Perspectives for Discussion (PROLOGUE)

Perspectives for Discussion:

§  Meter of the Poem:

• Heroic Couplet

§  Representation of 14^th century England:

• Included all the classes of the 14th century
• Ideal as well as real

§  The Characters of Feudal Class:

• The Knight
• The Squire
• The Yeoman

§  The Characters of the Church:

• The Prioress
• The Monk
• The Friar
• The Summoner
• The Pardoner
• The Parson

§  The Characters of Trade/Commerce:

• Merchant
• Haberdasher
• Carpenter
• Weaver
• Dyer
• Tapicer

§  Chaucer as a Great Story-Teller:

• Plot of the Canterbury Tales
• Diverse Narrators
• Representing all the classes of society
• Use of different language
• Vivid description

§  The Prologue as a Social Satire:

o   Chaucer satirizes the social practices:

o   The Doctor

o   The Shipman

o   The Prioress

o   The Friar

o   and many other characters

§  The Prologue as a Picture Gallary:

o   The description serves as a painting of different character.

o   Examples of various characters may be included to show the strength of his descriptive technique

§  The Use of Humour in the Prologue:

o   He uses humorous remarks to highlight the follies

o   Well chosen words

§  Chaucer’s Realism in the Prologue:

o   His justification that he has portrayed as it was

o   Neither only virtue nor vice

o   Depicted the society as it was