Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Philology > Week 9 > Flashcards

Week 9 Flashcards

1
Q

Imagery is used for many purposes, including:

A

Use of vivid and descriptive (figurative) language.

  1. To establish the nature of a character
  2. To contrast/relate various characters
  3. For comic effect
  4. To foreshadow events
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How was Alison being represented through means of imagery?

A

Like a weasel, swallow, kid, calf, mouse, bird, colt.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How was Absolon being represented through means of imagery?

A

Like a goose, cat, nightingale and an ape.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How was John being represented through means of imagery?

A

Like a cat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Why was Nicholas not portrayed through means of any imagery in The Miller’s Tale?

A

Because he was a scholar.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Great Chain of Being

A
  1. God
  2. Angels
  3. Man
  4. Animals
  5. Plants
  6. Inanimate objects
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are examples of imagery through music in The Miller’s Tale?

A
  1. Nicholas plays the psaltery and sings
  2. Alison sings
  3. Absolon plays the fiddle and sings
  4. John does not play any music
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are examples of ‘foreshadowing’ imagery in The Miller’s Tale?

A
  1. Absolon’s squeamishness of farts
  2. Nicholas’s forecasting the weather (floods)
  3. John keeps Alison in a cage
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Genre of Parody in The Miller’s Tale:

A
  1. Courtly Love
  2. Biblical material
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Parody

A

Parody imitates the serious manner and characteristic features of a particular literary work in order to make fun of those same features.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Courtly Love

A

A highly conventionalised code of conduct for noble lovers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Some conventions of courtly love:

A
  1. Knight declares his ‘secret love’
  2. Lady rejects his love
  3. Knight falls I’ll ‘malady of love’
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How does the Bible come forth in The Miller’s tale by means of ‘Parody’?

A
  1. Noah’s flood
  2. Alison threatens to cast a stone
  3. Nicholas sings Angelus ad Virginem
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Genre: Fabliau, where did it come from and general characteristics?

A

Flourished in France 12th and 14th century. There were few fabliaux before Chaucer.
1. Brief comic tale in verse
2. Setting: Time is present, settings are real and places familiar
3. Subject matter: everyday life, usually scurrilous, often scatological and obscene.
4. Plot: tricks intended to deceive
5. Fabliau justice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the characteristics of The Miller’s Tale as a fabliau?

A

Setting: time is present, settings real, places familiar
Characters: ordinary sorts
Subject matter: everyday life, usually scurrilous, often scatological and obscene.
Plot: tricks intended to deceive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What does fabliau justice in The Miller’s Tale mean?

A

That unnatural behaviour is punished and natural behaviour is not punished.

17
Q

Why is Alison like a swallow? Why is Absolon like a goose?

A

Because a swallow leaves their nest right before it tumbles down.

Geese have the ability to smell intense smells, which foreshadows that Absolon is going to smell something later on.

18
Q

How does Chaucer use parody?*

A

The parody imitates the serious manner and characteristics from other literary conventions/literary works to then make fun of them.

19
Q

Characteristics of a fabilau

A
  1. Brief comic tale in verse
  2. Setting: present time, real life of familiar people
  3. Characters: ordinary people
  4. Subject matter: everyday life
  5. Plot: tricks with intent to deceive someone
  6. Fabilau justice (poetic justice): everyone gets what they deserve in the end.
20
Q

What is a fabilau?

A

A brief comic tale in verse designed to make the reader laugh.

21
Q

Why does Chaucer use animal imagery?

A
  1. Degrading effect on the characters
  2. Animals are associated with certain behavioural aspects
  3. Animal images lend auctoritas to the story, makes it make sense
22
Q

What is a humans complexion influenced by?

A
  1. Predominating humours
  2. The configuration of the heavens at time of birth
  3. Age
  4. Season of the year
23
Q

Complexions

A

Melancholic, phlegmatic, choleric, sanguine

24
Q

Bodily humours

A

Blood, black bile, yellow bile, phlegm

25
Q

What is a complexion?

A

The physical aspects and characteristic of a person.

26
Q

Why is the balance of humours important?

A
  1. Diseases originated from an imbalance of the humours
  2. The balance of the humours determines a person’s complexion
27
Q

What are the four contraries?

A

Hot <-> cold
Moist <-> dry

28
Q

Sources of authority

A
  1. Bible
  2. Nature: God’s 2nd book (bestiaries)
  3. Classical authors: Plato, Aristotle
  4. Scholars: Boethius, Bede, Augustine
  5. Astronomy
  6. Tradition > proverbs
29
Q

Authority

A

Someone backed up whatever they were saying with sources that give the tale authority.

30
Q

What/where was allegory used for?

A
  1. Training lawyers
  2. Reading/interpreting the Bible
  3. Narrative
  4. Reading literary texts

Philology (18 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions