Symbolism in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

Kevin Alexis Cuadros González 431171041
Andrea Johjanna Henao García 431171030

David Esteban Marmolejo Millán 431171048
Alejandra Santamaría Mendieta 431171033
Anglophone Literature
Mg. Leonardo Prada Ruales
Reading: Symbolism in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales
1. Reading Fluency
2. Manage Ambiguity
3. Summarize a Text
4. Understand Language Associated with Chronology
5. Recognize Multiple Meanings of Words
1. Reading Fluency
a. Pace: wpm = (# of words / # of seconds)* 60
PARAGRAPHS NUMBER OF WORDS
1st paragraph 159 words
Glossary 75 words
2nd paragraph 238 words
3rd paragraph 103 words
4th paragraph 64 words
TOTAL OF WORDS: 819

The bigger the number the faster you can read, or better pace you have.Thanks to this we can notice that
is important to work in our speed, so we can have a good performance in future activities. It is worth
noticing that if a text deals with unknown issues for the reader, the more time he or she is going to spend
reading it.
b. Accuracy.
How well do we understand a text? To make this point we decided to do an outline, to
highlight the main and supporting ideas.
I. Main idea: The Chaucer’s critique to the society and the church in the
Middle Age. .
II. Supporting idea A: Symbolism in the clothes of the characters.
Examples:
1.) The Monk who wears clothes made of fur.

2.) The Prioress who cares a lot of about her own appearance always being
well-dressed and good-looking.
III. Supporting idea B: Symbolism in the physiognomy of the characters.
Examples:
1.) The pardoner who is described as a character who has long, greasy and
feminine characteristics.
2.) The summoner who is described as someone who is musky because the
summoner always smells like onion and garlic, and also he has his face
covered in blisters that cannot be healed.
2. Manage Ambiguity
We will list the things that could cause ambiguity and therefore some misunderstanding for us in the
aforementioned reading about Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and how that ambiguity was managed.
a. Unknown cultural and historical references.

The text mentions Dante’s Divine comedy as a reference to compare or understand Chaucer’s
work as a critique of social time. Some people, who may not have read Dante’s work, may feel
this reference as confusing or even without meaning.
What the group did was to stop on second reading, and look at some papers that compared both
authors, and that way manage the ambiguity.
b. Figurative, poetic or idiomatic language.

The text tries to explain the symbolism Chaucer had in his work, the use of metaphors then is
constant, in order to make a criticism of the Church and the society of his time. To manage this,
the continued reading helped clarifying those points when the author used figurative speech.
c. Words from other languages.

One of the symbols used in the reading that the author of the text highlights is the Latin
expression “Amor Vincit Omnia”. At first, this expression can cause confusion due to the lack of
knowledge of the language. However, the author clarifies the meaning forward in the reading.
3. Summarizing a text.
In “Symbolism in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales”, Hewitt (2014) discusses The Canterbury Tales,
which is a group of poems written in English by the author Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century. Hewitt
mentions that the story is about a group of fictional pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Saint Thomas
Becket in Canterbury, England. In the collection of tales, Chaucer criticizes society in the Middle Ages,
especially the Catholic Church. He goes on this discussion by highlighting the clothing, physiognomy,
appearance and other symbols to demonstrate how moral and immoral the characters of the Church are,
so the virtues and failings, of the Catholic Church in England in the 1300s, are revealed.
4. Understanding language associated with chronology.
- Medieval: Of, relating to, or characteristic of the Middle Ages.

- Century: A period of 100 year.
- At the time: When something happened.
- Immediately: in direct connection or relation between two things or events.
- Of the time: Something proper of a specific period of time.
- Concurrently: Existing or happening in the same period of time.
- Period: A portion of time determined by some recurring phenomenon.
5. Recognizing multiple meaning of words.
Period /ˈpɪə.ri.əd/.
Period 1 - noun
English Language Learners Definition of the period (Entry 1 of 2)
1. A length of time during which a series of events or an action takes place or is completed
2. A length of time that is very important in the history of the world, a nation, etc.
Example: “... Chaucer concurrently examines popular themes of the medieval period throughout the
Tales…”
3. A time that is very important in the life of a person period
Period 2 - adjective.
English Language Learners Definition of period (Entry 2 of 2)
1. Of, relating to, or typical of, a particular time in history.

Time /taɪm/
Time 1 - noun (Entry 1 of 3)
1. The measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or
continues: DURATION.
2. The point or period when something occurs: OCCASION
Example: “This depiction is revealing because laws at the time actually forbade monks from wearing
fur-trimmed clothing…”
1. An appointed, fixed, or customary moment or hour for something to happen, begin, or end.
2. A historical period: AGE
Example: “...considered shameful in a man during Chaucer’s time.”
Time 2 - Verb.
Timed; timing Definition of time (Entry 2 of 3)
transitive verb.
1. To arrange or set the time of : SCHEDULE,

2. To regulate (a watch) to keep correct time
3. To set the tempo, speed, or duration of
4. To cause to keep time with something
5. To determine or record the time, duration, or rate of
6. To dispose of (something, such as a mechanical part) so that action occurs at the desired instant
or in the desired way.
Time 3 - Adjective
Definition of time (Entry 3 of 3)
1. Of or relating to time.
2. Recording time.
3. Timed to ignite or explode at a specific moment a time charge.
4. Payable on a specified future day or a certain length of time after presentation for acceptancea
time drafttime deposits
5. Based on installment paymentsa time sale.
Language /ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪdʒ/
Language 1 - noun

1. The words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them are used and understood by
a community.
Example: “...The Canterbury Tales of the people rather than in Latin or Frech…”
2. A systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by the use of conventionalized signs,

sounds, gestures, or marks having understood meanings.
3. The suggestion by objects, actions, or conditions of associated ideas or feelings.
4. The means by which animals communicate
5. Form or manner of verbal expression. Specifically: STYLE.
6. The study of language especially as a school subject.
Fashion /ˈfæʃ.ən/
Fashion 1 - noun
Definition of fashion (Entry 1 of 2)
1. prevailing style (as in dress) during a particular time.
Example: “...at the time actually forbade monks from wearing fur-trimmed clothing, as it was a
fashion of the noble class…”
2. a garment in such a style

3. a prevailing custom, usage, or style
4. social standing or prominence, especially as signalized by dress or conduct
5. mode of action or operation
6. a distinctive or peculiar and often habitual manner or way
7. the make or form of something
8. in an approximate or rough way
Fashion 2 - verb
Fashioned; fashioning
Definition of fashion (Entry 2 of 2)
Transitive verb.
1. To give shape or form to: to make, construct, or create (something) usually with careful
attention or by the use of imagination and ingenuity
2. To design or devise for a particular use or purpose
3. Obsolete: CONTRIVE.
Weep /wiːp/
Weep 1 - noun
1. The act of crying tears.
Weep 2 - verb
1. To cry tears
Example: “The Prioress is also described as having pet dogs that she weeps over…”
2. To express deep sorrow for usually by shedding tears: BEWAIL.

3. To a forth (tears) from the eyes.
4. To exude (a fluid) slowly.
Social /ˈsəʊ.ʃəl/
Social 1 - adjective
1. Involving allies or confederates.

2. Marked by or passed in pleasant companionship with friends or associates.
3. Sociable.
4. Of, relating to, or designed for sociability.
5. Of or relating to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group, or the welfare of
human beings as members of society.
Example: “The Church is not the only object of Chaucer’s biting social commentary in The
Canterbury Tales.”
6. Tending to form cooperative and interdependent relationships with others.
Social 2 - noun
1. An occasion when the members of a group or organization meet informally to enjoy

themselves.
2. Sociable.

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​Kevin Alexis Cuadros González 431171041

Andrea Johjanna Henao García 431171030

Reading: ​Symbolism in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

a. Pace:​ wpm = (# of words / # of seconds)* 60

PARAGRAPHS ​NUMBER OF WORDS

1st paragraph 159 words

2nd paragraph 238 words

3rd paragraph 103 words

4th paragraph 64 words

5th paragraph 111 words

6th paragraph 69 words

TOTAL OF WORDS: 819

1.) ​The Monk who wears clothes made of fur.

III. Supporting idea B: ​Symbolism in the physiognomy of the characters.

a. Unknown cultural and historical references.

b. Figurative, poetic or idiomatic language.

c. Words from other languages.

4. Understanding language associated with chronology.

- Medieval: ​Of, relating to, or characteristic of the ​Middle Ages​.

5. Recognizing multiple meaning of words.

English Language Learners Definition of the ​period ​(Entry 1 of 2)

3. A time that is very important in the life of a person period

English Language Learners Definition of ​period​ (Entry 2 of 2)

1. Of, relating to, or typical of, a particular time in history.

Time 1 - ​noun​ ​(Entry 1 of 3)

1. To arrange or set the time of : SCHEDULE,

Definition of time ​(Entry 3 of 3)

Language 1​ ​-​ ​noun

2. A systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by the use of conventionalized signs,

​Definition of fashion​ ​(Entry 1 of 2)

1. prevailing style (as in dress) during a particular time.

2. a garment in such a style

Definition of ​fashion​ ​(Entry 2 of 2)

1. The ​act​ of ​crying​ ​tears​.

2. To express deep sorrow for usually by shedding tears: BEWAIL​.

1. Involving allies or confederates​.

6. Tending to form cooperative and interdependent relationships with others.

1. An ​occasion​ when the ​members​ of a ​group​ or ​organization​ ​meet​ ​informally​ to ​enjoy

You might also like

Kevin Alexis Cuadros González 431171041

Reading: Symbolism in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

a. Pace: wpm = (# of words / # of seconds)* 60

PARAGRAPHS NUMBER OF WORDS

1.) The Monk who wears clothes made of fur.

III. Supporting idea B: Symbolism in the physiognomy of the characters.

- Medieval: Of, relating to, or characteristic of the Middle Ages.

English Language Learners Definition of the period (Entry 1 of 2)

English Language Learners Definition of period (Entry 2 of 2)

Time 1 - noun (Entry 1 of 3)

Definition of time (Entry 3 of 3)

Language 1 - noun

Definition of fashion (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of fashion (Entry 2 of 2)

1. The act of crying tears.

2. To express deep sorrow for usually by shedding tears: BEWAIL.

1. Involving allies or confederates.

1. An occasion when the members of a group or organization meet informally to enjoy