Chaucer Flashcards
Cautionary tale
Exemplum
Introduction to a story with a purpose
Frame story
A story of chivalry
Courtly romance
A story where the main character is an animal
Beast fable
A story based on bad, bay day behavior
Faubliaux
Walking through a Jewish village, a Christian boy sings a religious song. Hearing it, the Jews slit his throat. Mother Mary takes pity on him and puts a grain on his tongue that keeps him alive so long as he keeps singing. What tale is this?
Prioress
What happens to the Jews in the prioress’s tale?
They are all hung for killing the Christian boy
What kind of tale is the miller’s?
A fabliaux mocking courtly love
Nicholas pretends to be sick, has a vision on a biblical flood, which he says they can only survive by sitting in tubs on the roof. This is a distraction so Nicholas can sleep with the carpenter’s wife. They convince the townspeople the carpenter is crazy, the end. What tale is this?
Miller
January marries May, who cheat on him with the squire. Jan is blinded. Pluto thusly condemns women’s morality and gives Jan his sight so he can see he has been cuckholded. He sees May and the squire having sex in a tree, but May convinces him it never happened. What tale is this?
Merchant
Why is the miller’s tale a fitting one for him?
He’s a raunchy drunkard
Why is the merchant’s tale a fitting one for him?
He has marital troubles, and his tale is about why women suck.
Why is the Knight’s tale a fitting story for him?
He believes in chivalry, the story is ridiculous because no one else does
Why is the pardoner’s take a good fit for him?
Highlights his hypocrisy, since he himself loves money
What kind of tale is the nun’s priest?
Beast fable
Chanticleer the chicken is beguiled by a fox to sing, allowing him to eat him. When the fox opens his mouth to answer questions about killing the prideful chicken, Chanticleer flies out, his lesson learned. What tale is this?
Nun’s priest
What led to Chanticleer the chicken’s downfall?
His pride
Three men go looking for death, find money under a tree, two men kill the elder, who has poisoned the wine they drink to celebrate. What tale is this?
Pardoner’s
Wife of Bath’s Story
Knight who took advantage of a woman travels until he finds out “what woman want”. It’s to be in control. Courtly romance, exemplum
Franklin’s Story
Husband leaves for years. Wife tells interested guy that he can have her hand in marriage if he can make rocks disappear. Uses trickery but she keeps promise says she doesn’t have to. Exemplum
Prioress’ story
Boy sings to Virgin Mary. Jews try to kill him but doesn’t die. Jews are found and killed. Priest removes grain, boy dies. Sermon
Millers story
Nick boards w carpenter and sleeps with his wife. She doesn’t like absilon. They go in tubs on the roof, C falls asleep and N and wife have sex A catches them, kisses wife’s butt, brands N. N convinces town C is crazy. Fabliaux
Knights story
Two cousins end up in prison somehow and see a girl an instantly fall in love agree to fight to the death for her one wins then dies so the other gets her mock courtly romance
Pardoner’s story
Guys set out to kill death after their buddy dies. Find money under tree. Each plots to kill the others. All die. Exemplum
Nuns priests story
Chicken boasts his greatness. Fox comes and eats him. Tricks him into opening his mouth by asking questions. Mock heroic chanticleer-henpecked
A knight takes advantage if a woman, allowed to go free if he finds out what women want. He realizes they just want control, so he marries her and says he’ll be whatever she wants. Whose tale is this?
Wife of Bath
In the knights tale, what god does Arcite pray to?
Mars
In the knights take, what god does palamon pray to?
Venus
In the Knight’s tale, who wins the tournament? What happens to him?
Arcite, he is trampled by his own horse and dies.
How does Palamon react to Arcite’s death? Emyle?
Knight’s Tale
They both mourn excessively, but eventually get married
