Canterbury Tales Prologue Resources
- Choose your blog homework. Answer one of the questions below and ...
- ALSO comment on one other person's response to a different question.
- Please label which question you are answering!
1. Read the Prologue in Middle English! Can you decipher some of the words? Which ones? How does the middle English compare to the olde English? You can listen to the prologue being read on youtube here.
2. The Wife of Bath doesn't look like I would expect her to . . .
Chaucer's Wife of Bath What do you expect her to look like?
3. The Knight is illustrated below in a modern painting by Arthur Szyk. If you had to depict THREE of the characters from the pilgrimage in Canterbury Tales. What would they look like? What images would be carried by them? What colors would be incorporated?
4. If you were creating a modern day pilgrimage, who would go on our pilgrimage and where would we be going? Let's go on a pilgrimage! Define where we are going and who is coming with us!
If I had to depict three of the characters from the pilgrimage in canterbury tales i would pick Parson, Maniciple, and Reeve. The Parson would be a golly man with a halo on his head because he wants to get a good example. He would be wearing all yellow because yellow is a cheery and holy color. He would be wearing a cross and holding a bible. The Maniciple would be wearing a business suit and have on glasses because he is smart. He would be wearing a classic black suit and would be holding a law book. The Reeve would be wearing overalls but they would be ripped up because of his bad-temper. His shirt would be plaid and red because of his anger within him.
ReplyDeleteI picked question 3 by the way
DeleteI like how you described those three characters and connected colors to them. I agree with you and think that yellow would be a good color for the Parson because it is cheery and it could symbolize light/heaven. Red is perfect for the Reeve because of his anger.
DeleteI really like how you used the colors to display the emotions of the charaters. I also like the idea of the glasses, but I don't think I'm getting the picture that you described of the Maniciple correct because the way that you described him I'm picyuring a modern day buisiness suit and they didn't have those way back when. Then again, I'm not quite sure what business men wore back then either.
Deletei like how you use symbolism with the colors. like how you said yellow is cheery and red is angry symbolically. i also liked how you dressed them according to what there job is because the manciple is like a lawyer and lawyers typically wear a bussiness suit.
DeleteIt was really creative that you connected colors with the characters personalities. I liked how you got really descriptive and thought about what outfits they were wearing. I loved your imagery of the ripped overalls! I would probably depict them less modern looking and probably in robes.
DeleteQuestion #1:
ReplyDeleteI think the Middle English is a transition between old English and the English we use today. Some words, like "priketh", "bifil" and "atte" and odd and not words we use today. They sound like they belong in the kennings we listened to. Many of the words are very close to 21st century English. For example, "bygynneth" is beginning, "felaweshipe" is fellowship, "Aprille" is April and "nyght" is night. A handful of words are identical to how we use them today.
I agree many of the worlds used in modern english are also used today but in a modified form. And today we have standardized spelling unlike back in those days when people spelled things however they pleased. Old english I find rather difficult to read because they spoke so proper and sometimes the words are hard to understand. I usually have to sit and look at some of the words for a moment just to understand them
DeleteI agree with this also, except I think that middle English is closer to modern because we can at least recognize the words being used, even if they're spelled differently. In the case of old English, we don't use any of the words the Anglo-Saxons used and we can't really get a good idea of what is trying to be said without it being translated already.
DeleteJacqueline Savageau
ReplyDeleteQuestion #4
If I were going on a modern pilgrimage I would probably go somewhere of meaning and purpose to my life, just like the characters in Canterbury did. They traveled to a place that held a special meaning for them, the temple of their beloved martyr and saint. I would most likely make a pilgrimage to Zion National Park, because I love nature and outdoors things, and as kid my family went here and the week we spent was pure bliss. It was so quiet and relaxing, away from the mainstream world. I remember one night my family was star gazing and we saw the entire milky way, it was beautiful. If I were to take anyone it would be my 3 best friends so I could show them this magical and in a way spirtual place to me.
Wow, that sounds like a wonderful place to take someone. I like how you mentioned that you would go somewhere that has a meaning and a purpose not just to you, but to the others as well. I think that nature and being outdoors does have a meaning like taking the time to relax and just having a good time with you friends.
DeleteThis is so adorable . I like how you picked such a special place to you with your favorite people. That makes me think that maybe the characters in the book will share an experience like that and really cherish their trip. I also like how descriptive you were with the park . I could really imagine it.
DeleteI think that I would also go to a fascinating location in nature if I ever went on a pilgrimage. I went to Zion National Park in 2003 and although that was a while ago, I remember how pretty it was and I can certainly see why it is so special to you and why you would want to share it with your friends.
Deletequestion 4.
ReplyDeleteif I went on a Pilgrimage i would go to a religious place. im christian so i would go to an important christian city. like the vatican or jeruselum. these places are historical and holy. i would flie to europe then drive there. i would take anyone who wanted to come.
I would go with you because they seem like interesting places, also you didn't capitalize the first letter of any of your sentences.
DeleteQuestion 4
ReplyDeleteIf we were to go on a pilgramage I think that we would go as a class to England. I say this because in British Literature, England is pretty much our religion which would make it a pilgramage because it has to do with religion. We would take the entire class and meat up with historical and fictional figures from England such as Beowulf, Shakespear, Chaucer, and King Arthur.
I agree with this. There's nowhere more obviously to go to than England. I also like the idea if we saw historical figures during this pilgrimage.
Deletewe would meet* up. You accidentally spelled meat. The kind of meat that we eat for dinner (like stake)
Deletethat sounds pretty fun to be honest and i would participate. We could learn a lot by interviewing and questioning the gods of our brit lit class.
DeleteEven though, to most of the people, the Wife of Bath isn't what they imagined. That picture of her is exactly what I thought she would look like. There's the big hat and fancy clothes, which how rich and famous she thinks she is. She also has the horse, which shows that she likes to travel around and show off the fact that she has a horse to travel with. I guess if there's one thing that doesn't make sense to me, is what the object she's holding. I don't understand what she's holding.
ReplyDeletei agree with the horse representing her love of travel. I disagree that the fancy cloths are to show howfamous she was. I think the cloths were to show off her riches and to look appealing to men. The object she is holding is a whip for the horse.
DeleteI agree that this picture is mostly what I imagined the Wife of Bath looking like. The only thing missing is the linen on her head but other than that I think it is a good representation. I think her clothing show why she has been married so many times.
DeleteQuestion 4
ReplyDeleteIf I were to go on a pilgrimage I would like to go as a class to europe because thats where most of our ansestors come from. I think it would be nice to see how and where most of our ancestors lived. Ive never been to europe before. And of course we could go to england while we were there to see the theaters and the ancient british literature type things that are there.
I agree with you on this that literally all of our ancestors come from Europe or some other place across the Atlantic, since America was built by European imperialists, so therefore, it would be the most valuable place to go because we could find our original roots.
DeleteQuestion 2
ReplyDeleteThe wife of bath does not look like i expected her to.In the picture she seems to poper and ladylike.I imaged her being alittle more wild and show offy.She has the red stockings which make me think she likes to show off for the men. The picture depicts her as too innocent when she has been married five times and also has men on the side.Also i pictured her to be older and less attractive then what was depicted.
Question 4:
ReplyDeleteIf we were to go on a modern day pilgrimage it would probably be to the Federal Reserve. A pilgrimage takes you to to a place of great meaning for what is important in your life. I feel as though that back in the day these Canterbury Tales were written, religion and honor were the cornerstones of life. Now I feel as though money is the most important thing in most of our lives. With us we would take a banker, a salesman and a CEO because they are what make the money world go round.
that's an intersenting choice for a pilgrimmage but it makes total sense. even though i think of pilgrimmages as being strictly religious, money is the most important thing for many people and the federal reserve is an important place for money.
DeleteQuestion #4
ReplyDeleteIf I was to go on a modern day pilgrimage I would go to Europe to either England or France because that is where my family is from. This would be meaningful to my life and I would learn about where my family came from. I could try to find where exactly my family lived and learn more about my ancestors. I would bring my family with me so I could share that with them.
I agree, England has a rich culture that is just very interesting to learn about. it seems like would be a very great experience.
DeleteThis is exactly what I was thinking too about a pilgrimage I would go on. England does have an awesome culture and I would love to learn more about it as well. Hearing about the places you want to go is so much different than experiencing it yourself and it would be a great experience to go.
DeleteQuestion #1
ReplyDeleteI find that Chaucer's original version in middle Ennglish is not too hard to decipher, except for a few strange words such as "hostelrye", "yfalle", "kowthe", etc. With the exception of those words, middle English seems pretty easy to understand and also seems closer to modern English than it does to old English, which was like an entirely different language. I think that the few words that are not easy to understand are probably what was left of old English during the time of Chaucer.
Question 1 - I can decipher almost all of the words except for a couple of weird ones. The main difference between this and modern English seems to be the spelling. Some of the words are exactly the same like "bathed", "inspired" and "march". When reading something in old English I would be lucky to understand a few of the words but I can actually understand this.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you on this one. Old English is nearly impossible to understand, but middle English has many more words that are very similar to or exactly modern English words. Many of the lines are confusing and don't make much sense, but you can at least get a feel for what it is trying to say.
Deletequestion 3- If I had to depict 3 of the characters from the pilgrimage, the skipper would be a dirty bad ass looking pirate. wearing dark colored robes all the time with a knife in his hand. The kind of guy who doesn't care what he looks like and does whatever he wants. The oxford student would be a nerdy looking kid with glasses and a back pack on where ever he goes. Dressed up in a suite and clean cut. Looks kinda shy and keeps his distance. The woman from bath would be a blonde, blue eyed girl who was always smiling. she would wear skimpy revealing outfits, and would always be talking to the nearest man.
ReplyDeleteI gotta say Isaac you had some very stereotypical descriptions of each character. Not necessarily a bad thing because they could definitely fit them, but I feel back in those days students wouldn't be wearing glasses, suits, and backpacks. Skippy was an alright description but just because he likes the ocean doesn't mean he has to be a pirate. The woman of bath was a pretty good description showing how she liked to be around.
DeleteQuestion 3
ReplyDeleteIf I had to depict three of the characters in the pilgrimage they would be the Squire, the Monk, and the Cleric.
The Squire - He would be a very interesting character to deciper since he is very different from his father, the knight. In my view, the Squire would be a teenager that has a passion for art and music. He would have his flute with him wherever he goes and play it throughout his journey. Also, he is "as lusty as the month of May" so he would always have a smug smile and half-closed eyes and run over to the woman that he finds beautiful. He would wear a shining armor of course and would be too afraid to go into battle, only if his lover isn't taken away from him.
The Monk - I would imagine the monk in a brown garment that he wears for praying and along his journey. He would wear wooden-like sandlas that clicked whenever he walked. He would be a plump fellow with very fat cheeks since he has a passion for food. Also, along the journey, he would have a bow and arrow along with him whenever he sees some creatures or game for him to eat and enjoy.
The Cleric - I imgined the Cleric to be a smart looking man. He would wear clean cut suits with a black tie and Harry Potter-like glasses resting on the tip of his nose. He would always carry a book around with him, and if something happened to anyone along the journey, such as an illness or a death, he would regulary pray for them since he is very religious. Also, if anyone was to get in a situation, the cleric would think of a smart way to get them out of it.
Question 4:
ReplyDeleteWell, since a pilgrimage is a journey to a place of importance or even a journey of self discovery, I would go somewhere that is important to me or a place that symbolizes what I am interested in. So, since I am thoroughly interested in the latest tech, I would take a pilgrimage to the heart of Silicon Valley, San Francisco. On my pilgrimage, I would take all of the people that I collaborate with about tech so we could find the place where we truly fit in.
Question 1- I understood the prologue somewhat in olde English. What i noticed was often the words in sentences were rearranged kind of like how yoda talks, i think this was to make the flow of the reading or telling of the story steady. Words i could decipher were mostly ones that had y's replacing i's for example like nyght, ryde, and wyde. Although one easy part said to Canterberry, with full devout courage. Middle English's spelling is very much closer to modern English than the olde but the sentence structure of middle is much more closer to olde than modern
ReplyDeleteI really like that you compared the olde English version to Yoda, and looking back at that version I completely agree. It's really cool that you can go through that different of a text and make that connection.
DeleteQuestion 2: The Wife of Bath looks very respectable and proper in this picture,which isn't how i imagined her. I would expect her to look more promiscuous because of the fact that she's had five husbands and has been with multiple other men too. She also looks very youthful in this picture, but i imagined her as looking older and more mature because of the fact that she's already had five husbands.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting what you said about her looking more promiscuous- I didn't even think of it, but I can kind see where you're coming from, especially since she married so much (5 marriages is a lot even by our modern standards). I definitely agree with the thought that she looks too young, though- she seems too cherubic.
DeleteJimmy Whiting
ReplyDelete3-
Knight- The knight would be dressed in standard silver shining armor, armed with a sword and shield and nothing else. There would be a red, blue, and yellow crest on his shield and he would be a burly man.
Friar- The friar would be a bumbling fool, carrying wine wherever he went in long brown robes. His appearance would match his half-sane mind.
Squire- The squire would evidently be the feminine underling of the knight, carrying his flute as well as the knights goods on his back and wearing his red flowered robes.
If I could go on a pilgrimage I would go to Armenia. Since going on a pilgrimage is somewhere where it is important to you, I would love to go there. I go to an Armenian Apostolic Church and I would love to go and see how the modern day Armenia is. The culture ans the people are so important to me and I want to learn more about my family's heritage and the relgion. I would take my family with me and others who I am very close with at my church.
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to go to Armenia as well! The culture and people there seem amazing. This is such a great idea for a pilgrimage.
DeleteQuestion 2- I expected the wife of Bath to be a bit older, plumper, and snootier. I figured that since she had been married 5 times, she'd probably be kind of on the older side. She lived such a rich and fancy lifestyle, it seemed like she would probably be very "old-money" and haughty, not as young and pretty as she appears there.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2-I would expect the wife of Bath to look somewhat older, since she is somewhat deaf and has already had five husbands. Since she is a worldly woman, I would also expect her to appear so, whether in dress or in demeanor. Based on the description of what she was wearing on her trip, I would also expect her to look somewhat more colorful and stylish.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2 - In the picture, she appears to be young, beautiful, and a bit friendlier than I had imagined. While I had expected her to be beautiful, her youth was surprising. Because she had been married 5 times, I had pictured her as a stout middle-aged woman. Her outfit, however, suits her glamorous lifestyle and her extravagant hat emphasizes her wealth.
ReplyDelete1.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the middle english prologue was vey confusing. while there were lines that i understood there were also many lines that i had no idea what they meant. For example, "with ful devout corage" just means they were going to canterbury with full devout courage and "The droghte of March hath perced to the roote" means the drought of march has pierced to the root. That part just looked like somebody mispelled some of the words. However, some lines that i have no idea what they meant are "wel we weren esed atte beste" and "palmeres for to seken straunge strondes" I'm pretty sure i wouldn't be able to read more than a few lines of middle english and actually comprehend it.
Question 1:
ReplyDeleteIf I was to go on a modern day pilgrimage, I would most likely pack my bags for a while and visit every country in the world. One of my dreams for when I become older is to visit many places around the globe that are interesting and totally different from where I live today. I think it is important, to me at least, to experience the entirety of the world I live in and not get trapped in one place on Earth. I would take close friends and family with me on this pilgrimage of "discovery".
- Sean MacPherson
Where would you like to go specifically? I would like southeastern Asia except when I think about places like Japan or Thailand I think of tsunamis and big cities with crowds of people. That's probably why I don't want to travel. Stereotypes. I went to Bermuda over the summer and that was really weird. Travelling into the cities or towns was not fun because the roads were tiny and the houses and buildings were so close together, it was humid, and it smelled like smoke. On the other hand the beaches were nothing like that. So I guess it's a matter of where you go. I forget what I was talking about when I started. You should take a pilgrimage to third world countries. That sounds neat but then you realize how important cellphone service is. That was probably mean. I'll stop now. Bye, Sean.
DeleteI meant Question 4.
Delete#4
ReplyDeleteKnight - I picture the knight to be wearing chain mail armor and to be holding a well decorated shield in one hand and a powerful sword in the other. The knight is standing beside his horse that he has ridden into battle with. He looks brave and fearless but also appears to be struck by traces of post traumatic stress from his previous battles. He would wear the colors of the kingdom he represents.
Squire - I picture the squire to be a younger version of the Knight. He would dress to please the Knight and make him believe that he likes the way of the Knight. Behind all of that he honestly enjoys playing his flute which he carries everywhere. He would be wearing bright colors with flowers.
Prioress - The prioress looks like any typical nun but possibly wears some type of ornament as a distinction between her and the other nuns, as she is the head nun. She wears jewelry and tries to look charming. She also displays the quote "Omnia vincit amor" and she would be wearing black and white (or is this just a stereotypical nun) but with more color in her jewelry.
This is #3 by the way. I'm tired.
DeleteErkam Yilmaz
ReplyDelete2 - The wife of bath in the picture shown is much more different than I had imagined. The text makes her seem like she's been around the town for a while and was well known. Meaning that she should be quite old according to the text. More examples like her having 5 husbands shows she has been through a lot in her life. So when I saw the picture it was quite surprising because she looked very young, pretty, and innocent. I expected more of a beautiful old person since she was also deaf, and was an "excellent women all her life." The image also shows her to be a little to innocent which I wouldn't agree with seeing she had 5 husbands. I would expect a little more flashy clothing like the book mentioned her "stockings were of finest scarlet-red" and "skirt swathed up her hips". Overall the image shown was probably what she looked like while she was younger.
4- If I was going on a pilgrimage I would go to Hollywood because I've always really wanted to go there. The trip would be really long so I would bring all of my close friends and family with me. On the way to Hollywood I would want to stop at all the important landmarks in the U.S. Like the Canterbury Tales, in order to pass time I would have everyone tell a story on the way there but in this case a funny story.
ReplyDelete