Explanation with Reference to the Context | The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer | Eureka Study Aids

Extract No. 1

That of hir smylyng was full symple and coy;

Hire gretteste ooth was but but by Seinte Loy;

And she was cleped Madame Eglentyne. 

Reference
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: The Prioress (Lines 119-121/858)
(ii) Content: It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.
Explanation
      These lines trumpet three salient characteristics of the Prioress; her smile, faith and nick name. The smile of the Prioress is very simple. It is easy to understand, presenting no difficulty. Her smile also makes a pretence of shyness and modesty which intends to be alluring. Thus she is a coquettish woman. Secondly, she has a firm faith in Saint Eloy who was the patron saint of goldsmiths, other metal workers, and coin collectors. This saint worked for twenty years to convert the pagan population of Flanders to Christianity. Thirdly, she has a romantic name, Madam Eglantine. Eglantine is, in fact, a wild rose native to Eurasia having prickly stem, fragrant leaves, bright pink flowers, and scarlet hips. In Madam Eglantine, Chaucer depicts charm without substance. Thus Chaucer has described the nun in the opposite way to show us, how the nun Prioress had all the characteristics that a nun should not have.

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 2

And theron heng a brooch al with grene, 

On which there was first write a crowned A, 

And after Amor Vincit Omnia. 

Reference
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: The Prioress (Lines 160-162/858)
(ii) Context:  It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.
Explanation
      These lines portray the Prioress's gold brooch and its motto symbolically. A brooch is a decorative jewelry item designed to be attached to garments by a pin or clasp, often to hold them closed. It is worn at or near the neck. The brooch, the Prioress is wearing, is dominated by the letter "A" which stands for Amor i.e. love. Some critics also assume that the brooch is in the shape of the letter "A". However, the most striking quality of the brooch is the Latin inscription on it: "Amor vincit omnia" which means "Love conquers all." This quote is from "Eclogue X" by Virgil. This Virgilian motto is very ambiguous. If it refers to celestial, heavenly love, then the brooch is an acceptable article to be found on the person of a nun. But it represents earthly love between a man and a woman which is absent in nuns. In short, the brooch is a symbol of the Prioress's unchristian character, her connection to laymen and the peasantry, rather than to any religious vocation.

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 3

Therfore he was a prikasour aright:

Grehoundes he hadde as swift as fowel in flight;

Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare

Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.

 

Reference

(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales

(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer

Context

(i) Occurrence: The Monk (Lines 189-192/858)

(ii) Content: It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.

Explanation

     These lines exquisitely narrate the Monk's favourite pastimes; riding horses and hunting hares. A monk is a member of religious community of men typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. However, Chaucer's Monk is corrupt. He does not follow the rules of the monastery which say that monks should not hunt. This Monk prefers to go hunting. He has many galloping horses and coursing greyhounds. The greyhounds are as fast as birds in flight. They can run at a speed of 64 kilometers per hour. He uses these greyhounds to track his preys. He usually hunts hares which are very innocent animals. This shows the Monk's cruel nature. To ride the horses and hunt the hares was a source of pleasure for him. He would do it whatever the cost. In short, he is a "monk out of his cloister" who is not "worth an oyster".

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 4

Ful wel biloved and famulier was he

With frankeleyns over al in his contree,

And eek with worthy wommen of the toun;

Reference 
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: The Friar (Lines 215-217/858)
(ii) Content:  It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.
Explanation
     These lines satirically describe the Friar's intimacy with the franklins of his country and noblewomen of his town. The main duty of a friar is to live among the poor, to beg on their behalf and to give his earning to aid their struggle for livelihood. However, Chaucer's Friar is corrupt, fradulent and hypocrite. He has acquaintance with franklins; the landowners of free but not noble birth. Moreover, he has familiarity and closeness with the noblewomen of the town because he has the power of confession. He is highly liked by these opulent people. In short, the Friar likes to hang out with wealthy people instead of living the life that St. Francis, the first friar, prescribes, he would spend time with the poor and sick.

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 5

Seint Julian he was in his contree.

His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon;

A bettre envyned man was nowher noon.

Reference 
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: The Franklin (Lines 340-342/858)
(ii) Content:  It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.

Explanation

    These lines beautifully describe the lavish hospitality of the Franklin. The Franklin is a gentry landowner, a member of nobility. One of the most important obligations of this social role is to provide generous hospitality, and nobody fulfills this role better than the Franklin. He keeps his pantry well-stocked with food and wine. The Franklin's penchant for entertaining may come from his belief in the philosophy of Epicurus, who taught that the way to perfect happiness was through pleasure. The Franklin takes pleasure in eating and drinking, and in providing pleasure to others through generous entertaining. That is why he is know as "Saint Julian" in his region, for Saint Julian is the patron saint of hospitality. 

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 6

He knew the cause of everich maladye,

Were it of hoot, or coold, or moyste, or drye,

And where they engendred, and of what homour.

Reference 
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: The Physician (Lines 419-421/858)
(ii) Content:  It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.

Explanation

    These lines exquisitely expound the Physician's profound knowledge about a Greek medical theory called "Humorism". According to this theory, a person's health is governed by four homors or temperaments. A person is sanguine, melancholic, choleric or phlematic. Each of these humors is associated with a vital bodily fluid (black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm) and causes a specific series of ailments if one has more or less of it than normal. The Physicain knows that hotness, coldness, moisture and dryness of food and weather etc cause the excess or deficiency of these humors. He believes that the imbalance of humors is the cause of all diseases. Thus using this theory, he can tell the cause of every sickness. 

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 7

In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon

That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon;

And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she,

That she was out of alle charitee.

Reference
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: The Wife of Bath (Lines 449-452/858)
(ii) Content: It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.

Explanation

     These lines epitomize the false charity, bad temper and excessive selfishness of the Wife of Bath. In Medieval Society the order in which people made their offerings during the offertory at churches was dertermined by order of precedence. So the proud Wife of Bath always wants to be first one to be allowed to donate the indigents. If anyone donates before her, she gets so angry that she does to want to give anything at all. This habit not only shows her hasty temper but also her egotistical selfishness. Thus she does not donate money because of charity, but to make a show of wealth and to display her status in her community. These qualities make her unique in the entire parish of the city Bath. 

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 8

She was a worthy womman al hir lyve:

Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyve,

Withouten oother compaignye in youthe, ---

Reference
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: The Wife of Bath (Lines 459-461/858)
(ii) Content: It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.

Explanation

 These lines satirically describe the social status, marriages and love affairs of the Wife of Bath. Firstly, the Wife of Bath holds a prominent place in the community. The adjective "worthy" has been used in a social sense and not in the moral sense. Secondly, she married five husbands at the church door. To be married at the church door is according to the custom; however, 'to have five husbands' is incredible in the medieval context. This makes the Wife of Bath a controversial figure. Thirdly, she had many lovers in her youth. She married her first husband at the age of 12. Thus these lines may imply she had relationships before she got married! But 12 is an age of 'adolescence' and not of 'youth'. Thus these lines refer to extramarital encounters or relationships in between her marriages and prove her an unfaithful wife. In short, the Wife of Bath was a 'sexually promiscuous' woman all her life!

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 9

For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste,

No wonder is a lewed man to ruste;

And shame it is, if a prest take keep,

A shiten shepherde and a clean sheep.

Reference
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: 
(ii) Content: It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.

Explanation

    These lines emphatically preach that people in the helm of power should be a perfect example of honesty, dignity, justice, love and other moral values for common people. A priest should be the embodiment of the teachings of Jesus Christ. He should live a holy life if he expects ordinary people to live holy lives because everything starts at the upper level. General masses are sheep and a priest is a shepherd. It would not be right for a flock of white sheep to be tended by a filthy shepherd, someone bespattered with sin. Otherwise "if gold ruste, what shal iren do?" In short, leaders should take their responsibilities extremely seriously and set good examples to be followed by others. 

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 10

He waited after no pompe and reverence,

Ne maked him a spiced conscience,

But Cristes loore and his apostles twelve

He taughte, but first he folwed it hymselve.

Reference
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: 
(ii) Content: It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.

Explanation

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 11

A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde.

He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn

A good felawe to have his concubyn

A twelf mongh, and excuse hym atte fulle;

Reference
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: 
(ii) Content: It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.

Explanation

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

Extract No. 12

Greet chiere made oure hoost us everichon,

And to the soper sette he us anon.

He served us with vitaille at the beste;

Strong was the wyn, and wel to drynke us leste.

Reference
(i) Poem: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
(ii) Poet: Geoffrey Chaucer
Context
(i) Occurrence: 
(ii) Content: It is the month of April in circa 1390. A group of twenty-nine pilgrims gathers at a tavern in Southwark called Tabard Inn. The goal of their journey is the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The narrator, Chaucer, encounters them there and becomes one of their company. The narrator seeks to describe their 'condition', 'array' and 'degree'. The Host at the Inn proposes the story-telling contest among the pilgrims.

Explanation

Notes Prepared By: Prof. Shahbaz Asghar

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