1. Middle Ages
The Medieval Time Period
500-1500

2. The Middle Ages
 What do we think about when we hear the
Middle Ages?
 What movies depict this time period that may
jog your memory?
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=zH6U5y086hw&feature=related
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=iGNpt7RlI_o


3. Life
 People lived in small
communities that consisted
of a castle, church, a
village, and the
surrounding farmland
ruled by a Lord given to
them by a King.
 Peasants were allowed to
live on the manor in
exchange for their work.
 Women were mostly
confined to household
tasks or placed to fight in

4. 3 Classes/
Groups
 Feudal:
 Kings, Nobles, Lords, Knights
 Church Groups:
 Devoted life to church: Monks, Friars, Nuns
 City Groups:
 Peasants, Farmers,
Millers & other occupations

5. Medieval Cathedral
 Catholic Churches
 Monks went to the monastery church eight
times a day in a routine of worship.
 Why were they built?
 Most Famous
 Canterbury Cathedral

7. Pilgrimages
 Pilgrimages were an important part of
religious life in the Middle Ages. Many people
took journeys to visit holy shrines such as the
Canterbury Cathedral in England.
 Canterbury Tales is a series of stories told
by24 pilgrims as they traveled to the
Canterbury Cathedral.

8. Geoffrey Chaucer
“The Father of English Literature”
 1340-1400 Born in London
 Held many jobs including
 Knight’s Secretary
 Philosopher
 Astronomer
 Author
 Diplomat (Government
Official)
 Buried at Abbey’s famous Poet’s Corner

9. Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer
Published 1478

10. The Canterbury Tales
 A long narrative made up of an introduction (“The
Prologue”) and 24 stories/tales told by 30 pilgrims on
their journey to Canterbury.
 These 24 stories are a mixture of legends, religious
stories, fables, fairy tales, sermons, & romances.
 Wide variety of characters, stories, and narrations that
contrast with other literature from this time period.

11. Frame Narrative
 Narrative: A type of writing that relates a series of
events—written in verse.
 Frame Narrative: (A story within a story) A literary
technique that inserts one or more small stories within
the body of a larger story that encompasses the smaller
ones.
 Modern Example:
 How I Met Your Mother
 http://movies.netflix.com/WiPlayer?
movieid=70218481&trkid=3325854

12. Frame Narratives
 In Canterbury Tales the overarching frame
narrative is the story of pilgrims traveling to
the Canterbury Cathedral.
 While traveling the Pilgrims decide to have a
storytelling contest. The individual stories told
by the pilgrims who participate are frame
narratives.
 We will read two of these; The Pardoner’s Tale
and The Wife of Bath.

13. Pilgrims
 Chaucer uses Direct and Indirect
characterization to portray Pilgrims
 Chaucer presents his characters by:
 Appearance: how they look & what they wear.
(Direct)
 Examples of character’s speech, thoughts, and
actions (Indirect)
 The responses of others to a characters
(Indirect)
 The direct comments from narrator about the
character (Direct)

14. Why Write?
 Criticism of English Society & Church
 Chaucer uses the tales and the descriptions of its
characters to paint an ironic and critical portrait of
English society and the Church.
 Where do we see this in our own society and by who?
 What cliché’s about jobs do we have in our culture?
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1BQPV-iCkU

15. Literary Terms/Devices
 Characterization- (indirect/direct)
 4 tools to define characterization
 Physical Appearance
 What the characters say/think
 What the characters do (actions/interactions)
 What the narrator/other characters say about them.
 Paraphrase-A restatement of meaning from a text or passage using
other words.
 Irony- A literary term referring to how a person, situation,
statement, or circumstance is not as it would actually seem.
 Satire-A technique in which ideas, customs, behaviors, or
institutions are ridiculed for the purpose of improving society

16. Prologue
 What is a Prologue?
 Original Text written in Middle English
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=QE0MtENfOMU
 Character Chart
 Project

17. Example:
 Pilgrim: Parson Page #: 153
 Pilgrim’s job:
 Pilgrim’s appearance, personality, and behaviors.
Which group from the Middle Ages are they in?
(Feudal, Church, or City)
 A tangible item/prop that represents your character or
something they may have brought with them on their
pilgrimage.
 1-2 lines that best describe your character, read
aloud. State line number and page number.

18. Example:
 Does Chaucer (the author) like this pilgrim? How
can you tell? Is he mocking or praising them?
 Explain using textual evidence. Also explain the
Irony of your character that Chaucer highlights
in their description and characterization.
 Physical Appearance---
 What the characters say/think
 What the characters do (actions/interactions)
 What the narrator/other characters say about them.