Important Questions | The Prologue By Geoffrey Chaucer | Eureka Study Aids

1. Explain the following extracts with reference to the context.

(a) That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy;

Hire gretteste ooth was but by Seinte Loy;

And she was cleped Madame Eglentyne.

(b) And theron heng a brooch al with grene,

On which ther was first write a crowned A,

And after Amor Vincit Omnia.

(c) 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.

(d) Ful wel biloved and famulier was he

With frankeleyns over al in his contree,

And eek with worthy wommen of the toun;

2. Explain the following extracts with reference to the context.

(a) Seint Julian he was in his contree.

His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon;

A bettre envyned man was nowher noon.

(b) 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.

(c) 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.

(d) She was a worthy womman al hir lyve:

Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyve,

Withouten oother compaignye in youthe, ---

3. Explain the following extracts with reference to the context.

(a) 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.

(b) 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.

(c) 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;

(d) 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.

4. Female Characters in 'The Prologue'

5. Ecclesiastical Characters in 'The Prologue'

6. 'The Prologue' As a Cross-section of the 14th Century English Society

7. Irony and Satire in 'The Prologue'

8. Chaucer's Style and Narrative Skill in 'The Prologue' 

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