iambic pentameters an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one.
The heroic couplet
The origin of this form in English poetry is unknown, but Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th
century was the first to make extensive广泛的 use of it. The heroic couplet became the principal meter used in drama about the mid-17th century, and the form was perfected by John Dryden and Alexander Pope…
Features: 1). a story told in song; 2). usually in 4-line stanzas(诗)节，段 with the 2nd and the 4th lines rhymed.
Popular ballads are songs and ballads which were widespread among the populace民众，老百姓 of England and Scotland and created and preserved by the people.
6. Chaucer displays his humor and irony as he condemns the vicious邪恶的; 堕落的;恶意的;恶毒的 characters.
III. Close reading of the part ―General Prologue开场白，序幕 ‖
I. Geoffrey Chaucer
— ―the father of English poetry‖
1. Life:
born in a rich wine-merchant酒商 ’s family with a high social position studied at Oxford and Cambridge
2. Types:
Historical Legendary Fantastical Lyrical Humorous
Ballads
3. Robin Hood Ballads Robin Hood Ballads: the ballads which reflect Robin Hood’s feats.
died on the 25th of Oct. 1400 and was the first to be buried in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey 斯敏斯特(西敏寺)大教堂 .
2. Chaucer’s representative works:
III. Close reading of the part ―General Prologue‖
2. Summary: see textbook
3. Analysis of some parts of it:
IV. Popular Ballads:
1. Definition:
Ballads are anonymous narrative songs that have been preserved by oral transmission传染,传播 .
1. Its significance:
A. the most important part of the whole poem B. it is a whole gallery of vivid characters from all walks of life
C. it is a splendid显著的;杰出的 masterpiece杰作 of realistic portrayal描绘 , the first of its kind in the history of English literature
Robin Hood： is a Saxon by birth, an outlaw, a robber but he robbed only the rich and never molested干扰 the poor and the needy贫穷的, 贫困的 .
4. After-class reading: ―Get Up and Bar the Door‖
Part 3 Geoffrey Chaucer
（1340-1400）
Today’s targets
I. Geoffrey Chaucer
II. The Canterbury Tales
III. Close reading of ―General Prologue序曲 ‖ IV. Popular Ballads歌谣
2. contains 24 stories
3. in the work, Chaucer created a strikingly显著 地;显目地;突出地 brilliant and picturesque美丽如画的；(语言)生 动的，绘声绘色的 panorama全貌;概述 of his time and his country, and it’s a comprehensive picture of the social reality of the poet’s day.
b. Chaucer greatly contributed to the founding of the English literary language. He was a great master of the English language and in his hand the London dialect of his day was
a couplet对句;双韵 of rhyming iambic pentameters抑扬五音步 often forming a distinct rhetorical as well as metrical韵律的 unit. (A couplet is two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme.) iambic[诗]短长格, 抑扬格, 抑扬格诗 pentameters五音步诗行;五音步之诗
4. It contains rather keen social criticism and explores the moral degradation降低,恶化, 堕落 of the members of religious profession职业 and consuming passion for money in the feudal – bourgeois追求物质享 受的(人)；中产阶级分子 society of Chaucer’s day.
1386 -- 1400: The Canterbury Tales (《坎特伯雷故事集》)
3. Chaucer’s achievements:
a. Chaucer chose the metrical form (格律 形式) which laid the foundation of the English verse.
5. The heroic couplet (英雄双行体) was employed in the poem with true ease and charm for the first time in the history of English literature.
Байду номын сангаас
The heroic couplet
in 1386, he was elected as member of Parliament but then dismissed开除 because of his enemies’ Intrigues阴谋, 诡 计 .
in 1389 he was appointed clerk文员文书 of the King’s works and the new king Henry IV granted授予，同意，准予 him a pension退休金;养老金;抚恤金 .
crystallized使成形;使具体化 into an effective weapon for satire and humor and for poetry.
II. The Canterbury Tales
Introduction
1. written in the years between 1387 -1400
1360s-1372: Romance of the Roses --- a translation of the work of French writer
1372- 1386: The House of Fame --《名誉堂》 Troylus and Criseyde --《特罗伊勒斯和克莱西德》 The Legend of Good women -- 《良妇传说》 The Parliament of Fowls-- 《百鸟堂》
in 1357 served as a count page
in 1357 in English army fighting in France
in 1367 entered the service of King Edward III and became an ambassador大使，使节 , and his visiting of European countries, esp. Italy brought him with the new tendency趋向， 趋势 of the Renaissance in Italian literature.