Information for The Canterbury Tales team.

Script Analysis.

The Canterbury Tales by Mike Poulton.

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.

·      The Canterbury Tales is Geoffrey Chaucer’s comment on his society and the people in his society. His stories enable him to represent different classes and each character’s tale subtly tells the reader more about them allowing Chaucer to represent traits of these people without actually saying it himself.

·      His tales give us an idea of how in the middle ages your status, birth and choices that you make can drastically affect your life and how you are perceived and treated.

·      Everyone in this period would have been Roman Catholic, as was Chaucer.

Themes.

·      Storytelling: The Canterbury Tales is all about sharing stories with other people. Each of the tales has a moral to it and reflects the character and thoughts of that particular person.

·      Religion: Christianity and the church were extremely important in the middle ages. The whole point of life was to live to please God and consequently get into heaven and the most popular way of doing this was via pilgrimage. The church was very wealthy and consequently some figures within it were corrupt.

·      Hierarchy, Class and Nobility: Throughout the Canterbury Tales there is evidence of how all people had their place and station in society and could not make comments about those above them. This was very restricting and it was hard for someone of low birth to rise to a higher station.

·      Travel: The pilgrims are travelling to reach Canterbury.

·      Dedication: They are all dedicated to their religion and to reaching Canterbury. They have all been brought together by this dedication.

Mike Poulton.

·      He created a version of The Canterbury Tales that he designed to be spoken by actors and heard and enjoyed by audiences.

·      Mainly stays true to the pronunciation of the period and original writing.

·      Created from two old editions of Chaucer – Skeat at school and Robinson at university, both published by Oxford University Press.

Pilgrims and their Tales.

Play One.

·      Knight: The knight is of very high status and consequently Chaucer is below him. In the original he describes him as worthy over and over until it loses all meaning. Rank and status were so restricting in that period that you could not make a bad comment about someone above you. Chaucer goes on to list the battles that the knight has fought in, which makes a very long list. The knight’s tale is a romantic story of love and honour. It is quite fantastical as Palamon and Artica fall in love with Emilee at first sight without knowing anything about her.

·      Miller: Corn was extremely vital to create good flour in the medieval period and consequently the Miller had a very important job. However in the original Chaucer hints of how he takes advantage of people’s basic need for flour and charges three times what it’s worth. Chaucer can say what he likes about the Miller as he is of low birth. He is described as rude, rough, dirty, greedy, sly, cunning, brash and with a fiery temper. The Miller’s tale is all about tricking people and the consequences of marrying someone much younger, more attractive and cleverer than you.

·      Reeve: He represented as bad tempered and a bully with a thin and boney body. Chaucer (narrator) describes him as unmanly and almost asexual. He rides at the back of the group as he is anti-social and he likes to make himself look like a priest so that people think he is of high religious status. He takes advantage of his young lord and steals money from him very cleverly and slyly. He just hoards all this money. He is from Norfolk and in that period people from there were considered to be greedy. He represents greed and lust for money. The Reeve’s tale is very spiteful and created just to get at the Miller.

·      Cook: He is described as greasy and dirty and is very rude. The Cook’s tale is all about drinking and sex and therefore he is interrupted and told to stop by the noble Knight and very polite Prioress.

·      Monk: Chaucer (narrator) really doesn’t want to hear the Monk’s tale, as he knows it will be extremely dull, perhaps commenting on the unrealistic ideology of the Monk’s of that period. The Monk ends up telling many tragedies, which makes the rest of the pilgrims fall asleep. The host thinks he should have a wife and this would make him less boring.

·      Man of Law: Chaucer (narrator) ridicules the Man of Law, who criticizes Chaucer and his writing. Chaucer (narrator) says he is not as witty as he thinks and the reader tends to agree with him and feel as though they are sharing a joke with Chaucer. His tale is one of jealousy and envy of someone who is a very good person. The moral of his tale is if you remain constant to your faith then everything will come good in the end.

·      Shipman: The Shipman is very well travelled and clever but is described as having no conscience. The moral of his tale is to beware of what people say and don’t spend easily or get into debt.

·      Prioress: In Chaucer’s original tales, he describes in great detail how the Prioress behaves. She takes great pains to be very polite and courteous; she is presented as a bit ridiculous. She is also described, as having a large forehead, which was considered quite attractive in the medieval period and was something that a nun should have covered up, not displayed. This hints at her vanity. She keeps with her a lapdog that she feeds the finest foods, showing a selfish side when she should be more concerned with helping the poor. Her tale is all about the piety and innocence of children and it is also very anti Jewish. Chaucer (narrator) finds it all extremely absurd.

·      Nun’s Priest: His tale about being wary of flattery and vanity and taking heed of dreams.

Play Two.

·      Chaucer: The narrator of the script, he is called Chaucer yet you cannot take his opinions as Chaucer’s because he is another character. It is interesting that Chaucer chose to include himself firstly as a character and secondly as one who couldn’t tell tales and is silent and sullen towards the other characters. It makes the script very funny, as when The Man of Law is criticizing the real Chaucer the reader feels as if they’re sharing a joke with him. It could also be a clever way for him to give his opinions on the characters and their personalities without saying so outright. The Narrator is always giving his impressions of the other characters, which says a lot about him as well as the characters themselves. Throughout the play the Knight keeps asking Chaucer (narrator) who he is as he finds this character irritating and unnerving. This suggests that being of high class he expects people to give him a straight answer right away. Chaucer (narrator) is forced by the other characters to tell a tale and when he does so it is bad and he is told to stop. This is very amusing as the real Chaucer wrote all the tales and created all the characters.

·      Pardoner: Chaucer (narrator) thinks this character is very queer. The nature of a pardoner is to make money from people’s fears and he is presented as someone very cunning. His tale is about being wary of money and greed, which seems ironic for his profession.

·      Physician: Chaucer (narrator) tells us that this character is corrupt as he deliberately lies to patients and makes them wait and pay more. The moral of his story was every sin has its reward.

·      Wife of Bath: She is a character who has worked hard to improve her position in society. The only way a woman could better herself was by marrying above her. She is a worldly woman who has had 5 husbands. She is passionate, determined, flirtatious and obsessed with men, as she says herself she is on the lookout for husband number 6. The description Chaucer makes of her outfit shows she has pride in her material wealth. She wears a wimple because she thinks she is pious and has a huge hat to show her status and wealth. She is also described as having gapped teeth, which was considered to signal a good lover in the medieval period. Her tale is about a lusty bachelor who has to find out what all women want. Only when he is truly considerate and humble does he get his reward. Is this her idea of the perfect man/husband?

·      Friar: In the middle ages friars had little respect from other people as they were considered to be out for what they could get, making friends with wealthy men and flirting with their wives. His tale is made to annoy the Summoner and includes a devil figure dressed like a yeoman in a jerkin of forest green, and a hat with black feathers and arrows bright and keen.

·      Clerk of Oxenford: His tale is all about testing a wife to her absolute limit to see if she is truly faithful to her husband; in the tale she is.

·      Merchant: His tale is about keeping your wife close otherwise she will betray you and also not to marry in haste. Marry in haste repent at leisure.

·      Squire: The squire can’t remember any of the names in his story and mumbles before being told to stop. He is not particularly clever and is forgiven because he is young and the Knight’s son.

·      Franklin: A Franklin was a freeman who owned his own land, considered to be just below gentry. His tale is about staying true to your wife/husband and that love triumphs over adversity.

·      Manciple: A Manciple was someone who was in charge of the purchase and storage of food. His tale is a Grecian tale of how the crow became black for unveiling an adulterer.

Facts based before the Play begins.

·      Who? Pilgrims.

·      What? The pilgrims are on their way to Canterbury, each is going to tell a tale on the way and a supper will be bought for the person who told the best tale when they return.

·      Where? Earth, England, Southwark, The Tabard.

·      When? 14^th Century, April.

·      How do I show this in the production?

Concept.

·      My costume designs are an ideal of what I want for each character. I realise that many will have to be hired in the autumn but having an ideal design will help me to choose the correct garments.

·      The concept for my set design is that it has been made with the view that we are creating a physical theatre piece. The set is designed to be used and manipulated to create the tales as if the pilgrims have stopped off at a tavern and are telling their tales. This idea was clear from the first meeting with the director and I developed it from there.

Set:

o   Flooring: I wanted to have something quite interesting for the flooring that would draw the audience’s eyes in and create a bit more interest than a straightforward wooden floor. The centre will always be covered but I think the effect I want will still be achieved; the table will become the focal point which is good.

o   There will be brooms under the table and on set – for the fighting in the knight’s tale.

o   The benches and their coverings can be used to create different set ideas and some of the simple draping costumes.

o   Trunks of the pilgrim’s luggage which they have brought with them on pilgrimage will contain costume changes.

o   There will be 2 sets of tavern signs (so all audience members can see) that will be changed when a new tale is being told. One for each character that tells a tale. This will create a nice transition for the audience.

o   Long benches at either end for the actors/actresses to sit on when they’re not in the tales. The audience will feel like they’re part of the play, watching the tales being played out.

o   Simple flags flown down or possibly a couple of characters could drape them from the mezzanine floor. These will be used to create the idea of a jousting match during the Knight’s tale. A grate will also be carried around by the characters playing Artica and Palamon to give an idea of them being in jail and also this will give a very comedic effect.

·      The idea behind the costumes for the different tales’ characters is that a combination of coverings from the set and the pilgrims ‘luggage’ or items brought with them will be used.

·      To create the idea of different worlds I have developed simple ideas that give a hint of, for example, a sultan’s palace and I have also thought about how the audience will see, experience and interpret this.

·      I did in-depth research to inform my designs and really thought about how to use this knowledge within the context of the piece. My experimentation also really helped to inform my design decisions.

Costumes:

o   Chaucer: This costume is indicative of Chaucer. He will also stand out among the group as he is the only one in full black and the only one who doesn’t take on parts in the tales. I wanted the audience to see him as the other pilgrims do; who is that person making only those sarcastic comments? And yet, adding to the comedy, his costume makes it clear he is Chaucer.

o   Host: The initiator of the tales, he is a friendly chap. His costume shows his status yet the practicality of it reflects his character and occupation.

o   Knight: High class and extremely noble. His dress reflects his class and the cut accentuates his nobility and strength.

o   Squire: Young and naïve. He wears some similar colours and garments to his father as it was customary for high class people to dress in the colours of their family as a kind of medieval code. The hose, hat and sleeves show his young nature in that he wants to be as fashionable as possible, yet the way he wears them shows naivety.

o   Yeoman: His dress is practical as his work requires it. My inspiration for his costume also came from the other characters he was going to play in the tales and also how he would appear against the others in the group (status etc).

o   Monk: He is fond of hunting and his dress reflects that, as I took inspiration from medieval hunting dress.

o   Reeve: He is mean, manipulative and negative therefore I put him in grey and grey/blue. His dress is simple as he does not spend money but hoards it. His cap is reversible showing his mean nature and this is also how he represents the Pope in the Man of Law’s Tale.

o   Miller: Jolly, yet rude and untrustworthy. I have drawn him with his hand behind his back to accentuate this as Chaucer hints in the prologue of the original Canterbury Tales that he is not to be trusted. His costume is bold yet simple showing his class, with a pointed hood to show his mischievous nature.

o   Cook: Very rude and a bit disgusting. He is greasy and dirty and his clothes are very simple. In bright red he can’t be missed and the cross stitch lacing shows his loose morals.

o   Man of Law: Well educated, he has opinions and doesn’t mind sharing them much to Chaucer’s (narrator’s) distaste. The two colours and layering accentuate his class and learning. This is my ideal for this character but the effect could still be achieved with just the short cape.

o   Nun’s Priest: Humble and effeminate his costume reflects this. His tale is all about bewaring of vanity and the simplicity of his dress shows this. The only interesting detail is his cap, hinting at his own vanity and his wariness of the trait.

o   Prioress: Vain and a bit ridiculous, her tale is extreme. My concept for the puppets is that she painstakingly made them and carries them with her everywhere so she can tell her tale to children and make comments through them wherever she goes. Her costume is complex in cut but simple in colour, this shows her status as a religious figure. I think it would highlight the ridiculously polite nature of her behaviour and her vanity if she carried round a lapdog puppet with her that looked grumpy. Other members of the cast could randomly bark to add to the comedy of her character.

o   The Wife of Bath: She is an exaggeration of womanhood and is very overtly sexual, opinionated and not afraid to say what she thinks. For her costume I wanted to accentuate this, making it big and bold, also to show her status. I put her in very feminine colours to accentuate her womanly demeanour.

o   Shipman: I designed this costume to cover any aspects that would give away that he is a woman and I also wanted to evoke imagery of the sea and therefore his profession. Being well travelled I also wanted to give a cultured feel to his dress.

o   Alison (Miller’s Tale): A primrose waiting to be plucked, as described by the Miller, I chose to dress her in this colour. The cross laced front shows her loose morals and she wears the apron of a carpenter’s wife. Her headdress shows her vanity and being a married woman her hair should be completely covered.

o   Emilee (Knight’s Tale) and Constance (Man of Law’s Tale) etc Costume: I designed something quite simple and feminine for these characters that could be dressed up or down to get the sense of the change in status. I chose an interesting trim so that it didn’t look too plain. On page 23 of the script the Knight says "and with him fair Hippoloyta the Queen and eke Emilya, clothed all in green". I chose not to dress her in green because I thought it would add to the comedic and accidental nature of the play for the Knight to say that line and then for her to look at her dress and grimace and look embarrassed as the female pilgrim playing Emilee has worn the wrong coloured dress.

o   Nun’s Priest’s Tale: To represent chickens whilst still keeping the context of the piece I chose simple red gloves. Chauntecleer stands out as a cockerel by having a glove underneath his chin and Pertelote stands out as the prettiest hen as her glove is of a more vibrant red and she is decorated with flowers. For the floral garlands of this play I chose simple muslin fabric, as I wanted it to look like one of the female pilgrims had made them. To represent the fox I was inspired by traditional medieval pilgrim dress and by simply having a gradient from black to orange this give a sense of a foxes ears and fur. There is also one cockerel feather in his cap as if to say there was one who didn’t get away. This represents the fox whilst still being something that could belong to one of the pilgrims.

o   Northumbrian Group (Man of Law’s Tale): To show that the tale had moved into a harsher climate I chose tartan checks. This also makes it clear from the audience who the characters are and that they are from a very different world to the sultan’s environment.

o   Sultan Group (Man of Law’s Tale): This was an opportunity to put some vibrant colours and exotic looking fabrics in the play and this is how I represented this group. I think these fabrics would be something the shipman or merchant might carry around with them on pilgrimage to sell to the other pilgrims.

o   Roman and Greek group (Knight’s and Man of Law’s Tale): For these characters they will create their costumes from the coverings on the benches and any ‘spare’ ones kept under the tables in the tavern.

o   Weeping Queens (Knight’s Tale): I gave them black headdresses to show that they are grieving and laurel wreaths to show they are queens. I thought it might add to the comedic effect if they had long veils which they lift off when they speak as the audience will then see that one of them is a man.