of the things God sent her, she provided for herself and her two daughters. All she owned were three large female pigs, three cows and also a sheep called Molly.

Notice that in the original, Chaucer helps us feel the roughness and simplicity of her life (the rhythm of the verse is rough and inelegant, the sounds of words like 'stape', 'hogges', 'sowes', 'catel' are hard). What is lost in the 'translation'?

Can you work out the modern English words for the following:

'whilom' 'thilke' 'catel' 'keen' 'eek'

Extract 2

The widow keeps a fine-looking cock called Chauntecleer, whose merry, virtuoso crowing has no equal anywhere.

Try to get the general idea. How many 'wives' does Chauntecleer have? Who was Pertelote?

This gentit сок hadde in his governaunce

Sevette hennes for to doon al his plesaunce,

Whiche were his sustres and his paramours,

And wonder lyk to hym, as of colours;

Of whiche the faireste hewed on hir throte

Was cleped faire damoysele Pertelote,

Curteys she was, discreet, and debonaire,

And compaignable, and bar hyrself so faire

Syn thilke day that she was seven nyght oold,

That trewely she hath the herte in hold

Of Chauntecleer, loken in every lith;

He loved hire so that wel was hym therwith.

But swich a joye was it to here hem synge,

Whan that the brighte sonne gan to sprynge,

In sweete accord, 'My lief is faren in londe!'

For thilke tyme, as I have understonde,

Beestes and briddes koude speke and synge.

How would you describe the relationship between Chauntecleer and the hens?

Which words/phrases describe Pertelote?

What impression do you get of Chauntecleer? Is he proud or self-satisfied?

How do the hens contrast with the 'povre wydwe'?

Do you get any impression of the narrator in the last two lines?

What do you think will happen?

Enjoy the cartoon interpretation of “The Canterbury Tales” (3 parts)

http://mults.spb.ru/mults/?id=1451

http://mults.spb.ru/mults/?id=145 2

http://mults.spb.ru/mults/?id=145 3

Share your impression and opinion at practical class. Did you imagine characters in the same way as they are presented in the cartoon? What are the main differences? Whose story would you like to be included in the cartoon version?

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