The Canterbury Tales is Jeffrey Chaucer's most famous work, which, unfortunately, remains incomplete. It was written at the end of the 14th century. The book is a collection of several short stories. All stories are told by pilgrims who go to Canterbury to bow to the holy relics of Thomas Becket.
The work was a success already during the life of Chaucer, but all his virtues were appreciated only in the era of romanticism.
Jeffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: Summary
In the spring, pilgrims flock to all Canterbury Abbey from all over England to worship the holy relics. Once in Sauerk, a company of 20 people gathered in a small tavern āTabardā. All of them belonged to different classes, but were able to find a common language. Among them were: Knight, famous for his exploits and valor; Squire, his son, who managed to gain the favor of his beloved, having received the glory of a faithful squire, despite his young years; Knightās companion was Yeomen, a formerly excellent archer; they were accompanied by Abbess Eglantin, looking after the novices. The abbess constantly talked about something with the Monk, who was a merry fellow and an avid hunter.
Summary (The Canterbury Tales) tells of other heroes. The monk was accompanied by the tax collector Carmelit. Here was a rich Merchant in a beaver hat. On the old nag in Canterbury, the Student was also spending his last savings on books. Lawyer, Sheriff Franklin, Shapochnik, Dyer, Upholsterer, Carpenter, Weaver, Skipper, Batsky weaver, Doctor and Cook also rode to the relics.
Other heroes
Chaucer pays great attention to the description of his heroes. The Canterbury Tales (a summary of which we are now considering) were considered innovative precisely because the author was destined to pay so much attention to the elaboration of their images. This attitude to the characters was unusual for 14th century literature.
Other characters are also located in the tavern: Priest, Plowman, Miller, Pugilist, House-keeper, Majordom, Bailiff of the Church Court, Seller of papal indulgences.
All of the above had fun, and when they were about to leave, the innkeeper suggested they tell each other stories along the way to Canterbury. Pilgrims agreed. The first to tell stories by lot fell to the Knight.
Knight's Tale
The history of the Knight begins with the bulk of Canterbury Tales. The summary tells that not so long ago Athens ruled Theseus. He captured Scythia, the land of the Amazons, and married their leader Hippolyta. When Theseus returned home he became aware of the attack of Creon on Thebes. Deciding to take revenge, he immediately went to the battlefield, leaving Hippolyta and her sister Emilia in Athens. Theseus defeated Creon and captured the noble knights of Palamon and Arsite.
Years passed. Once Emilia walked near the tower where the prisoners were imprisoned. Palamon and Arsit saw her and both fell in love. Then a fight broke out between them, but realizing that they were still locked up, the soldiers calmed down.
At the same time, the famous military leader Peritoy, a longtime friend of Theseus, arrived in Athens to visit. Peritius is bound by bonds of friendship with captive Arsita. Upon learning that his friend was languishing in prison, the military leader began to ask Theseus to release Arsit. Theseus agreed, but ordered Arsit never to appear again in the land of Athens. The liberated Arsit was forced, cursing the fate of separation from Emilia, to flee to Thebes. At the same time, the Palamon envied Arista, who was free and now can find happiness.
Return to Athens
He talks about the years that passed after the liberation of Arsit, a brief summary. The Canterbury Tales includes stories of pagan gods. So, the Knight talks about how Mercury appeared to Arsit in a dream, advising him to return to Athens. The knight decided to obey God. He entered the palace under the name Philostratus as a servant. Arsit was courteous and became close to Theseus. At the same time, the Palamon managed to escape. He is going to go to Thebes to gather an army and go to war on Athens. The palamon hid in the grove, where he met Arsite. Friends decided that only one worthy should remain alive, and began the battle.
The noise of the battle attracted Theseus, who was driving past the grove. When he saw the fighters, he recognized a servant-deceiver and an escaped captive. Theseus, after hearing the explanation, decided to kill the brothers. But the tears of Emilia and Hippolyta softened his heart. Then he ordered the knights to fight for the right to be the husband of Emilia, for which the brothers will have to meet in the same place a year later. Hearing the verdict, the knights rejoiced.
The end of the story of the Knight
It takes the reader to the events that occurred a year after the meeting at the grove, a brief summary ("Canterbury Tales"). At the scene of the battle is a large amphitheater prepared for the fight. He was surrounded by the temples of Venus, Mars and Diana. When the warriors arrived, the amphitheater was already filled with spectators.
The Palamon brought a hundred knights with him, and next to him was the Thracian military commander Lycurgus. Arsit opposed him, also leading a hundred fighters, and was accompanied by Emetrius, an Indian ruler. Warriors offered prayers to the patron gods - Arsit Mars, and the Palamon Venus. And the beautiful Emilia appealed to Diana to give her as her husband the one who loves her more. The contest has begun. The warlord who leaves the arena will lose in the battle. Arsit won the battle.
But on the way to her lover, Arsita was attacked by a fury, and the knight's horse crushed his master. The bloodied warrior was taken to Theseus's tent.
Weeks passed, and Arsit did not recover, his wounds inflamed. Feeling that he was dying, the knight called his bride to him and asked her to become a wife for his brother. After these words he died. The knight was buried in the very grove where he received a mortal wound.
After the end of the mourning, Emilia married Palamona. And they lived happily ever after. This ended the story of the Knight.
Miller's Story
Now we turn to the story of Miller and give a brief summary of it. Canterbury Tales is a work that includes novels that are completely different in content and topic. So, the story of Miller is completely different from the story of the Knight.
Once upon a time there lived a carpenter in Oxford, who was reputed to be a jack of all trades. He was wealthy and let in parasites. Among them was a poor student nicknamed Dushka Nicholas. The carpenterās wife passed away and he married a young girl named Alison. She was so beautiful that she fell in love with everyone, and the student did not become an exception.
Once, when the old carpenter was not at home, Dusha Nicholas asked Alison for a kiss, which the girl promised to give him at the first opportunity. He had a passion for Alison and the libertine Absalom, a church clerk. However, the girl herself liked the student more.
Student trick
The Canterbury Tales tells how Nicholas decided to outwit the carpenter. Having previously conspired with Alison, he stocked up on provisions and did not leave his room for several days. The good carpenter worried about the health of the young man, and when he did not open the door for a knock, he ordered her to be knocked out. In the room, the carpenter found Nicholas sitting motionless on the bed. Frightened, the old man shook the young man by the shoulders, after which the student asked in a grave voice to leave them alone with the carpenter.
When this was done, Nicholas revealed to the carpenter a terrible secret - on Monday, that is, the next day, the world expects a flood that will compare with what it was under Noah. The student had the same Divine revelation, according to which he should save himself, the carpenter John and his wife. Nicholas told the carpenter, secretly from everyone, to buy three barrels, into which the chosen ones would fit in when the rain began. In horror, the old man rushed to fulfill the studentās orders, without telling anyone.
Denouement
The night has come. All three climbed into the barrels. When the carpenter fell asleep, the lovers got out of the shelter and headed to the bedroom, where they decided to spend the rest of the night. Absalom, noting that the carpenter was missing, decided to go under the windows of Alison. Hearing his requests for kisses, the girl decided to play a joke. Alison sticks out his bare ass out the window, which kisses Absalom. Realizing that he was deceived, the churchman decides to take revenge. He goes to the blacksmith and takes from him a red-hot opener.
Returning, Absalom again asks for a kiss. This time Nicholas decides to make a joke and sticks his ass out the window. Then Absalom hits his coulter so hard that his skin bursts.
From the scream raised by the student, the carpenter wakes up and decides what began later. But in the end, he falls with the barrel. The whole house comes running to his screams. Everyone laughs at the old man who was waiting for the global flood. So a cunning student was able to trick a carpenter and get his wife.
Doctor's Story
Goes to Doctor Physician Jeffrey Chaucer (Canterbury Tales). Once upon a time in Rome there lived Virginius, a noble knight who became famous for his generosity. He had an only daughter who could be compared with goddesses in beauty. The story that will be told here happened when the girl was 15 years old. She was pure in thought, intelligent and beautiful. There were no people who would not admire her at a meeting, however, the girl avoided the merry feasts and the arrogant gentlemen.
Tragic outcome
Now brings the reader to Rome J. Chaucer. The Canterbury Tales (a summary is presented here) is a work that very often addresses the theme of love, and this novel was no exception. Once, his wife Virginia and her daughter went to the temple. Here the girl was seen by Appius, the judge of the district, and desired her. Realizing that the girl cannot be approached, he decides to act by cunning. He called to himself a notorious villain Claudius, with whom he made a deal.
A few days later, Claudius entered the court where Appius was sitting and stated that the knight Virginia had stolen his slave, who she now calls her daughter. After hearing the accusation, Appius summoned Virginia to court, and then ordered him to return Claudius his property, that is, "slave." Upon returning home, Virginius told all his daughters and decided to kill her in order to eliminate shame. After that, Virginius drew his sword and chopped off the girlās head, which he brought to the judiciary, where Claudius was waiting.
Seeing the offering, Appius was angry and ordered Virginia to be executed, but the people became indignant, shouted into the court and freed the knight. Appia was imprisoned in a prison where he committed suicide. Claudius was expelled from Rome for life.
Housekeeper's story about the raven
The Canterbury Tales is coming to an end. A chapter summary sets out the story told by the Econom.
In ancient times, Apollo, aka Phoebus, lived among people. He was cheerful, brave, handsome, strong, knew how to play various instruments and sing. Phoebe lived in a beautiful house, where in one of the rooms there was a golden cage in which a white crow lived with a wonderful voice. In the same house lived the wife of Apollo, whom God loved and was jealous of, therefore did not let go of the house. However, all the thoughts of the girl were occupied by another man. And when Phoebe absented for a long time, his wifeās lover entered his house. When Apollo returned, the crow who saw her lovers told everything to her master. Then Phoebe took his bow and killed his wife.
A curse
Fascinating stories are presented in his book by J. Chaucer (The Canterbury Tales). After the murder of his wife, Phoebe began to regret it. In a fit of anger, he broke his bow and threw himself at the crow, accusing her of lying. Then he cursed the bird, dooming it to forever be black, and replaced the beautiful voice with an ugly croak. Since then, all the crows are black and croak loudly. Like a raven, a person should weigh his words so as not to be in the place of a white crow.
Canterbury Tales Reviews
The work remains popular to this day. Readers note that despite the fact that the stories were written back in the 14th century, it is interesting to read them today. It is especially pleasing that each short story is written in a different style. In addition, it is noted how expressive and memorable Chaucer turned out to be characters.