The History Of The Canterbury Tales English Literature Essay

The History Of The Canterbury Tales English Literature Essay Social environment Chaucer, a pilgrim on the way to Canterbury, makes the journey with 31 other pilgrims. The society is still very much feudal as shown by the way he describes his fellow pilgrims. Atmosphere As Chaucer describes his counterparts, the atmosphere in general seems lighthearted, even though he satires and in turn expresses disgust for many of the fellow pilgrims. Significance The setting provides a backdrop and plot to the story as the pilgrims make their way to Canterbury. Structure The Canterbury Tales is a collection of short stories, told from Chaucers point of view. He does not offer much of his insight and opinion, except for during the prologue, where he introduces and describes the characters. In each short story, a different pilgrim tells a tale. Plot In The Canterbury Tales, the story begins in The Prologue, in The Tabard Inn, where Chaucer meets some nine and twenty people who are preparing to go on a pilgrimage to Canterbury the next morning. He then proceeds to introduce and describe each of his fellow pilgrims in a sometimes praising, sometimes satirical manner. After this, the Host serves the pilgrims food, and suggests a way for them to pass time on their trip to each tell a story on the way there and one on the way back. He tells them that he will decide the best one and that the winner receives a free dinner paid by the other pilgrims. After this, the next morning, the pilgrims depart for Canterbury. In The Pardoners Tale, the Pardoner tells a story of greed. Three drunk men blame Death for the death of their friend. As they find an old man who complains that Death will not take him, and he tells them that they can find Death behind an oak tree, the three stumble upon a pile of gold. They then draw straws and send one of the three to fetch food and wine. As the man leaves, the two remaining men plot to kill the third man and keep the money to themselves. The third, as he fetches food, plots to kill the other two with poison. As the third man comes back, the two men that stayed stab him and take the food he brought, but they unknowingly drink the poison that he brought. And so Death takes all three of the drunk men. The Wife of Baths Tale tells a story of a knight under King Arthur who is sentenced to death for raping a maiden. However the queen intervenes and states that he will be reprieved if he comes back in one year and one day and tells her what the thing is that women want most. The knight leaves and spends his time roaming, asking women what they want most, but they all give varying answers. Dejected, the knight sadly prepares to return to court. In the woods, he suddenly sees a group of dancing women. As he approaches them, they all disappear, and an old woman remains. The woman says she will tell him what women want most in return for payment and the knight accepts. As the knight tells the queen that women want sovereignty over her husband and is released, the woman appears and says that she told the knight the answer and requests marriage. The knight unwillingly accepts. However he neglects her after they are married and this leads her to confront him. She asks him whether he would ha ve an old and ugly but loyal, true, and humble wife, or to have an unfaithful, pretty wife. The knight leaves the decision to the old woman. Having won her sovereignty, she tells the knight to kiss him, and as he does, she turns into a beautiful young lady. In The Nuns Priests Tale, a cock, named Chanticleer, has a dream about his death at the hands of a fox. He tells his favorite wife, the hen Pertelote, about this vision he has had, and his fear. She scolds him for being scared. Upon this he recounts examples of other dreams that have come true. However, after this he is comforted and time passes. Later, as he is walking with his wives, a fox takes advantage of Chanticleers ego and tells him to crow for him. As Chanticleer closes his eyes to crow, he is snatched up by the fox. However then the fox is outwitted by Chanticleer, as the cock persuades the fox to talk and taunt the pursuers. As the fox opens his mouth, Chanticleer escapes and flies into a tree, refusing to be tricked again. Characters Knight a distinguished man who draws Chaucers praise. He has fought in many wars and represents truth, honor, courtesy, modesty and is wise. Squire the knights son. He is musically talented but sleeps very little as he spends much of his time trying to impress women. Yeoman tan with a head like a nut. He is also an excellent woodsman and archer who is very loyal. Nun/Prioress not really a nun, very concerned with appearance and love. Has a brooch that says Amor Vincit Omnia (Love Conquers All), as opposed to the religious devotion and chastity a nun should have. Madam Eglantyne. Another Nun with the Prioress. Priest 1 with the Prioress. Priest 2 with the Prioress. Priest 3 with the Prioress. Monk not really a monk. He is fat and bald but is very worldly and not very devoted to religion. Buys nice clothes and likes hunting. Friar corrupt, and very good at begging. Wanton, merry, knew all the taverns and inns. He draws Chaucers scorn.Name: Hubert. Merchant good at his job but is in debt and is good at hiding it. Has a forking beard. Oxford Cleric only likes learning, very skinny and obsessed, would rather spend money on books than other stuff. Sergeant at the Law seems to be good at his job. Chaucer doubts this. Sergeant has memorized a bunch of cases. Franklin has a white beard, but lives for pleasure. Parties, has lots of wine, food. Guildsmen (Haberdasher, Carpenter, Dyer, Weaver, Carpetmaker) look trim and fresh. Worked together to help each other out. Wives also pushed them. Cook good at cooking but has bad hygiene. Has an ulcer on his knee and can distinguish ale by flavor. Skipper steals a lot, also navigates the sea, kind of a pirate. He is riding a stolen horse and has been through many naval challenges. Doctor knows much about medicine. He wears blood-red robes slashed with bluish-gray and is a miser. He loves money. Wife of Bath hard of hearing, dresses nicely, has had 5 husbands, traveled around the world and been to Jerusalem 3 times. She is a very good seamstress and friendly. Parson poor, but rich in thought. Also very reverent and religiously informed. Generous, charitable, virtuous, and hardworking. Plowman brother of the Parson, also hardworking, and honest, peaceful, and charitable. Very religious and poor, but still paid his tithes on time and in full. Miller strong and large, with a red beard, large nostrils, and a wart on his nose. He plays he bagpipes and is very strong, but dishonest. Manciple is illiterate and shrewd but can outdo others in many legal cases. Reeve skinny, old, and choleric. He has a bad temper and not many like him, so he rides in the back. He is a carpenter and watches and predicts crops carefully. Summoner corrupt, drunk, and lecherous. Pimply with narrow eyes and a thin beard. He gets bribed and blackmails to get what he wants. Pardoner possibly a homosexual partner of the Summoner, has long yellow greasy hair, bulging eyes. Is greedy and sells fake relics to pardon people. Host nice, overweight with bright eyes. Suggests good ideas and good at persuading others and getting others to do things. Chaucer the narrator of the story, going on a pilgrimage with the other characters. Allusions The Bible Chaucer alludes to the Bible in his description of the Plowman, referencing the love thy neighbor as thyself tenet in Christianity. This helps contrast with the non-religiousness of the supposedly clergy characters such as the Prioress and the Monk. Epicurus When describing the Franklin, Chaucer draws a comparison, calling the Franklin the son of Epicurus. This allusion to Greek society demonstrates the English knowledge of the other European cultures and the strong parallels that cultures drew back then, in society. Aristotle Chaucer makes an allusion to Aristotle when he describes the books the Oxford Cleric has. This shows us more about society back then and how philosophy was linked to studiousness and also again shows us the parallels between the ancient Greek culture and the English. Devices of Satire Litotes Chaucer uses litotes, or the use of affirmation through negation, to emphasize certain aspects of people without being too direct or obvious. This usage is somewhat an understatement, making something seem less than it really is. An example of this is when he describes the Prioress as by no means undergrown, he is hinting at her curvy and well-developed body but at the same time making it seem less that it really is. Rhetorical Questions Rhetorical questions are questions asked that, while not necessarily drawing an answer, make a point. Chaucers use of these can be seen when he is describing the Monks un-monk-ness. He asks Was he to study till his head went round poring over books in cloisters? Must he toil as Austin bade and till the very soil? Was he to leave the world upon the shelf? While in the way Chaucer asks these questions the answer to each would seem to be no, the answers should actually be yes, and these emphasize the point that, while the Monk should be doing these things, he isnt, and therefore, he is not a monk-like monk. Irony- the use of irony is prominent throughout The Canterbury Tales and helps draw the readers attention but emphasizing the oddness of the situation, Two great examples of this are of the Monk and Prioress, who both should be religiously devout and strict followers of rules, but arent. You can see as Chaucer even says The Rule of good St. Benet or St. Maur as old and strict he tended to ignore, about the Monk, this draws the readers attention because again, obviously, that is exactly the opposite of what a monk should do. Genre The Canterbury Tales is a collection of short stories buy Geoffrey Chaucer, also called an anthology. Throughout the prologue, Chaucer uses much satire through devices such as sarcasm or litotes to interest the audience and make his characters seem more interesting. In his short stories, however, each story seems to teach a lesson or have a moral, where The Pardoners Tale teaches us about the downfalls of greed, The Wife of Baths Tale teaches us about respect to women, and The Nuns Priests Tale teaches us about keeping pride and ego down. His use of rhyming couplets make the story more interesting and easy to remember. Authors Purpose Chaucer, through humor and morals, uses The Canterbury Tales to effectively convey his view on certain aspects of Middle English society. Quotation First I beg of you, in courtesy, Not to condemn me as unmannerly If I speak plainly and with no concealings And give account of all their words and dealings (Chaucer 120). This quote shows how Chaucer knowingly addresses his audience and acknowledges the potential impact he will have on them. By asking them not to condemn him if he speaks without concealings, he is announcing that he may say some controversial things, but this all ties into the morals and satire he uses to introduce his opinion on aspects of Middle English society. Documentation Glencoe Literature: Texas Treasures: British Literature The Nuns Preists Tale, http://machias.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer/translation/ct/21npt.html

American City Life and Rural Life Essay

Was life in an American city better or worse than life on the farm for the average American? † Substantiate your answer with facts/examples. (Ch. 18) Does it really make a difference where you live? Is there any change in people’s lives if they live in the city or the country? With no pun intended, this is a chicken and egg question – do urban and rural residents choose where they want to live based on their lifestyle preferences or do lifestyles change because of the environment? The word Rural† is defined by population density which means how many people are there in a given square mile. Urban areas are defined by the â€Å"census blocks† that have a population density of at least 1,000 people per square mile. The life in a city and on a farm has its own pros and cons. Even though my life is in the city (suburban) area, I prefer to live life on a farm. There are different aesthetic experiences between city and farm life. Even the prepositions show the difference-The farmer lives â€Å"ON† a farm and the urban friend lives â€Å"IN† a city. The cities attracted people from the countryside looking for higher wages and cultural enlightenment (Brinkley p496). In addition, life in an American City was visualized as an escape for many citizens, an escape from what they considered â€Å"The Boredom of Rural Life† (p. 502). Also, the city was preferred because people can experience the new forms of entertainment, amenities and cultural experiences unavailable in rural areas. People moved to cities because new forms of transportation made it easier for them to get there. (pg 503) but this also was a cause for increased crowding in the cities. The unemployment rate is also much higher than in the city. Some differences between city and farm life: First of all, countryside is not polluted,so you can breath there fresh air. Besides, the road traffic is much lesser compared to cities, thus you can enjoy silence in the country. You can also relax and go for a nice walk in the forest or in the meadows. What is more important, is that the country people can grow their own fruit and vegetables which are healthier than those you can buy in the greengrocer’s in the city. Another advantage of country life is it is safer than life in a metropolis. In small towns or villages, crime rate is usually very low and people need to be afraid of having their house broken into or of being attacked and robbed in the street. In addition, it seems that in the country the relationship between people are more genuine as people are more friendly and open there. On the other hand, divorce rates in rural areas are generally lower, in part because couples don’t move around as much. While incomes tend to be lower in rural counties, the cost of living is also proportionally lower. As they become older, people are tired with the hectic and stressful city life and often decide to move outside the city. All things considering, it is obvious that both country and city life have their advantages and disadvantages. Some people find city life more exciting and appealing than small towns but others prefer beauty and tranquility of the countryside, but a lot of people prefer city life because it is much easier. The choice whether to live in a city or country side depends on every person’s character and preferences.

Dell Mission Statement Evaluation

Dell Mission Statement Evaluation Customers: (8/10)@ – Delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve. – Flexible customization capability Products Services: (7/10)@ -Highest quality -Best-in-class service and support Markets: (9/10)@ – Competitive pricing – Dell has acquired a large amount of the U. S market and it has now penetrated into the Asian markets leaving a competitive edge. – Products are now also sold in Wal-Mart, Staples, and other retail outlets. Growth: (8/10)@ * 2012 Total Revenue : USD$ 63. 7 billion Profitability: (9/10)@ – Financial stability – Dell reportedly earned $1 million per day in revenue from transmitting messages about sales and discounts to its Twitter followers. Employees: (9/10)@ – 103,300 employees – Individual and company accountability Public Image: (8/10)@ – Superior corporate citizenship – To build customer intimacy and loyalty, Dell leverages its customers' knowledge of their own unmet needs. Dell's brand image was and is shaped by customer feedback. Technology: (7/10)@ -Leading technology Dell strives to produce the most technologically advanced products to make life and work easier and more enjoyable. Philosophy: (9/10)@ * We started the company by building to the customer's order†¦ we didn't do it because we saw some massive paradigm in the future. Basically, we just didn't have any capital. – Sometimes you just have to belly up to the bar and take a chance. We made some mistakes, but we also had the strength to work our way out. – It's customers that made Dell great in the first place if we're smart enough and quick enough to listen to customer needs, we'll succeed.

Why Party Politcs Developed After 1789 in the United...

Why Party Politcs Developed After 1789 in the United States Partisan Politics in the newly formed United States of America was being established before the stipulated time governing this essay suggests. From as early as the Articles of Confederation and by the time of Ratification, Partisan politics was well on its way to play an integral role in the United States political life. It was tried to be avoided as dual-parties were thought to be a weakness in a Nation, however this was unavoidable. The rise of factionalism is often paralleled to the fiscal policies of the 1st Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton in modern day analysis is considered to be a man of great foresight, this being illustrated in the three†¦show more content†¦It is therefore easy to notice factional differences in relation to regional differences. The South was already worried about the survival of their institution of slavery, as from the onset of the creation of the National Government already what they viewed as Northern interests were bein g advocated in Congress, they and their were not then as eagerly represented in Congress as they would have liked to be. Hamiltons fiscal insight or what Norton described as matters of policy, is further illustrated in his proposal for the creation of a National Bank. This bank would assist in the creation of one identifiable and controllable currency, it could lend the Government money, collect and disburse money for the Treasury. This Report faced opposition not on policy as the 1st Report but on the constitutionality of such a move by Government. The opposition was represented by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, who both ignored the benefits of such an institution and simply questioned the constitutionality. One must note that at this point that the opposing faction who became the Republicans(Republican Party), held the philosophy of a strict constructionalist interpretation of the constitution. The constitution did not