Literary Criticism

ANALYSIS

1. What are the major themes of the Canterbury Tales?

2. Which pilgrims does Chaucer satirize? Which does he praise most highly? How does his treatment of these people indicate his own ideals about man?

3. Discuss Chaucer's use of irony in his treatment of one or more of the Canterbury pilgrims.

4. Discuss the ways in which Chaucer's style reveals his feeling about two or more of the pilgrims he describes.

5. The complex question of marriage was much debated one in the 14th century, and the "Wife of Bath" appears as an expert on the subject. Speak about other characters and their attitudes to marriage.

6. In the Prologue Chaucer shows the traditional class structure of medieval society:

· Upper class

· middle class

· lower class and ruffians

Who are the characters of each division?

7. When are the pilgrims traveling and for what reason? Why is this time of year appropriate for a pilgrimage?

8. What point of view does the narrator use. How does this point of view affect the details that readers learn?

9. What details does Chaucer use to describe the Knight and the Squire? What do these descriptions suggest about the characters?

10. How does Chaucer describe the Prioress and the Monk? In what ways are they different from the lower-ranking Friar and Cleric?

11. Theme Connections Whose stories would you expect to be more interesting—those of Chaucer’s humble characters or heroic characters? Give reasons for your answer.

12. What is the basic purpose of the "General Prologue?"

13. In what way are the season and the nature imagery important factors?

14. Regarding the description of the Pardoner:

a. How is the Pardoner described? What are his physical attributes? Of what "color" is he?

b. Whose companion is he, and what are the implications of this?

15. How does the host affect the nature of the journey, if he does? What does he propose to the pilgrims, and what will the "winner" receive?

In the "Prologue," much of the humor springs from the narrator's tone, which is detached and ironic. Instead of openly criticizing the scoundrels of his age for their greed and hypocrisy, he understates his opinions about them or says the opposite of what he really thinks. His seemingly impersonal attitude forces readers to draw their own conclusions.

For example, the narrator describes the Monk:

He was a prelate fit for exhibition,

He was not pale like a tormented soul.

He liked a fat swan best, and roasted whole.

His palfrey was as brown as is a berry.

The narrator's tone reinforces the discrepancies between the Monk's life and the ideal monastic life of humility and self-sacrifice.

Look for evidence in the form of particular words and phrases. Organize your ideas in a chart like this one.

Character	What Narrator says	What Narrator means

Literary Criticism

Scholars have noted that “The Prologue” is an estates satire, a type of medieval literature that pokes fun at the professions and classes, or “estates” of society, in order to expose their flaws. Why is a pilgrimage an effective framework for an estates satire? What societal flaws is Chaucer exposing?

Characterization

Writers use various techniques to construct vivid characters. In direct characterization, the author tells something outright about a character’s personality. In indirect characterization, the author suggests traits by describing a character’s words, thoughts, actions, or appearance, as well as the reactions of other characters. As you read about a character, remember that by carefully selecting details, an author controls the kind of impression the reader gets. Find examples of characterization in “The Prologue” that use the following techniques:

1. a direct statement

2. a character’s actions

3. a character’s physical appearance

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14