NOTE: The "Shakespeare" group will answer these questions.
Answer TWO of the following:
Q1: A "yeoman" is basically a servant to someone of a higher class; in this case, he is the servant of a Canon, or a member of the clergy. Given his station in life, why do you think Chaucer gave the tale to him, and not his master? (especially given that neither character is mentioned in the General Prologue). What makes him such a worthwhile character?
Q2: Like the Knight's Tale (which we didn't read) and The Wife of Bath's Tale (which we did), the Yeoman's Tale is more interesting for how he tells the story that what he even says. What makes his manner of storytelling so unique? How does his manner of delivery (and what he chooses to say) shape the very meaning of the story itself? Does he ever let his story--or his anger--run away with him?
Q3: How are the Canon's methods (or at least, the Yeoman's portrayal of them) similar to those of the Pardoner? What are their tricks of the trade, and how do they deceive honest people with the appearance of truth? Do you think this is Chaucer's attack on the church, or merely on gullible people in general?
Q4: The tale ends with the Yeoman's warning that "Make God your adversary for a whim/And work at what is contrary to Him/And to His will, and you will never thrive" (474). Should we read this tale as Chaucer's Christian attack on the science (alchemy) of his age? Or is he merely satirizing the zeal of the Yeoman who blamed alchemy for all his ills?
No comments:
Post a Comment