Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales
"The Knight"
Presentation: Kerstin Pankoke
How were the CT transmitted
to us?
• 82 MSS and fragments and 4 printed editions
of the CT have survived from the 15th c.
• But we have no MS written by Chaucer
himself or authorized by him. Therefore, it is
impossible to say which of the surviving
MSS represents the author's final intentions.
• Moreover, there may well be errors in the
transmission from copy to copy.
The Hengwrt MS
• the oldest
surviving MS,
compiled
shortly after
Chaucer’s
death
• The spelling
shows a
greater
degree of
variation than
the Ellesmere
MS.
The Ellesmere MS
• the most beautiful
of the MSS of
Chaucer's CT
• The spelling shows
evidence of
regularisation.
William Caxton’s first edition of
Chaucer’s CT
• probably printed in
1476
• Printed books
became much
cheaper than MSS.
William Caxton’s second edition
of Chaucer’s CT
• probably printed in 1483
• based on the first
edition, but has a
number of changes
which came from an
alternative MS source
• Caxton added woodcuts
to his second edition.
What does the alphabet used look like?
The alphabet was a modified Latin
one.
It adopted the letters <a, b, c, d, e, f,
g, h, i, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, x, y,
z>.
Furthermore, it added <j>, <k>, <v>,
<w>, thorn and <ë>.
Capital letters are used for …
• the first letter of a line
• nouns used for the Christian religion (for
example: Christendom)
• geographical names (for example:
Caunterbury)
• astronomical names (for example: Ram)
• titles and professions of the pilgrims (for
example: Knight)
• months (for example: Aprille)
• names of persons (for example: Beneit)
• names of pagan gods (for example:
Zephirus)
How does the spelling look?
• The absence of a national written
standard means that the same word
may be spelled in a variety of different
ways.
• The spelling of ME is more phonetic
than ours.
Differences from present usage:
•
•
•
•
ou and ow were alternatives (for example: yow)
ei and ai were alternatives (for example: feith)
ey and ay were alternatives (for example: wey)
aun followed by a consonant often represents
modern an (for example: Caunterbury)
• er followed by a consonant is often modern ar (for
example: werre)
• modern ea, oa are represented by e, ee and o, oo (for
example: seson, breeth, ooth)
• The occurrence of double and single letters is
different (for example: ful, werre, swete).
What is a knight?
• A fully armed and mounted fighting man
• The original meaning was "boy" or "servant".
• In early medieval Europe, a knight was a
tenant of a feudal lord who was required to
serve as a soldier on horseback. He was a
medieval mounted soldier of low rank.
• In late medieval Europe, a knight was a noble
in the military, promoted by the king after
serving as a page and squire. He was a
medieval soldier of high rank.
What is meant by chivalrye?
• The primary sense in the Middle Ages
is knights or the knightly class of
feudal times.
• Then the term came to mean the
behavior expected of a knight, in social
as well as in military circumstances.
• Lastly, it was used in its general sense
of courtesy.
What is meant by courteisye?
• manners that suit a court
• polite or considerate behavior:
consideration for other people or good
manners
Text no. 4.2: A selection from the “Prologue”
(ll. 43 – 50)
A Knight ther was, and that a worthy man
There was a knight, and that one was a worthy man,
That fro the tyme that he first began
Who from the time that he first began
To ryden out, he loved chivalrye,
To ride out, he loved chivalry,
Trouthe and honour, fredom and courteisye.
Truth, honor, generosity and courtesy.
Text no. 4.2 (continuation – 2)
Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,
He was very worthy in his lord’s war,
And therto hadde he riden (no man ferre)
And for that he had ridden (no man farther)
As wel in Christendom as hethenesse,
As well in Christendom as in heathen lands,
And ever hououred for his worthnesse.
And was ever honored for his worthiness.
Bibliography
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Abrams, M. H. (ed.). The Norton Anthology of English Literature.
Vol. 1. 7th ed. New York, London: Norton Company, 2000.
Burrow, J. A. and Turville-Petre, T. A Book of Middle English. 2nd
ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1996.
Chaucer, G. The Canterbury Tales. From the Text of W. W. Skeat.
London: OUP, 1971.
http://www.bl.uk/treasures/caxton/homepage.html
http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/index.html
http://www.Canterburytalesproject.org/pubs/HGEdIntro.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HengwrtChaucerOpening.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chaucer_knight.jpg
http://molcat1.bl.uk/treasures/caxton/record.asp?LHPage=2v&LHvol
=&LHCopy=1&RHPage=3v&RHvol=&RHCopy=2&disp=d&Linked=0
#DispTop