The Middle Ages

The Crusades
The Crusades were a series of wars fought by the Christians against the Muslims over the "Holy Land". The Crusades were grotesque at best. The Christians killed all who opposed them, sacking cities in the name of god. The pope sanctioned many of the Crusades and gave the wars a religious agenda.
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury, when King Henry 2’s followers murdered him. Becket and King Henry had once been good friends, one the king of a country, and the other a priest of the order. A falling out happened and King Henry said, "Who will rid me of the meddlesome priest?" Four knights took his words as an order, and plotted to kill Becket. Once the murder had taken place, the King atoned for what had happened by sitting in Becket’s tomb for a night.
The Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was created in 1215 in England to limit the power of the English monarchy. It didn’t really work in that point in time, but it was given clauses and eventually became a very well respected document. Many different country’s first declarations were based on the Magna Carta.
The Black Death
The Black Death was a pandemic that killed over one third of Europe’s population. The Black Death is commonly accepted to be the fault of the bubonic plague, and is thought to be carried by fleas on rats. The Black Death changed Europe by forcing all of its inhabitants to live for the moment, and to question religion. Art changed during the Black Death as well; it became more morbid and full of death. There are paintings of people of all walks of life, dancing with corpses and skeletons.
Canterbury Tales
The Knight
The Knight in this story is the stereotypical knight. He is good at being a knight. He fights in duels of honor and defends the defenseless. "A KNIGHT there was, and what a gentleman, Who, from the moment that he first began, To ride about the world, loved chivalry, Truth, honour, freedom and all courtesy."
The Squire
The Squire came with the knight and is a smaller carbon copy of the knight (he is the knights son). The Squire seems to be more of a dandy than the knight is. "With him there was his son, a young SQUIRE, A lover and a lively bachelor, With locks well curled, as if they'd laid in press."
The Yeoman
The Yeoman seems to be a woodsman and dresses accordingly, but we don’t hear much about him besides his dress. "And in his hand he bore a mighty bow. A cropped head had he and a sun-browned face. Of woodcraft he knew all the useful ways." The Yeoman came with the knight.
The Prioress
The Prioress is a nun who is very courtly and well mannered. "Graciously she reached for food to dine. And certainly delighting in good sport, She was very pleasant, amiable - in short."
There is also another nun, and three priests.
The Monk
A Monk came along as well, he is a hunter. The Monks clothing is covered in fur from his kills. "A MONK there was, one of the finest sort, An outrider; hunting was his sport; A manly man, to be an abbot able. Very many excellent horses had he in stable: And when he rode men might his bridle hear, Jingling in the whistling wind as clear,"
He seems to be fat and greedy from his description.
The Friar
Hubert the friar seems like a good character in this tale. He is poor, but rich in heart. "He was an easy man in penance-giving He knew how to gain a fair living, For to a begging friar, money given is sign that any man has been well shriven."
The Merchant
The merchant is an unimportant character, and I don’t like the fact that he is "into" his money so much. "His boots were fastened neatly and elegantly. He spoke out his opinions very solemnly, stressing the times when he had won, not lost"
The Clerk
This is a great character. I relate to him much more than any of the previous characters. YAY EDUCATION! "For he would rather have at his bed's head some twenty books, all bound in black or red, Of Aristotle and his philosophy than rich robes, fiddle, or gay psaltery."
The Sergeant of the Law
The sergeant of the law is a respectable character. The text states that he is very good at his job, and therefor has become very wealthy. The best part of this character is the fact that nothing bad has been said about him, he seems to be an intelligent, wealthy, and, over all, well rounded human being. "At least it seemed so, his words were so wise. Often he was a judge in court, in assize, By royal assignment or commission giving jurisdiction; Because of his knowledge and high reputation, He took large fees, had robes more than one."
The Franklin
The Franklin’s introduction is all about food. He seems to be a man with a lot of "lust for life". "His house was never short of food and pies of fish and flesh, and these in large supplies it seemed to snow therein both food and drink of every dainty that a man could think."
The Haberdasher, Carpenter, Arras-maker, Dyer and Weaver
This group of characters is all wearing the same clothes and has nice weapons. They seem to be very wealthy. "Their belt and their purses too, I tell. Each man of them appeared a proper citizen to sit in guildhall on a dais, he can and each of them, for wisdom he could span, was suitable to serve as an alderman."
The Cook
He apparently makes good food. "A COOK they had with them, just for once, To boil the chickens with the marrow-bones, And poudre-marchant tart and galingale. He knew how to recognize a draught of London ale."
The Shipman
The shipman is described as a tested, tried, and true person. He also is very knowledgeable with the sky. "His harbours, and his moon, his pilotage, There was none such from Hull to far Carthage. Hardy and wise in all things undertaken, By many tempests had his beard been shaken. He knew well all the havens, how they were."
The Physician
The physician is a good doctor, but the money he earns through his practice has gone to his head. "He kept the gold he gained from pestilence. Since gold in physic is a cordial, Therefore he loved his gold exceeding all."
The Wife of Bath
This character is a worldly person; having gone to many far away places. She also is well mannered and respectable. "Three times she'd travelled to Jerusalem; And many a foreign stream she'd had to stem; At Rome she'd been, and she'd been in Boulogne, In Spain at Santiago, and at Cologne. She could tell much of wandering by the way: Gap-toothed was she, it is the truth I say."
The Parson
The parson leads by example, he is very devoted to the teachings in the bible. He is not hasty in any way. "I think there never was a better priest. He had no thirst for pomp or ceremony, nor spiced his conscience and morality, But Christ's own law, and His apostles' twelve He taught, but first he followed it himselve."
The Plowman
This is a simple farmer who is devoted to god. "He loved God most, and that with his whole heart At all times, whether it was easy or hard, And next, his neighbour, even as himself. He'd thresh and dig, and never thought of wealth, For Christ's own sake, for every person poor, Without payment, if his power could assure."
The Miller
The miller is as strong as an ox, and as merry as a bird. "His mouth was like a furnace door for size. He was a jester and knew some poetry, But mostly all of sin and obscenity. He could steal corn and three times charge his fee."
The Manciple
This character is like a snake in the grass. He seems to be a smooth talker as well. "To learn the art of buying victuals; Cash or credit, he knew all the rituals, That he knew the markets, watched them closely, and found himself ahead, he did quit nicely."
The Reeve
The Reeve is responsible for taking care of his lord’s affairs, and he is very good at what he does. "His lord's sheep and his cattle and his dairy cows, 600 His swine and horses, his stores, his poultry house, Were wholly in the Reve his managing; And, by agreement, he'd gave reckoning."
The Summoner
The summoner sounds like a nasty drunk. "No borax, ceruse, tartar, could discharge, Nor ointment that could cleanse enough, or bite, To free him of his boils and pimples white, Nor of the knobs located on his cheeks. Well loved he garlic, onions, and also leeks, and drink strong blood red wine untill dizzy. Then would he talk and shout as if he's crazy."
The Pardoner
I’m not really quite sure how to respond to the pardoner… "With him there rode a noble PARDONER of Rouncival, his friend and his compeer; straight from the court of Rome had journeyed he. Loudly he sang "Come hither, love, to me,""




The Millers Tale
Ha, Ha, Ha! That was truly funny. I have an uncle that can’t tell a serious story once he has drunken, and this story sounds like one of his. My family has a strong tradition of verbal story telling. We tell stories that are somewhat like Canterbury Tales, only with more twists and turns. Reading this story made me want to finish reading all of the Canterbury Tales.

I’m not sure how each of these pieces of literature relate to the middle ages, besides the time period they were written in. From what I have read I can gather that the Middle Ages were full of death, life, rain, the ocean, problems with money, wars, births, and every day existence. It seems to me that the Middle Ages were just about the same as modern times, only with a different accent.