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Chaucer: Love through the ages Eng Lit A2

I am just starting A2 English Lit (Love through the Ages) and am having trouble with Chaucer. I need to make notes on the following:
Knight's Tale (Done)
Miller's Tale
Wife of Bath's Tale
Franklin's Tale
Merchant's Tale

I have found a summery of each tale but am finding it hard to find key quotations as I don't really understand the language.
If anyone knows quotations and maybe the modern english translation it would be really helpful.
Original post by K8e98
I am just starting A2 English Lit (Love through the Ages) and am having trouble with Chaucer. I need to make notes on the following:
Knight's Tale (Done)
Miller's Tale
Wife of Bath's Tale
Franklin's Tale
Merchant's Tale

I have found a summery of each tale but am finding it hard to find key quotations as I don't really understand the language.
If anyone knows quotations and maybe the modern english translation it would be really helpful.


I had to do the General Prologue in its original language at uni this year! Get an interlinear texts off amazon. I did, well worth it.
Reply 2
Thanks will have a look...
For the Wife of Bath I could help you a little bit if you'd like :

For instance, The Wife speaks lots about how her husbands have been criticising her etc. After all of this she says " al was fals" meaning she made the whole thing up. This makes the reader sort of question everything she has said.

Also she says "My intente is nat but for to playe" meaning that what she is saying is only for a joke. Meaning she can say almost anything she wants without being strung up for it so to speak because she is only joking.

The style involves a lot of digressions- it mimics natural speech as she remembers things and talks about those whilst she is in the middle of talking about something utterly different.

I don't want to post anything else on this post cause it would get quite long but If you want help feel free to message me and we can chat :smile:
Reply 4
Thanks you have given me a good start and if I think of anything else I will message you. :smile:
Reply 5
Original post by K8e98
I am just starting A2 English Lit (Love through the Ages) and am having trouble with Chaucer. I need to make notes on the following:
Knight's Tale (Done)
Miller's Tale
Wife of Bath's Tale
Franklin's Tale
Merchant's Tale

I have found a summery of each tale but am finding it hard to find key quotations as I don't really understand the language.
If anyone knows quotations and maybe the modern english translation it would be really helpful.


I had to study Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale for A2 (to compare with Sheridan's The Rivals), so let me know if I can help! Are you doing her prologue and tale, or just her tale? :smile:

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