Beowulf & The Canterbury Tales Prologue PDF

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Weekly readings : Summary of Beowulf (annonymous) & Cantebury Tales Prologue (G. Chaucer)...

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Beowulf: Summary 1 King Hrothgar, the ruler of the Danes, is troubled by the rampages of a demon (monster) named Grendel. Every night, Grendel attacks King Hrothgar's wealthy mead-hall, Heorot, killing Danish warriors and sometimes even eating them. Hrothgar was a great warrior in his time, but now he's an old king and can't seem to protect his people. Fortunately, a young Geat warrior named Beowulf travels to Heorot Hall from his own lands overseas to lend a helping hand. !! After explaining that he owes Hrothgar a favor because Hrothgar helped out his father, Beowulf offers to fight Grendel himself. King Hrothgar gratefully accepts his offer. The next time Grendel attacks Heorot Hall, Beowulf is waiting for him. Choosing to fight Grendel in hand-to-hand combat, Beowulf wrestles the monster into submission and eventually tears off his arm at the shoulder. Mortally wounded, Grendel flees into the wilderness and dies. Beowulf, Hrothgar, and their followers throw a wild party to celebrate. Hrothgar also gives Beowulf many presents and treasures to reward him for his heroic defeat of the monster.!! Unfortunately, Grendel has an overprotective mother who decides to avenge her son. While all the warriors are sleeping off the party, she attacks Heorot Hall. But when the warriors wake up, she panics and flees back to her lair, a cave underneath a nearby lake. !! Beowulf, his Geatish warriors, and some of Hrothgar's Danish warriors track her there. Beowulf dives into the lake and finds the cave, where he takes on Grendel's mother in another one-on-one battle. Seizing a nearby sword from Grendel's mother's stash of treasure, he slays her, even though her poisonous demon blood melts the blade. When Beowulf returns to the surface, carrying the sword hilt and Grendel's severed head, the Danish warriors have given him up for dead, but his own Geatish followers are still waiting patiently. When everyone sees that Beowulf has survived this second

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challenge, there's even more partying and gift-giving.!! Finally, the Geats take their leave of the Danes; Beowulf says goodbye to King Hrothgar and sails back to Geatland, where he is a lord in the court of King Hygelac. Eventually, Hygelac and all his relatives are killed in different blood-feuds, and Beowulf becomes the King of the Geats. Beowulf reigns as king for fifty years, protecting the Geats from all the other tribes around them, especially the Swedes. He is an honorable and heroic warrior-king, rewarding his loyal thanes (warrior lords) and taking care of his people. !! But one day, Beowulf finally meets his match: a dragon, woken by a thief stealing a goblet, begins attacking the Geats, burning villages and slaughtering people. Beowulf takes a group of eleven trusty warriors, plus the thief who knows where the dragon's lair is, to the barrow for a final showdown with the monster. When they see the dragon, all but one of the warriors flee in terror. Only one man, Wiglaf, remains at Beowulf's side. With Wiglaf's help and encouragement, Beowulf is able to defeat the dragon, but he is mortally wounded in the process. !! After Beowulf's death, the Geats build an enormous funeral pyre for him, heaped with treasures. Once the pyre has burned down, they spend ten days building an enormous barrow (a large mound of earth filled with treasure) as a monument to their lost king. Questions for Discussion 1. Use inference (logical guesses that you take when something is not entirely explicit) to help you make a list of Anglo-Saxon values. Which behaviours are displayed by the characters in the story? Which behaviours are rewarded? Which behaviours or characteristics do you think are meant to be admired by readers, or, on the contrary, disdained?

Prologue When fair April with his showers sweet,! Has pierced the drought of March to the root's feet! And bathed each vein in liquid of such power, Its strength creates the newly springing flower;!! When the West Wind too, with his sweet breath,! Has breathed new life - in every copse and heath -! Into each tender shoot, and the young sun! From Aries moves to Taurus on his run,! And those small birds begin their melody, The ones who sleep all night with open eye, Then nature stirs them up to such a pitch! That folk all long to go on pilgrimage!!

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And wandering travellers tread new shores, strange strands,! Seek out far shrines, renowned in many lands, And specially from every shire's end! (15) Of England to Canterbury they wend! The holy blessed martyr there to seek,! Who has brought health to them when they were sick. It happened in that season that one day In Southwark, at the Tabard, where I lay Ready to travel to that holy site -!

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To Canterbury, with my spirits bright,! There came at evening to that hostelry A group of twenty-nine, a company! Of various folk, to new found friendship come! By happy chance - and pilgrims every one That for the Canterbury shrine were bound. The bedrooms and the stables were well found.! There for our comfort was none but the best.! And briefly, when the sun had sunk to rest,! Since I spoke to them all in a friendly way,! I was quite soon one of the crowd, you might say.! We planned next day to be ready to go! At first light; to where, you already know.!!

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Nevertheless, while I have space and time,! (35) Before I go further in this tale of mine,! I feel the most natural thing to do,! Is to picture each of this group for you,! To tell you how they all appeared to me -! What sort they were and what rank they might be,! (40) And what they wore, the clothes they were dressed in;! And first then with a knight I shall begin. The Knight There was a knight, a fine and worthy man Who from the time at which he first began To ride abroad had loved all chivalry, Truth and honour, freedom and courtesy.

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Most worthily he fought in his lord's wars, Had ridden more than any in that cause. By men of Christian or of heathen birth, Was always widely honoured for his worth. He was there to see Alexandria fall; Often at table he sat above all Men and nations when he was in Prussia; He fought in Lithuania and Russia, No man of his rank had done half his all. He was in Granada besieging the wall Of Algeciras. He rode in Morocco. In Ayas, Adalia, he faced the foe When these were won. And proud armadas, he Joined on the Mediterranean sea. In fifteen deadly battles he had been And striving for our faith at Tremessene Jousted three times and each time killed his foe. Yet this same worthy knight had fought also With the Lord of Balat who (even though he Was heathen) fought against heathens in Turkey. He always received the highest of praise Yet though so worthy, was also wise Seeming as meek as a maid ought to be. He never spoke rudely or even harshly To low or high, he was always polite. Truly - a perfect gentleman and knight. Now I must tell you about his outfit, Though his horse was good his clothes were a bit

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Drab. Beneath his coat of mail he simply wore A cotton tunic stained with rust and gore, Since he had only just come from abroad And now as a pilgrim gave thanks to God.

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The Squire With him he had his son, a young Squire,! A lover and a lusty bachelor! His hair was curled as if pressed by a tong;! He might have been twenty I think - quite young.! He was a man of about average height! With an agile body and strength to fight -! And he had spent some time in chivalry! In Flanders, in Artois and in Picardie! And born himself well, though new to the art Since he hoped so to win his lady's heart.!!

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His clothes, all embroidered, like a spring field All full of fresh flowers white and red,! (90) He was singing or flauting all the day! And was as fresh as is the month of May.! His gown was short, with sleeves both long and wide.! He sat his horse well and knew how to ride. He composed his own songs and took great delight! (95) In jousting, in poetry - and he could write.! He made love so hotly that all through the night,! He got no more sleep than a nightingale might.! He was polite and modest and able,!

And carved the meat at his fathers table.!!

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He had only a yeoman to serve him! Because, at the time, that met with his whim.! This man wore a cloak and hood coloured green. A sheaf of arrows bright and keen! He carried in his belt most carefully.! (105) His weapons were all neat and soldierly,! His arrows, well fledged, would fly straight and true! And in his hand he bore a mighty bow.! His hair was short cropped and his face was brown.! In both wood and chase he knew his way round.! (110) On his arm he wore a leather brace,! And by his side hung sword and shield in place With on the other side a bright dagger! Finely embellished, and sharp as a spear.! A silver bright St. Christopher he wore (115) And on his green baldric a horn he bore.! He was truly a woodsman, or so I guess! Questions for Discussion 1. Where does the story take place? 2. Who is speaking? Briefly describe the speakernarrator. Do you think he or she is objective? 3. Briefly describe the knight. Are there any elements of his description that give us clues about his character or his social status?

4. How could we briefly describe the squire? Are there any elements of his description that indicate his character or his social status? 5. Compare the Squire to the Knight: how are they similar, or different? 6. How do the knight and the squire compare to the characters in Beowulf?...