Module 4

THE CANTERBURY TALES by Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by
Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. Chaucer's long poem follows the
journey of a group of pilgrims, 31 including Chaucer himself, from the Tabard Inn in
Southwark to St Thomas à Becket's shrine at Canterbury Cathedral. The host at the
inn suggests each pilgrim to tell two tales on the way out and two on the way home
to help while away their time on the road. The best storyteller is to be rewarded with
a free supper on their return. Chaucer's original plan was for over 100 stories, but
only 24 were completed.

This literary device gives Chaucer the opportunity to paint a series of vivid word
portraits of a cross-section of his society, from a knight and prioress, to a carpenter
and cook; a much-married wife of Bath, to a bawdy miller – an occupation regarded
in Chaucer's day as shifty and dishonest.

Chaucer mixes satire and realism in lively characterizations of his pilgrims. The tone
of their tales ranges from pious to comic, with humor veering between erudite wit and
good honest vulgarity. Taken together, the tales offer a fascinating insight into
English life during the late 14th century.

Objectives: At the end of the lesson the students will be able to:
1. Retell and paraphrase selected stories from Canterbury Tales;
2. Evaluate the themes of the stories;
3. Relate the events in the stories to real life situations.

SAQ 1:

1. What are the 24 tales included in The Canterbury Tales?

ASAQ 1:
The Knight's Tale
 The Miller's Tale
The Reeve's Tale
The Cook's Tale
The Man of Law's Tale
The Wife of Bath's  Tale
The Friar's Tale
The Summoner's Tale
The Clerk's Tale
The Merchant's Tale
The Squire's Tale
The Franklin's Tale
The Physician's Tale
The Pardoner's Tale
The Shipman's Tale
The Prioress's Tale
The Tale of Sir Thopas
The Tale of Melibee
The Monk's Tale
The Nun's Priest's Tale
The Second Nun's Tale
The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
The Manciple's Tale
The Parson's Tale

SAQ 2:

1. Give a short summary of each tale. (Some summaries are provided in

ASAQ 2)

ASAQ 2:

The Knight's Tale Summary

Part I:
 There was a duke named Theseus who was a great conqueror. He was lord
and governor of Athens. Upon conquering Scythia, he married its queen Hippolyta
and returned to Athens with her new wife amidst much pageantry and glorious
ceremony. Queen Hippolyta’s sister, Emily, also went along.

Outside Athens, he met a band of weeping women and learned that the tyrant
Creon has murdered their husbands and dishonored the dead by leaving them
unburied. Incensed, Theseus quickly overthrew Creon and restored the Theban
dead to the women for burying. After the destruction of Creon's forces, booty
hunters found two young knights, Palamon and Arcite, who are not quite dead.
Theseus decided against executing the knights and instead imprisoned them with
no hope of ransom.

One morning several years later, Palamon saw the beautiful Emily wandering
about in her garden;
So year by year it went, and day by day,
Until one morning it befell in May
That Emily, a fairer sight to see 1035
Than lilies on a stalk of green could be,
And fresher than the flowers May discloses--
Her hue strove with the color of the roses
Till I know not the fairer of the two--
Before daylight, as she was wont to do, 1040
Had roused herself and was already dressed.
For May will leave no sluggard nightly rest;
The season seems to prick each gentle heart,
It causes one out of his sleep to start
And says, "Arise, it's time to pay respect!" 1045
And this caused Emily to recollect
The honor due to May and to arise.
She brightly dressed, a pleasure to the eyes.
Her hair was braided in one yellow tress
A good yard down her back, so I would guess. 1050
And in the garden, as the sun arose,
She wandered up and down, and, as she chose,
She gathered flowers, white as well as red,
To make a dainty garland for her head;
And like that of an angel was her song. 1055

Palamon cried out in pain as though his heart was pierced. Arcite
symphathetically asked his cousin what caused his pain. And Palamon explained
that the beauty of the goddess-like lady roaming in the garden struck him with so
much woe. He then prayed to Venus that they be able to escape from prison.
Arcite peered from the tower window and, upon seeing the fair Emily, proclaimed
his own love for her. He claimed that the fresh beauty of Emily had slain him.

When Palamon heard Arcite’s declaration of love to Emily, he was angry. He

called Arcite a traitor for loving Emily when he was the one who first saw her.
Palamon reminded Arcite that they have sworn not to do each other ill. And that
one would not be a hindrance to the other in the name of love. But Arcite reasoned
out that in love, decrees or laws men pass are broken every day in every class.
Also, love is a law that’s greater than all law that Nature gives to earthly man.

Because both knights claimed their love for Emily, their friendship gave way to
hostility. About this time, a friend to both Theseus and Arcite arrived in Athens and
secured Arcite's release on the condition that he never return to Athens. Both
knights thought the other luckier: Arcite, because Palamon can still see the
beautiful Emily; Palamon, because Arcite can raise an army and capture her.

Part II

 Back in Thebes, Arcite sinks into a lover's melancholy. His heart was smitten
with a deathlike despair. He wept and wailed and pitifully he cried, and even
contemplated suicide. He regretted having been freed from prison for he suffered a
nostalgic feeling of not being able to get sight of Emily, the lady he professed to
serve. Because he could not see Emily, for him, he is good as dead. He
remembered Palamon who could still see the beautiful Emily and could still
experience the rapture of seeing her. How he wished he were still in that prison
cell with Palamon.

As a result of his great lamenting, his physical appearance changed so much

that he is no longer recognizable. Not being able to sleep, eat and drink properly
he grew lean and dry and brittle. He had hollow eyes and pale ashes-like skin.
Every night he would be alone, wailing, moaning and weeping. Indeed, he had
changed so much. He was like a deranged man.

After suffering for a year or so, he dreamt one night of Mercury, the messenger
of the gods. Before him he appeared and ordered him to return to Athens.
Uncertain of what sore pain may lie ahead in Athens, he was determined to obey
the decree of the god. In his trying to disguise himself, he looked at himself at the
large mirror and saw the great change in his color and his face looked like another
one. Excitedly, he thought that the disfiguration of his face will do him good. He
could now go to Athens without being recognized. Taking the name Philostrate,
Arcite was employed as a page in the House of Emily. Several years passed
because of his excellent performance in his job, Philostrate/Arcite rose to serve
Theseus as a squire, a high and respected position in the court of Theseus.
Theseus also loved him among others and lavishly gifted him with gold that kept
himself in a life of style. He lived this way for three years.

Meanwhile, Palamon now endures seven years in that dark prison. He pines
away in sorrow and distress for being held captive for so long a time and with no
hope of gaining freedom again. But one night on a third day of May, at last,
whether by chance or destiny, Palamon escaped from prison and fled to a grove.
He planned to hide there during the day and make way for Thebes at night. In
Thebes, he would implore the help of his friends to march war on Theseus so he
could win Emily as his wife. That morning, by chance, Arcite went to the same
grove and, thinking himself alone, recites his history aloud, blaming Juno, Mars,
and especially Venus for his plight. Palamon, who had not recognized Arcite,
finally identifies him through his lament and leaps up, swearing to kill Arcite for his
treachery and law breaking. The two arranged to duel the following day.

The next day, the men duelled, dismissing all knightly ceremony. Theseus and
his entourage arrived upon the bloody scene. Theseus stopped the duel and
rebuked the knights for their behavior. Palamon revealed all, demanding that both
of them be killed for their crimes, and Theseus swore that the wish will be granted,
but he relented when the women of his company begged mercy for the knights.
Theseus proposed a formal tournament in one year with each knight supported by
one hundred knights. The winner of the joust will get the hand of Emily. The
decision of Theseus delighted both Arcite and Palamon that none could be more
joyful than they were.

Part III:
If Arcite and Palamon prepared much for the joust, Theseus too prepared
more. He built a theatre for the event and none could be finer anywhere. No
wonder because there was not a craftsman in the land whom he did not hire as
crew to work on this theatre.
 At the end of the year, Arcite and Palamon, each at the head of one hundred
knights, returned to Athens for the joust. Theseus welcomed them all and
entertained them in high fashion. On the evening before the battle, Palamon,
Emily, and Arcite pray. Palamon prayed to Venus, goddess of love, for him to win
the heart of Emily; Arcite prayed to Mars, god of war, for him to win the contest.
And Emily prayed to Diana, goddess of chastity;
"O most chaste goddess of the woods so green,
By whom all heaven, earth, and sea are seen!
Queen of the realm of Pluto dark below!
Goddess of maidens! My heart you well know 2300
And have for years, you've known what I desire.
O keep me from your vengeance and your ire,
For which Actaeon paid so brutally!
You've seen, chaste goddess, one desire in me:
I long to be a maiden all my life, 2305
Not ever to be lover or a wife.
You know that I'm yet of your company,
A maiden who's in love with venery,
One who desires to walk the woods so wild
And not be someone's wife and be with child 2310
Or have to know the company of man.

Emily however was sent a message by Diana herself that she should be wed
to one of the two suitors, although it is not known who.

The two suitors received a vision indicating that their prayers will be answered.
The prayers of the two resulted to promises that caused confusion in heaven until
Saturn, god of destiny, promised that Palamon will win his love and Arcite will win
the battle.

Part IV:

 The battle began, and after much pageantry and heroic fighting, Palamon was
badly wounded and taken from the field. Arcite was declared the winner, and
taking off his helmet, he set across the lengthy course gazing up at Emily who in
turn cast him a friendly eye. But Saturn sent a fury from Pluto to make Arcite's
horse become frightened, and before he could wisely act, he was thrown away and
landed on his head. He was badly injured that he lay though as dead. Blood was
rushing profusely on his face and he was carried to Theseus' palace. He was
crying for Emily.

The men were sad though they kept on believing that Arcite will not die, and
that he will be cured. But they were also relieved that no one was killed in the
battle. Theseus honored everyone who participated in the battle and gave the
decree to stop all rancor and enmity.

Arcite’s condition worsened, despite physicians’ effort. And as he lay dying,

Arcite acknowledged that he knew no person better than Palamon and begged
Emily to accept Palamon as her husband. Arcite died and Theseus arranged a
great funeral for him. After a long period of mourning, Duke Theseus convinced
Palamon and Emily that it was time for them to move on, the dead was given what
was due for him. And thus, Palamon and Emily were married and lived out their
lives in "a love unbroken."

The Man of Law’s Tale

While in Rome, a company of Syrian merchants heard of the emperor's

daughter, Dame Constance, who is the epitome of beauty, goodness, and
innocence.
"Our Emperor of Rome--blest may he be!--
A daughter has, and since the world began
(To rank her worth and beauty equally)
There's never been another such as she.
Sustain her, Lord, I pray with humble mien, 160
And would that of all Europe she were queen.

"In her there is high beauty without pride,

Youth not with folly but maturity;
In all her works her virtue is her guide,
Her humbleness supplanting tyranny. 165
She is the mirror of all courtesy,
Her heart a chamber of true holiness,
Her hand a ministration of largess."

Upon their return to Syria, the merchants shared their adventures with the
young Syrian ruler, the Sultan. He was particularly captivated by the descriptions
of Lady Constance. He decided to have Constance for a wife. He would do
everything to fulfill his desire to marry her. and because a Christian emperor will
not form an alliance with a Muslim nation, the Sultan is baptized — "Rather than
that I lose / The Lady Constance, I will be baptized" ("Rather than I lese /
Custance, I wol be cristned") — he instructs his subjects to become Christians as
well.

With the marriage arranged and her journey to begin, Constance wept at
leaving her family, friends, and Rome, but being a dutiful and faithful daughter she
commended herself to the journey, relying upon "Jesus Christ who died for our
salvation. She was anxious that she is going to a barbaric nation Syria. Certainly,
women must submit to the rule of man, so she must go without question and
complain.

"Father, your Constance, wretched child," said she,

"Your daughter, young and gently reared, and you, 275
My mother--of my pleasure you would be
The best except for Christ on high--in rue
Constance your child, always commended to
Your grace, shall for the Syrian domain
Depart, and not set eyes on you again. 280

"Alas! for it is to the Barbary nation

That I must go at once, as is your will;
I pray that Christ, who died for our salvation,
Gives me the grace his precepts to fulfill.
Though I'm a wretched woman, come to ill, 285
Women are born to thralldom and to penance,
And to be under manhood's governance."

Meanwhile, the Sultan's mother, who would rather die than give up her religion
for the sake of a foreign girl, arranged with her councilors to pretend to accept the
new religion until the wedding feast, at which time they will attack and slay the
Christians.

At the celebration following the wedding ceremony, the evil conspirators of the
Sultan's mother swept down on the Christians and killed them all, including the
young Sultan. Lady Constance escaped death and is placed by the Christian-
converted Syrians on a well-provisioned ship and cast upon the sea. While at sea,
she prayed and pleaded for protection and safety.
She crossed herself, and with a piteous voice
Prayed to the cross of Christ and made this plea: 450
"O holy cross, altar where we rejoice,
Red from the Lamb's blood, shed so pityingly,
That cleansed the world of old iniquity;
I pray, from the fiend and his claws please keep
Me, on that day when I drown in the deep. 455

"Victorious tree, protection of the true,

The only tree so worthy that you held
The King of heaven with his wounds anew,
The white Lamb who was speared; you have expelled
Demons from man and woman, all those who 460
Above them see your faithful limbs extend;
Now keep me that my life I might amend."

After "years and days" of roaming the sea without aim and with many a sorry
meal, the ship miraculously landed safely in the northern isle of Northumberland. A
Constable hurried to see the ship and found Constance who was so weary. She
was so helpless that she wished herself lifeless so all her woes would have ended.
She spoke a corrupted form of Latin, nevertheless, she was understood. She
would not tell her name, claiming that she lost her memory while at sea. The
Constable and his wife wept in sympathy for her. They took care of Constance. In
return, she showed her goodness and diligence to find ways to serve and please
the people. Thus, she was loved by all who saw her.

Northumberland was a pagan land, and so Constance kept her faith a secret.
Christians in that place were forced to flee because of the pagans. However, there
were a few Christian Britons who were privately honouring Christ. Near the castle
there were three and one of them was blind. When this blind man chanced to meet
Constance and Hermingild while they were strolling, he claimed that he regained
his sight. And that is because of Hermingild. She could do nothing but admit to her
husband that she had been converted as Christian. The constable, abashed by the
miraculous observation, was himself converted to Christianity.

On seeing Constance faith and near perfection, Satan looked for a way to foil
her wile. He used a young knight as instrument to destroy Constance. This young
knight seeing Constance was filled with lustful desires. The knight wooed
Constance but he was rejected because she would not indulge herself to sin.
Spurned and manipulated by Satan, the knight vowed to take revenge. He planned
to let Constance pay a shameful death for the rejection he suffered.

One evening while the Constable was away, the knight stealthily crept into the
room where Hermingild was sleeping and slit Hermingild's throat and left the
murder weapon in Constance's bed.

The constable took Constance before the king, Alla, who ruled with a wise and
firm hand. When the king heard the story about Constance, he could not believe
that such benign looking woman could be involved in such crime. However,
because there was a witness or accuser to such case, the king sentenced
Constance to death. The king, justly made the knight swore on holy books that
she was guilty. The moment the knight swore to her guilt, he was stricken dead
and his eyes burst right out of his face. Then a voice was heard saying that the
king had unjustly judged a disciple of Christ is heard.

Awe-stricken, the pagans were converted to Christianity. Soon, King Alla and
Constance fell in love and were married. While the king was away at war,
Constance gave birth to a beautiful son. But the king's mother, Donegild, an evil
and vicious woman, intercepted and replaced the message bearing the happy
news with letters of her own, saying that the king's son was born deformed. In his
response, King Alla said he will accept the child, but Donegild intercepted that
message as well and wrote a false one saying that the king's will is to the have the
child destroyed. Horrified, Constance sailed away with her son. Upon his return,
King Alla discovered the falsified messages and, grief-stricken at the loss of his
wife and son, had Donegild executed.

Meanwhile, the emperor of Rome, Constance's father, hearing of the tragic

news of the death of the Christians, sends an army to Syria to take revenge for
their deaths. As the Romans returned to Rome, they spied the vessel steered by
Constance. Not recognizing Constance, they took her to Rome. Roman senator
tried to ask Constance her identity but she could not recognize herself because
she lost her memory. In Rome, she was put in care of the senator’s wife which was
actually her aunt. Because no one recognized her, she lived in obscurity in her
own homeland.

The grief-stricken King Alla made a pilgrimage to Rome to seek penance. In

Rome, he got acquainted with the senator who entertained him with a party. In the
middle of the party the noble senator took Constance’ son for he was fond of the
child. King Alla saw that the child bore a strong resemblance to Constance. Thus,
he asked the senator to see the mother of this child. Constance swooned two
times when she recognized King Alla who ordered his child be killed. He
repudiated the false messages done by his mother and convinced her of his love
for his wife and son. After their joyous reunion, Constance, miraculously regained
her memory. She knelt before the emperor and confessed that she is his daughter.
Alla and Constance returned to Northumberland, but within a year, Alla died.
Constance and her son returned to Rome, where the child, upon the death of his
grandfather, became the emperor.

The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale

Note: In The Wife of Bath’s Tale, the prologue of the wife of bath is essential
because the wife of bath as the teller of a tale is also a character subject to be
studied.

The Wife narrated an account about her life’s experiences in a prologue before

her tale. The Wife of Bath started her lengthy prologue by announcing that she had

always followed the rule of experience rather than authority. Having already had
five husbands she had experience enough to make her an expert. She believed

that there is nothing wrong with five husbands and could not understand Jesus'

rebuke to the woman at the well who also had five husbands. Though, she

expressed her appreciation to the biblical command to go forth and multiply.

To defend her position, the Wife mentioned King Solomon, who had many

wives. And she expressed her advantage in having five husbands and her being

open to the possibility of having a sixth. Along with her justifications, she stated St.

Paul's admonishment that it is better to marry if one is burning. Further

enumerating bible personages who had more than one wife, she emphasized that

God has no prohibition on that aspect. It also led her to challenge anyone to show

her that God commanded virginity. Furthermore, she said that sexual organs are

made both for functional purposes and for pleasure. And unlike many cold women,

she had always been willing to have sex whenever her man wanted to.

The Wife of Bath then related tales about her former husbands and revealed

how she was able to gain the upper hand ("sovereignty") over them. Unfortunately,

just at the time she gained complete mastery over one of her husbands, he died.

Then she explained how she gained control over her fifth husband.

At her fourth husband's funeral, she could hardly keep her eyes off a young

clerk named Jankyn, whom she had already admired. At the month's end, she and

Jankyn were married, even though she was twice his age. As soon as the

honeymoon was over, she was disturbed to find that Jankyn spent all his time

reading, especially from a collection of books that disparaged women. One night,

he began to read aloud from this collection, beginning with the story of Eve, and he

read about all the unfaithful women, murderesses, prostitutes, and so on, that he
could find. Unable to tolerate these stories any longer, the Wife of Bath grabbed

the book and hit Jankyn so hard that he fell over backwards into the fire. He

jumped up and hit her with his fist. She fell to the floor and pretended to be dead.

When he bent over her, she hit him once more and again pretended to die. He was

so upset that he promised her anything if she would live. And this is how she

gained "sovereignty" over her fifth husband. From that day until the day he died,

she was a true and faithful wife for him. Her tale, which follows, reiterates her

belief that a happy match is one in which the wife has control.

The Tale

A lusty young knight in King Arthur's court raped a beautiful young maiden.

The people were repulsed by the knight's behavior and demanded justice.

Although the law demanded that the knight be beheaded, the queen and ladies of

the court begged to be allowed to determine the knight's fate. The queen then

gave the knight a year to discover what women most desire.

The year passed quickly. As the knight rode dejectedly back to the court

knowing that he will lose his life, he suddenly saw 24 young maidens dancing and

singing. As he approached them, the maidens disappeared, and the only living

creature is a foul old woman, who approached him and asked what he sought. The

knight explained his quest, and the old woman promised him the right answer if he

would do what she would demand for saving his life. The knight agreed. When the

queen bid the knight to speak, he responded correctly that women most desire

sovereignty over their husbands.

Having supplied him with the right answer, the old crone demanded that she
be his wife and his love. The knight, in agony, agreed. On their wedding night, the

knight paid no attention to the foul woman next to him. When she questioned him

why he was acting that way, he confessed that her age, ugliness, and low

breeding were repulsive to him. The old hag reminded him that true gentility is not

a matter of appearances but of virtue. She told him that her looks can be viewed

as an asset. If she were beautiful, many men would be after her; in her present

state, however, he could be assured that of a virtuous wife. She offered him a

choice: an old ugly hag such as she, but still a loyal, true, and virtuous wife, or a

beautiful woman with a character he would be unsure of. The knight says the

choice is hers. And because she had "won the mastery," she told him, "'Kiss

me . . . and you shall find me both . . . fair and faithful as a wife." Indeed, she had

become a lovely young woman, and they lived happily ever after.

The Clerk’s Tale 

Part I: There was once a noble and gracious king in Italy named Walter. He was

handsome, young, and strong. Walter loved his freedom and refused to marry. His

subjects, however, longed for an heir to the throne. One day, a flock of lords of the

kingdom humbly beseeched Walter to seek a wife. The king was both impressed

and affected with their petition and sincere intention that he agreed to marry.

However, he made them swear that they would not complain to any bride to be

chosen by him for he stressed that his heart would decide for that matter. To

confirm the agreement, the lords asked him to set a wedding date. Walter set a

day that suit him best and instructed his officers on the details of the coming

wedding feast.

Part II: The day of the wedding came, and all preparations were completely set. A
very poor man named Janicula, with a beautiful and virtuous daughter named

Griselda, lived nearby. Walter had often seen her and admired her beauty. Shortly

before the wedding, Walter asked Janicula for permission to marry his daughter

and the old man agreed. Then Walter won Griselda's consent. He made one

condition for their marriage: that Griselda promised to obey his will and to do so

cheerfully, even if it would cause her pain. Griselda assented to these conditions,

and they were married. Soon, Griselda delivered a baby girl, and there was a great

rejoicing.

Part III: While their daughter was still an infant, the king resolved to test his wife's

loyalty. He told her that one of his courtiers will soon come for the child, and he

expressed the hope that taking the child from her will in no way change her love

for him. She assured him that it will not. The king's agent arrived and took the

child. Griselda did not say anything that would manifest her objections.

Part IV: Four years later, and Griselda had a second child, a son. Walter again

decided to test his wife's patience and fidelity by telling her that she must give up

her son, who was already two years old at that time. Again, Griselda took the news

patiently and accepted her husband's decision. When their daughter was twelve

and his son "a little lad of seven," he decided to put Griselda to one final test. He

has a Papal Bull forged, declaring himself free of Griselda and giving him

permission to marry another woman. Then he ordered his sister, who actually took

care of their children, to bring his daughter and son home. Plans were then set in

motion for another wedding.

Part V: Walter called Griselda before him, showed her the counterfeit Papal
permission, and told her of his intent to marry again. Griselda accepted the news

with a sad heart. Once again, with great patience and humility, she said that she

will abide by her husband's decision and return to her father's house. She then

returned to her father, who received her with sadness.

Part VI: Through her ordeal, Griselda helped prepare the beautiful young girl,

whom she did not recognize as her daughter, for the wedding. But Walter can

stand his own cruelty no longer. He confessed to Griselda that the beautiful girl

and the handsome young boy were their children and they have been given loving

care in Bologna. He confessed that the cruel tests had been perfectly met by

Griselda and that he could find no more patient and steadfast woman. Thus, they

lived the rest of their lives in bliss, and when Walter died, his son succeeded to the

throne.

The Merchant's Tale

Sometime ago in Lombardy, there was a worthy and wealthy, elderly knight,

named January who decided to marry. His reasons were clear enough: He wanted

to fulfill God's wish that man and woman marry, and he wanted a son to inherit his

estates. January called many of his friends together to listen to his plans and to

offer him advice. His close friend, Justinius, argued against marriage, pointing out

the unfaithfulness of women. The knight's other friend, Placebo, argued that

January should make up his own mind. Surveying the young maidens of the

country, January chose a beautiful virgin named May.

One of January's attendants was a handsome youth named Damian. He was

immediately smitten with love the moment he saw May. His unrequited love was

so powerful that he fell physically ill. Because January was concerned to this
handsome youth, he sent his wife and other women to Damian's bedside to

comfort him. Damian passed a note to May in which he professed his undying love

for her. May responded with a note to Damian, acknowledging her reciprocal

desire. Then January was suddenly stricken blind, and he insisted that May remain

by him at all times; she can go nowhere unless he was holding her hand.

Nevertheless, May was able to give Damian a wax impression of a key to

January's secret garden, and she later signalled for Damian to climb a pear tree.

In an interlude, the god Pluto and his wife, Proserpina, discussed the situation

involving January and May. Pluto admitted that he will restore January's sight

because women are so deceitful. But he wanted to wait until just the right moment

to do so. His wife, Proserpina, said men are so lecherous that she would provide

May with a believable excuse when the time comes.

Later, May led January to the pear tree and, pretending she had an insatiable

lust for a pear, told her husband to bend over and let her stand on his back. She

"went up into the tree, and Damian / Pulled up her smock at once and in he thrust".

At this moment, while the couple was in amorous bliss, January's sight was

miraculously restored. He looked up and saw the young couple "swyving" (having

sex), and he bellowed with rage, "He swyved thee, I saugh it with myne yen" ("He

screwed you, I saw it with my own eyes"). Thanks to Proserpina, however, May

was able to give a credible excuse: January's sight was faulty — the same as

awakening from a deep sleep when the eyes are not yet accustomed to the bright

light. Thus, he was seeing strange things dimly. She then jumped down from the

tree, and January clasped her in a fond embrace.

The Franklin's Tale

 In Armorica, later called Brittany, there lived a young noble prosperous and

courageous knight named Arveragus who served laboriously for a lady he desired

to marry. The beautiful young maiden, Dorigen, saw his worthiness and

appreciated all that he had gone through for her sake that she agreed to be

married to him. And the two vowed that they will always respect each other and

practice the strictest forbearance towards one another's words and actions.

Sometime after the wedding, the knight went to England and was gone for two

years. While her husband was away, Dorigen wept, fasted, and lamented his

absence. In her grief, she would often sit on the shore. Looking at the bare rocks

near the shore, where so many lives have been lost, she would become

apprehensive for her own husband's safety.

One day, Dorigen consented to join friends on a picnic where a dance was

staged. At the dance was Aurelius, "the most handsome man alive, young, strong,

and wealthy . . . discreet and popular," who had secretly loved Dorigen for two

years. Finally, Aurelius revealed his love, but Dorigen repudiated his advances.

Aurelius became so despondent that Dorigen, trying to raise him from his despair,

half jokingly said that she would agree to his love and embraces if he could

remove all the rocks from the coast of Brittany. But the task is impossible, and

Aurelius returned home, elapsed in despondency, and was cared for by his

brother.

Aurelius remained sick for two years. Finally, his brother came upon a way to

solve the dilemma: He remembered a student who claimed to have deciphered the

secret codes of magic found in rare books. Aurelius went to the student-magician

and promised payment of 1,000 pounds if his magic could clear the coast of rocks.

The student-magician agreed, and the deed was performed. Aurelius then asked
Dorigen to keep her promise: "You made a promise which you know must stand /

And gave your plighted troth into my hand/ To love me best." Dorigen, horrified

could only weep and wail endlessly contemplating suicide. She recalled for the

reader twenty-one women, most of whom had taken their lives rather than

disgrace themselves.

Meanwhile, Arveragus returned and found his wife weakened with grief.

Dorigen told him the whole story of her bargain. And he said she must keep her

promise, even though it would sorely grieve him. Disheartened, Dorigen presented

herself to Aurelius. However, when Aurelius learned of Arveragus' nobility and

sacrifice, and Dorigen’s great distress, he could not force himself to possess

Dorigen and sent the relieved lady back to her husband. Then Aurelius gathered

all his gold together, only to find out that he could pay only half of what he owed

the student-magician. When the student-magician discovered that Dorigen was

relieved of her part of the bargain, the student-magician released Aurelius from his

thousand pound debt.

The Physician's Tale

There was a knight named Virginius who was a man of worth, honor and

wealth. He has only one child, a daughter who is fourteen years old, Virginia,

whose beauty is beyond compare and who is endowed with all the other noble

virtues. One morning, Virginia and her mother were in town on a religious errand.

The judge named Appius, who was running the town, caught sight of the daughter,

and he lusted and desired her beauty and purity. The judge was determined to

have her at any cost. He sent for the town's most disreputable blackguard,

Claudius, and paid him to take part in a scheme to capture the girl.

In court before Judge Appius, Claudius falsely accused Virginius of having

stolen a servant girl (Virginia) from his house many years ago and kept her all

these years, pretending that she was his daughter. Before Virginius could defend

himself, the evil judge ordered that the young girl be brought immediately to the

court. Virginius realized the bad intention of the judge to his beautiful daughter.

Returning home, he called his daughter’s attention and told her of the situation. He

made his daughter become aware of the choice she must accept. And that is,

either death in the hands of his own father or shame in the hands of Claudius and

Appius. With that, Virginia managed to calm herself and asked her father a little

time to bewail her estate. After, mentioning Jephtah who slew her own daughter to

keep his promise to the Lord, she swooned. But when she recovered, she told her

father: "Blessed be God that I shall die a Maid (virgin), / I take my death rather

than take my shame. / So do your will upon me.” Then she repeatedly prayed that

he might smite her gently with his sword. And she fainted. Her father with a heavy

heart cut off her head. Virginius returned to the judge and handed him Virginia's

head. The judge ordered the knight hanged for murder, but a throng of citizens,

aroused by Appius' treachery, imprisoned the judge who killed himselfand.

Claudius was also to be hanged, but the knight pleaded mercy and suggested

exile instead.

The Physician concluded his tale with the moral that "the wages of sin is

Death" and let everyone forsake his sins.

The Prioress' Tale

In her prologue, the Prioress offers a hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary. She extols

Mary, the mother of Jesus and the "whitest Lily-flower." This hymn acts as a

preview of the tale to follow.

In a Christian town in Asia, one fourth of the area is occupied by Jews. Because a

school for young Christian children is at the far end of the street through the ghetto

where the Jews are isolated, the children are free to walk through the street to and

from school. One of the young Christian pupils hears the older children singing O

Alma Redemptoris. Day after day, he draws near and listens carefully as the other

students sing. In very little time, he memorizes the first verse. Learning that the

song is in praise of the Virgin Mary, the child decides to learn the entire song so

that, on Christmas day, he can pay reverence to Christ's mother. Every day, the

child walks along the Jewish street, boldly and clearly singing the song. At about

this time, Satan whispers to the Jews that this boy is a disgrace to them and that

he sings to spite Jewish holy laws. The Jews, conspiring to rid themselves of this

boy, hire a murderer. One day, as the child walks through the ghetto singing  O

Alma Redemptoris, the murderer grasps the child, slits his throat, and tosses his

body into a cesspool.

The boy's mother, a poor widow, goes house to house, inquiring of the Jews the

whereabouts of her son. Yet everyone lies to her, saying they know nothing of the

child. Then Jesus himself puts in her thoughts the direction to the alley where the

child had been murdered and the pit where his body was cast away. As the widow

nears the place, the child's voice breaks forth singing O Alma Redemptoris. The

Christian people gather around in astonishment. The provost of the city is called;

upon seeing the child, he bids all the Jews to be fettered, bound, and confined.

Later, they are drawn by wild horses and hanged.

The child's body is taken to a neighboring abbey. As the burial mass draws near,

the child continues to sing O Alma Redemptoris loudly and clearly. He then tells
the abbots that Christ has commanded him to sing until his time for his burial and

that the Virgin Mary placed a pearl on his tongue. The child explains that he must

sing until the pearl in taken away. "[T]hen a holy monk . . . / Touched the child's

tongue and took away the pearl; And he gave up the ghost so peacefully, So

softly." ("This hooly monk . . . hym meene I, / His tonge out caughte, and took

awey the greyn (pearl) / And he yaf up the goost ful softely.")

The child is proclaimed a martyr, and a tomb of marble is erected as a memorial to

the young boy, whose name was Hugh of Lincoln.

The Tale of Melibee

A mighty and rich young man named Melibee had a wife  Prudence, and a

daughter called Sophie. One day he took a walk into the fields, leaving his wife

and daughter inside his house, with the doors securely locked. Three of his old

enemies saw him go out. They set a ladder to the wall of his house and was able

to enter. They beat his wife, and gave his daughter mortal wounds on her feet,

hands, ears, nose and mouth. When Melibee returned and saw what had

happened, he was like a madman. He tore his clothes, wept and cried. Prudence

stopped his tears and gave him some useful advice from various authorities.

Prudence eventually advised him to call a group of people to come to him, to

explain to them what had happened, and listen to their counsel.

As per his wife’s instructions, Melibee took counsel from a congregation of

folks and the advice fell into two camps. The surgeons, physicians, lawyers, and

the old urged caution, and a considered reaction. On the other hand, his neighbors

and younger folks urged war.

 Melibee wanted to wage war, while Prudence urged him to be patient. Thus, a

long argument followed about who should prevail. Eventually, Prudence

triumphed. She told Melibee that he should choose his counselors carefully and

set their advice against their apparent hidden motives. Prudence then, at length,

went through all of the advice that Melibee had been given and showed him that

open war is not a good option for it is against a variety of moral, ethical, and

practical reasons.

Prudence interpreted the attack on Sophie as the damage done to her

because of man's vulnerability to the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. The remedy

she suggested is to negotiate peace and leave all to God's grace and forgiveness.

The three enemies who have performed the deed were found and brought

before Prudence, who suggested forgiving them. Melibee again argued and

wanted to ask them for a fine, however, Prudence again argued against him. Her

arguments again ruled. Melibee forgave them and was delighted with himself. At

the end, he praised his own magnanimity.

The Nun's Priest's Tale

There was a very poor elderly widow who lived in a small cottage with her two

daughters. Her main possession was a noble cock named Chaunticleer. This

rooster was beautiful, and nowhere in the land is there a cock who can match him

in crowing. He crowed the hour more accurately than any church clock. He was

the master, so he thought, of seven lovely hens. The loveliest of these was the

beautiful and gracious Lady Pertelote. Chaunticleer loved her above others and it

was to her that he shared all his glories and all his problems.
 One spring morning, Chaunticleer awakened from a terrible nightmare of an

orange houndlike beast roaming in the yard trying to seize him. This beast's color

and markings were much the same as a fox. However, Lady Pertelote berated

Chaunticleer for being afraid of his dreams and called him a coward. She added

that his being a coward turned her off. Nevertheless, Pertelote theorized that his

bad dream was caused by his eating too much and that the dream meant nothing

at all. He simply needed a laxative. She promised that she would gather some

purgative herbs to help him and urges him once more not to be afraid of illusory

things like his dream. Chaunticleer graciously thanked Lady Pertelote, but he

quoted personages like Daniel, Joseph, the Lydian King Croesus who are

affirmations that dreams are sent as a warning and insisted that he does not need

a laxative.

Chaunticleer, although he reasoned out that dreams oftentimes have meaning,

was somehow convinced by Pertelote not to be afraid of his dreams. Thus, not

anymore thinking of his dreadful nightmare, he went out to enjoy his day with the

hens. Unsuspectingly, they were being spied by a black-marked fox the moment

they retire that very night.

The day broke in, and Pertelote was sunbathing in the sand, laying blithely

with her sisters. They were unaware of Chaunticleer who caught sight of a fox

named Don Russel hiding near the farmyard. Chaunticleer began to run, but the

fox gently called out that he only came to hear Chaunticleer's beautiful voice.

Hearing this, the vain cock shut his eyes and burst into song. At that moment, the

fox raced to the cock, grasped him about the neck, and made off with him. When

Pertelote found out what happened, she shrieked so loud together with the other
hens in the barnyard which made such a terrible commotion that they aroused the

entire household. Soon the widow, her two daughters, the dogs, hens, geese,

ducks, and even the bees, were chasing the fox.

Chaunticleer suggested to the fox to turn around and shout insults at his

pursuers. The fox, thinking Chaunticleer's idea a good one, opened his mouth, and

Chaunticleer nimbly escaped to a treetop. The fox tried once again to lure

Chaunticleer down by compliments and flattery, but the rooster had learned his

lesson.

The Second Nun's Tale 

This bright young lady named Cecilia, who was born from a noble family, loved

the gospel and was raised according to the way of Christ. She would pray

unceasingly which included her beseeching that she would remain a virgin forever.

However, she was betrothed to a man named Valerian, and on her wedding night,

she informed her new husband that a guardian angel will slay anyone who would

violate her body. Valerian wanted to see this guardian angel but first he must be

baptized by Pope Urban who would purge him from his sins and be pure. To this

end, he was baptized by the pope. During the baptism, he witnessed a vision

proclaiming the One God. Returning home to his wife, Valerian saw her guardian

angel. This angel had brought two crowns of flowers from Paradise that will never

wilt, and gave one to Cecilia and one to Valerian. The angel claimed that only the

pure and chaste would be able to see this crown. Valerian then asked that the

angel grant him one wish: that his brother, Tiburce, be baptized.

Valerian’s brother Tiburce came and was amazed of the sweet scent that he

could smell. Valerian explained to him the source of the heavenly scent, explained
his new faith, and eventually tried to persuade his brother to be cleansed and be

baptized. Tiburce, however, did not like the idea of being baptized by Urban,

whom, he said, would be burnt if people ever found him and also they themselves

would be burnt if found with Pope Urban. Valerian told his brother not to fear

death, because there was a better life elsewhere. Cecilia explained the Holy Trinity

and other key tenets of Christianity to him, and afterwards, Tiburce agreed to

accompany the couple to Pope Urban.

Tiburce was baptized and became a perfect Christian – and for some time the

three lived happily, God granting their every request. However, the sergeants of

the town of Rome sought them, and brought them before Almachius the prefect,

who ordered their death. The prefect’s officer, Maximus was filled with compassion

to these martyrs that he asked the executioners to take them to his home.

Consequently, before it was eve, the martyrs made the executioners, including

Maximus and his family, turned to Christ. Then Cecilia baptized many others

without fear. When morning light broke, Almachius’ order had to be fulfilled. During

their execution, Maximus, claimed that he saw the spirits of Valerian and Tiburce

ascend to heaven. Upon hearing this, many of the witnesses were converted to

Christianity. For this Almachius had Maximus beaten to death, so Cecilia had him

buried alongside Valerian and Tiburce. Afterwards, Almachius had Cecilia arrested

by his officers. But the officers were also converted by her lore. They believed her

word and proclaimed their faith in God. When the prefect heard about this, she

was brought to him. At the trial, the judge questioned Cecilia; although she

answered cleverly, she was condemned to death. She was first placed in scalding

hot water but survived. All night and all day she was put inside a flaming bath and

they built great fire underneath but she never felt any pain. Next, the executioner
 tried three times to cut off Cecilia's head but failed to completely cut her head,

although she was severely wounded and was bleeding. She lived for three more

days in agony during which she sang and never stopped teaching them the

Christian faith and thus she converted non-believers. She also requested that her

house be made a church of permanence after she dies. Following her eventual

death, Pope Urban decreed her to be Saint Cecilia.

SAQ 3:
1. What are your top 5 stories from Canterbury Tales? List from the best.
2. Why are these stories your favorites? Justify each answer.
3. What are the themes prevalent in the stories?
4. How would you relate those stories to the present day society?
5. How would you evaluate Chaucer as a writer, based on The Canterbury
Tales?
6. List at least five characters that you consider most significant. Justify.

References:
http://sites.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/cantales.html
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/c/the-canterbury-tales/summary