Literature lesson 4 and 5: recap - Chaucer - The Canterbury Tales -Wife of Bath

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• Middelbare school
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• Leerjaar 5

Revision | Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

• Sir Gawain [GAA+WAYN) and the Green Knight - one of the best known of the Arthurian stories
• The concept of chivalry in the Arthurian Legend
• Work on a short task based on the next slide.

1. What is chivalry?
2. What are the most important rules of chivalry?

Summary | Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

- takes place during New Year's Day at King Arthur's court

- Green Knight appears, challenges any bravehearts to a game

- King Arthur accepts the challenge, Sir Gawain leaps up and cuts off the knight's head

- something extraordinary happens! 

- there's a catch - the challenger must accept the same fate in return

Why is this piece significant for English language?

• one of the masterpieces of Middle English literature
• composed in the West Midlands region of Britain
• at the end of 14th century
• poem - alliteration, complicated form, derived largely from French Arthurian tales
• King Arthur - a legendary British king

When does the story begin?

1. Christmas Eve
2. Christmas Day
3. New Year's Eve
4. New Year's Day

A huge green knight enters the castle and challenges the knights. What is the challenge?

1. He wants them to take a swing at him with his own axe.
2. He wants to hit them with an axe
3. He wants them to follow him to the Green Chapel
4. He wants to see them again a year and a day later

Why does Gawain volunteer?

1. Because King Arthur tells him to
2. Because he is in love with Queen Guinevere and wants to impress her.
3. Because he thinks he is useless and expendable
4. Because he wants to show off his bravery

What happens after Gawain decapitates the Green Knight?

1. The Green Knight dies
2. The Green Knight gets up and leaves without his head.
3. The Green Knight gets up, picks up his head and leaves
4. The Green Knight picks up his head, promises to meet Gawain a year and a day later and leaves.

When does Gawain set out to meet the Green Knight?

1. On Christmas Day
2. On New Year's Eve
3. On All Saint's Day
4. On All Hallow's Day

Gawain takes a vow of chastity before he leaves. What is chastity?

1. No food
2. No drink
3. No killing
4. No sex

Why does Gawain stay behind at the castle instead of going on a hunt with the lord of the castle?

1. He doesn't like to kill animals
2. He is tired and needs to rest
3. He is afraid he will run into the Green Knight
4. He wants to seduce the lady of the castle

Which word best describes the arrangement Gawain and the lord of the castle make?

1. Reciprocity
2. Cowardice
3. Insanity
4. Arrogance

The Late Middle Ages |Robin Hood

• Read page 19 of your reader and find out about Robin Hood
• Then read the passage at the bottom of the page and try to decipher the passage in modern English. Share your ideas in the next slide. 

The passage talks about...

The Middle English period | Chaucer period (1340 - 1400)

Take notes while listening

Chaucer | the poet and the courtier

• a courtier - an attendant/advisor to the king/queen
• diplomatic missions abroad
• minor government posts
• The Canterbury Tales (link and frame story)
• 29 pilgrims on a pilgrimage (to the grave of Archbishop Thomas Becket)
• 24 stories, storytelling contest, humour (refer to pg 21-24) 

www.xmind.net

Canterbury Cathedral

The Wife of Bath

The Wife of Bath (page 25 - 28)

• What does she look like? Give as many details as you can.
• Describe her as a person, how do people look upon her, her behaviour etc
• What can you tell about her husbands?
• What about her pilgrimages?

What is it that women most desire?

How does the story carry on?

What is the choice the knight gets?

What is his answer?

Why is this the best answer?

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