# 1. Story Summary
Beowulf is about a man who is courageous and honorable. He is human so he dies, but is strong. Beowulf fights supernatural Grendel and his
mother and wins, but then dies fighting a dragon.
Lanval is about a kind a generous knight. Lanval is faithful to his lord and the queen
and devoted to his fairy queen. His
loyalty is questioned by the queen when he does not accept her advances but is
saved by his fairy queen and whisked away to live happily ever after with her.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight explore supernatural heroes. Gawain, the knight keeps his word after a
challenge (offered by the Green Knight), and goes on a quest that tests his
morality and honor.
Chaucer’s Prologue and Tale is about twenty nine
traveler’s from different stations in life telling each other story’s to pass
the time on the way to Canterbury.
The
Millers Prologue and Tale is a funny tale about a caged young woman married to
a jealous older man. She is trying to
have an affair and mischief ensues by attempting to keep her husband from
finding out about the fair with another man.
The
Wife of Baths Prologue and Tale. The
wife of Bath is a woman who has been married five times and is looking for
husband number 6. Society does not agree
with the wife of Baths morals and choices.
The tale is a quest that a young knight goes on to find out what women
want.
Everyman
portrays human characteristics as people.
Everyman is trying to repent to get to heaven and prepare for death.
Margery
Kempe is a woman who believes Jesus is speaking to her. Margery has forsaken human temptation to be
worthy to speak and be loved by Jesus.
Pardoners
Prologue and Tale is about a pardoner being greedy and preaching about god to
make money. The tale is about 3 greedy
men trying to find and overcome death.
#2. Major characters
Beowulf:
Beowulf is a strong
chivalrous man
Hrothgar is a kind and
giving old king
Grendel is a decedent
of Cain and pure evil
Grendel’s mother is
evil and vengeful
Queen Wealhtheow is a
gracious and subservient queen and Hrothgar’s wife
Lanval
Lanval is a giving
knight
Fairy queen is strong
and beautiful
Queen Guinevere is
jealous and vindictive
King Arthur is jealous
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
The green Knight is
supernatural, he is a large green man with a red beard. He likes playing games.
Sir Gawain is honorable
and truthful and a loyal knight. He
wears a green girdle to show his shame.
Bertilak is a
good-natured lord. Powerful, brave and
generous.
Bertilak’s wife is a seductress and clever
manipulator.
The Millers Prologue and Tale
John is old, jealous
and not smart
Absolon is a perish
clerk and has a fear of farts. Absolon
also has a crush on Alisoun. Absolon is
a vengeful person
Nicholas is college
educated, young and handsome. Nicholas
has an affair with Alisoun.
Alisoun is young and
pretty and feeling very caged, she seeks adventure.
Everyman
Everyman is a character
portal of humankind.
God is an almighty
being.
Good deeds are the way
to get into heaven.
Death is judgement.
The messenger is the
narrator
Fellowship is a friend
who abandons Everyman on his quest.
Journey is knowledge
and guidance.
Chaucer’s General Prologue and Tale
The knight whose story
is first because he is the highest station of the travelers. The knight is believed to be chivalrous and
honorable.
The Wife of Bath is
important to the story telling because she is experienced in life and is
experienced in love and sex.
The Pardoner is the
last character to tell his story because his station in life does not seemn to
be that important.
List of themes/ motifs
#3. Beowulf
Death, honor,
vengeance, glory, fate, balance, greed, loyalty, good vs. evil. I think Beowulf is an important story because
it was a tale told verbally until someone wrote it into a poem so others can
enjoy this supernatural tale.
Lanval
Lanval is a laye that
has chivalry, courtly love, women are portrayed as temptresses and
vindictive. This is a supernatural tale
also. I think Lanval is a story of love
during King Arthur’s time. Lanval is one
of my favorite stories because it covers love and adventure. Lanval also has the message to be true to
your heart and beliefs and will be rewarded.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
, honor, honesty,
morality, time/seasons, death/eternal life, women (temptresses, evil),
supernatural Chivalry, courtly love,/ conflict between the two, fate,
forgiveness, self-preservation. A
dominant symbol in the green Knight is the color green and the green girdle
that Gawain wears.
The
Millers Prologue and Tale
The Millers Prologue
and Tale is a fabliau, which is a comedic and dirty tale. One of the themes addresses the different
classes of people in the tale. The tale
also includes astrology men/ women relations, temptation, religion/ hypocrisy,
education issues, vengeance, cuckoldry, sexual deviance, and jealously.
The Wife of Bath Prologue and Tale
Some of the prominent
themes in the Wife of Bath are: The wife
of Bath has been married five times and is ready for a sixth. Control, role of women in a marriage, sexual
license within a marriage, going to have fun but doing it within the boundaries of marriage.
The Knight had one year to find out what women want as a punishment for
rape, quest, and a supernatural theme.
The story also includes honor, and faith. The moral of the story is a happy wife a
happy life.
Pardoners Prologue and Tale
The major themes are
greed, hypocrisy, lying, cheating, pride, gluttony, sermons, and morals.
The themes of the tale
include, a quest, repenting, death, sin.
The moral of the story
is do not be greedy. Chaucer’s overall
moral critique is the Catholic practice of Pardoners.
Margery Kempe
Physical aspect of
Jesus, Physical experience of faith, illiterate population, woman gaining
greater access to faith, class issues (mayors daughter).
Everyman
Morality play,
spreading issues of morality to an illiterate population, morality tied to
faith, good deeds are the way to get to heaven , repent to get to heaven,
quest( how to prepare for death), abandon worldly goods and possessions,
attributes.
Chaucer’s General Prologue and Tale
Courtly love, the
different classes of people, companionship, corruption in the church, and
religion.
4#
important quotes
Beowulf:
“Wise sir, do not
grieve. It is always better/ to avenge
dear ones than to indulge in mourning.” (1384-85)
Do not be sad just get revenge.
“Unarmed he shall face
me/ if face me he dares. And may the divine
Lord/ in his wisdom grand the glory of victory to which grant the glory of
victory.”(684-86) Beowulf decides to go unarmed and late fate decides what
happens to him.
“Branded an outlaw
marked by having murdered, he moved into the/ wilds. And from Cain there sprang/ n misbegotten
sprits.” (1262-64) this quote is
significant because it gives a bit of background on Grendel.
Lanval
“For his valor, for his
generosity/ his beauty and bravery/ most men envied him.” (21-23) gives me an idea of what Lanval was
like.
“The Queen got angry;
in her wrath; she insulted him; Lanval, she said I/ am sure you don’t care for
such pleasure, people have often told me/ that you have no interest in women. ”(275-77)
Gives me an idea of the Queens vindictiveness.
“Lanval gave rich gifts/ Lanval released prisoners,/
Lanval dressed jongleurs/ Lanval offered great honors.” (209-11) Another of Lanval’s honorable
qualities as insight to who he was.
Sir Gawain and the
Green Knight
“So that ancient woman
who inhabits my home is also your aunt-/ Arthurs sister,”(2463-64)Sir Gawain’s
family was involved in this game.
“Such terrible mistakes. And I shall bear the blame/ But tell me what
it takes/ to clear my clouded name” (2385-88)
Gawain is an honorable man who is concerned with his morals and he
admits his mistakes.
“Your request” he
countered, “is quit insane/ and folly finds the man who flirts with the fool.” (324-27) Arthur was calling the Green Knights
game silly because he was intimidated.
General Prologue and
Tale
“Redy to wenden on my
pilgrimage/ to Canterbury with full devout corage,”(21-22) The travelers were
ready to go on their way to Canterbury.
“Of sondry folk, by
adventure, yfalle, in felaweshipe, and pilgrimes/ were they alle that toward
Canterbury wolden ride.:( 25-26) there
were diffent group of people ready for the adventure.
And whiche they were,
and of what degree? And eek in what array that they were inne:/ And at a knight
thane wol I first biginne.” (40-42) The
social classes of people together is very apparent.
Millers Prologue/ Tale
And at the windowe out
she putte ir hole, And Absolon him fil no bet ne wers,/But with his mouth he
kiste hir naked ers (624-26) This shows the rude games Alisoun was playing, and
what kind of person she is.
“jalous he was, and
heeld hire narwe in cage/ For she was wilde and yong, and he was
old.(116-17) Describes the personalities
of John and Alisoun.
“This sely jalous housebonde to bigilem and if so
be this game. Whente aright, she sholden sleepen in the arm al night-For this
was his/ desir and hir also.”(296-300) There was an eleborat3e set up of
Alisouns’s husband just so her and Nicholas can spend the night together.
Wife of Bath’s
Prologue/Tale
“I grauntee the lif if
thou cnst tellem me What thing it is that women/ most desiren.” (910-11) The
queen is fully prepared to take the knights life if he can’t tell her what
women most desire.
“Afther that day we
hadde nevere dabat/ God help me so, I was to him as kinde”(828) After the wife received what she most desired
there was no reason to fight.
“What sholde I take
keep hem for to please? But it were for
my profit and myn ese?” (219-20) The
wife asks what she will gain if she keeps her husband and pleases him?
The Pardoners
prologue/Tale
“Thus can I preche
again in that same vice? Which that I
use, and thati is avarice” (139-40) The
Pardoner can take the advice he preaches.
“Of avarice and of
swich cursednesse is all my preaching, for/ to make hem free.” (116-17)
The Pardoners advice makes men free.
“I you assoile by myn
heigh power/ Yow that wol offer, as clene and eek as cleer/ as you were born.” (625-27) His advice clears the tainted soul.
Margery Kempe
“You desire greatly to
see me, and you may boldly, wen/ you are in your bed, take me to you as your
wedded husband.” (p433) Margery desires a physical relationship with
God.
“Alas, sir she said,
why move you this mattermand have we been chaste these eight weeks?” (p427)
She has refused to have sex with her husband because of her beliefs.
“By this token,
daughter, believe it is God that speaks in you.” (p432)
God is confirming that he is speaking to Margery.
Everyman
“Old and young/ and
forsake Pride, for he deceiveth you in the end.”(902-03) Everyone should not be prideful, it will only
hurt you in the end.
“KNOWLEDGE Now hath he
suffered that we all hall endure, The Good Deeds shall make all sure.” (887-88) Everyman has the know how to do good
deeds.
“My kinsmen promised me
faithfully For to abide with me steadfastly, And now fast away do they flee.” (382-83) His friends have abandoned him on
his quest.
# 1. Story Summary
Beowulf is about a man who is courageous and honorable. He is human so he dies, but is strong. Beowulf fights supernatural Grendel and his
mother and wins, but then dies fighting a dragon.
Lanval is about a kind a generous knight. Lanval is faithful to his lord and the queen
and devoted to his fairy queen. His
loyalty is questioned by the queen when he does not accept her advances but is
saved by his fairy queen and whisked away to live happily ever after with her.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight explore supernatural heroes. Gawain, the knight keeps his word after a
challenge (offered by the Green Knight), and goes on a quest that tests his
morality and honor.
Chaucer’s Prologue and Tale is about twenty nine
traveler’s from different stations in life telling each other story’s to pass
the time on the way to Canterbury.
The
Millers Prologue and Tale is a funny tale about a caged young woman married to
a jealous older man. She is trying to
have an affair and mischief ensues by attempting to keep her husband from
finding out about the fair with another man.
The
Wife of Baths Prologue and Tale. The
wife of Bath is a woman who has been married five times and is looking for
husband number 6. Society does not agree
with the wife of Baths morals and choices.
The tale is a quest that a young knight goes on to find out what women
want.
Everyman
portrays human characteristics as people.
Everyman is trying to repent to get to heaven and prepare for death.
Margery
Kempe is a woman who believes Jesus is speaking to her. Margery has forsaken human temptation to be
worthy to speak and be loved by Jesus.
Pardoners
Prologue and Tale is about a pardoner being greedy and preaching about god to
make money. The tale is about 3 greedy
men trying to find and overcome death.
#2. Major characters
Beowulf:
Beowulf is a strong
chivalrous man
Hrothgar is a kind and
giving old king
Grendel is a decedent
of Cain and pure evil
Grendel’s mother is
evil and vengeful
Queen Wealhtheow is a
gracious and subservient queen and Hrothgar’s wife
Lanval
Lanval is a giving
knight
Fairy queen is strong
and beautiful
Queen Guinevere is
jealous and vindictive
King Arthur is jealous
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
The green Knight is
supernatural, he is a large green man with a red beard. He likes playing games.
Sir Gawain is honorable
and truthful and a loyal knight. He
wears a green girdle to show his shame.
Bertilak is a
good-natured lord. Powerful, brave and
generous.
Bertilak’s wife is a seductress and clever
manipulator.
The Millers Prologue and Tale
John is old, jealous
and not smart
Absolon is a perish
clerk and has a fear of farts. Absolon
also has a crush on Alisoun. Absolon is
a vengeful person
Nicholas is college
educated, young and handsome. Nicholas
has an affair with Alisoun.
Alisoun is young and
pretty and feeling very caged, she seeks adventure.
Everyman
Everyman is a character
portal of humankind.
God is an almighty
being.
Good deeds are the way
to get into heaven.
Death is judgement.
The messenger is the
narrator
Fellowship is a friend
who abandons Everyman on his quest.
Journey is knowledge
and guidance.
Chaucer’s General Prologue and Tale
The knight whose story
is first because he is the highest station of the travelers. The knight is believed to be chivalrous and
honorable.
The Wife of Bath is
important to the story telling because she is experienced in life and is
experienced in love and sex.
The Pardoner is the
last character to tell his story because his station in life does not seemn to
be that important.
List of themes/ motifs
#3. Beowulf
Death, honor,
vengeance, glory, fate, balance, greed, loyalty, good vs. evil. I think Beowulf is an important story because
it was a tale told verbally until someone wrote it into a poem so others can
enjoy this supernatural tale.
Lanval
Lanval is a laye that
has chivalry, courtly love, women are portrayed as temptresses and
vindictive. This is a supernatural tale
also. I think Lanval is a story of love
during King Arthur’s time. Lanval is one
of my favorite stories because it covers love and adventure. Lanval also has the message to be true to
your heart and beliefs and will be rewarded.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
, honor, honesty,
morality, time/seasons, death/eternal life, women (temptresses, evil),
supernatural Chivalry, courtly love,/ conflict between the two, fate,
forgiveness, self-preservation. A
dominant symbol in the green Knight is the color green and the green girdle
that Gawain wears.
The
Millers Prologue and Tale
The Millers Prologue
and Tale is a fabliau, which is a comedic and dirty tale. One of the themes addresses the different
classes of people in the tale. The tale
also includes astrology men/ women relations, temptation, religion/ hypocrisy,
education issues, vengeance, cuckoldry, sexual deviance, and jealously.
The Wife of Bath Prologue and Tale
Some of the prominent
themes in the Wife of Bath are: The wife
of Bath has been married five times and is ready for a sixth. Control, role of women in a marriage, sexual
license within a marriage, going to have fun but doing it within the boundaries of marriage.
The Knight had one year to find out what women want as a punishment for
rape, quest, and a supernatural theme.
The story also includes honor, and faith. The moral of the story is a happy wife a
happy life.
Pardoners Prologue and Tale
The major themes are
greed, hypocrisy, lying, cheating, pride, gluttony, sermons, and morals.
The themes of the tale
include, a quest, repenting, death, sin.
The moral of the story
is do not be greedy. Chaucer’s overall
moral critique is the Catholic practice of Pardoners.
Margery Kempe
Physical aspect of
Jesus, Physical experience of faith, illiterate population, woman gaining
greater access to faith, class issues (mayors daughter).
Everyman
Morality play,
spreading issues of morality to an illiterate population, morality tied to
faith, good deeds are the way to get to heaven , repent to get to heaven,
quest( how to prepare for death), abandon worldly goods and possessions,
attributes.
Chaucer’s General Prologue and Tale
Courtly love, the
different classes of people, companionship, corruption in the church, and
religion.
4#
important quotes
Beowulf:
“Wise sir, do not
grieve. It is always better/ to avenge
dear ones than to indulge in mourning.” (1384-85)
Do not be sad just get revenge.
“Unarmed he shall face
me/ if face me he dares. And may the divine
Lord/ in his wisdom grand the glory of victory to which grant the glory of
victory.”(684-86) Beowulf decides to go unarmed and late fate decides what
happens to him.
“Branded an outlaw
marked by having murdered, he moved into the/ wilds. And from Cain there sprang/ n misbegotten
sprits.” (1262-64) this quote is
significant because it gives a bit of background on Grendel.
Lanval
“For his valor, for his
generosity/ his beauty and bravery/ most men envied him.” (21-23) gives me an idea of what Lanval was
like.
“The Queen got angry;
in her wrath; she insulted him; Lanval, she said I/ am sure you don’t care for
such pleasure, people have often told me/ that you have no interest in women. ”(275-77)
Gives me an idea of the Queens vindictiveness.
“Lanval gave rich gifts/ Lanval released prisoners,/
Lanval dressed jongleurs/ Lanval offered great honors.” (209-11) Another of Lanval’s honorable
qualities as insight to who he was.
Sir Gawain and the
Green Knight
“So that ancient woman
who inhabits my home is also your aunt-/ Arthurs sister,”(2463-64)Sir Gawain’s
family was involved in this game.
“Such terrible mistakes. And I shall bear the blame/ But tell me what
it takes/ to clear my clouded name” (2385-88)
Gawain is an honorable man who is concerned with his morals and he
admits his mistakes.
“Your request” he
countered, “is quit insane/ and folly finds the man who flirts with the fool.” (324-27) Arthur was calling the Green Knights
game silly because he was intimidated.
General Prologue and
Tale
“Redy to wenden on my
pilgrimage/ to Canterbury with full devout corage,”(21-22) The travelers were
ready to go on their way to Canterbury.
“Of sondry folk, by
adventure, yfalle, in felaweshipe, and pilgrimes/ were they alle that toward
Canterbury wolden ride.:( 25-26) there
were diffent group of people ready for the adventure.
And whiche they were,
and of what degree? And eek in what array that they were inne:/ And at a knight
thane wol I first biginne.” (40-42) The
social classes of people together is very apparent.
Millers Prologue/ Tale
And at the windowe out
she putte ir hole, And Absolon him fil no bet ne wers,/But with his mouth he
kiste hir naked ers (624-26) This shows the rude games Alisoun was playing, and
what kind of person she is.
“jalous he was, and
heeld hire narwe in cage/ For she was wilde and yong, and he was
old.(116-17) Describes the personalities
of John and Alisoun.
“This sely jalous housebonde to bigilem and if so
be this game. Whente aright, she sholden sleepen in the arm al night-For this
was his/ desir and hir also.”(296-300) There was an eleborat3e set up of
Alisouns’s husband just so her and Nicholas can spend the night together.
Wife of Bath’s
Prologue/Tale
“I grauntee the lif if
thou cnst tellem me What thing it is that women/ most desiren.” (910-11) The
queen is fully prepared to take the knights life if he can’t tell her what
women most desire.
“Afther that day we
hadde nevere dabat/ God help me so, I was to him as kinde”(828) After the wife received what she most desired
there was no reason to fight.
“What sholde I take
keep hem for to please? But it were for
my profit and myn ese?” (219-20) The
wife asks what she will gain if she keeps her husband and pleases him?
The Pardoners
prologue/Tale
“Thus can I preche
again in that same vice? Which that I
use, and thati is avarice” (139-40) The
Pardoner can take the advice he preaches.
“Of avarice and of
swich cursednesse is all my preaching, for/ to make hem free.” (116-17)
The Pardoners advice makes men free.
“I you assoile by myn
heigh power/ Yow that wol offer, as clene and eek as cleer/ as you were born.” (625-27) His advice clears the tainted soul.
Margery Kempe
“You desire greatly to
see me, and you may boldly, wen/ you are in your bed, take me to you as your
wedded husband.” (p433) Margery desires a physical relationship with
God.
“Alas, sir she said,
why move you this mattermand have we been chaste these eight weeks?” (p427)
She has refused to have sex with her husband because of her beliefs.
“By this token,
daughter, believe it is God that speaks in you.” (p432)
God is confirming that he is speaking to Margery.
Everyman
“Old and young/ and
forsake Pride, for he deceiveth you in the end.”(902-03) Everyone should not be prideful, it will only
hurt you in the end.
“KNOWLEDGE Now hath he
suffered that we all hall endure, The Good Deeds shall make all sure.” (887-88) Everyman has the know how to do good
deeds.
“My kinsmen promised me
faithfully For to abide with me steadfastly, And now fast away do they flee.” (382-83) His friends have abandoned him on
his quest.
