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Exploring the Medieval Per= iod |
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The Skipper or The Shipman a character in context |
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Contextu= al Medieval history through the inquisitive eyes of Chaucer’s Skipper= |
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Relativity to other tales: ·&= nbsp;Talks about scandal, a less somber topic than previous ta= les ·&= nbsp;Downplays the morality of the priest in his story both as= satire by Chaucer and as a means to develop the justification for his char= acter’s actions (portrayed as a pirate, mischievous) ·&= nbsp;Relates money, sex, and women- tone similar to Wife= of Bath in that the woman triumphs; there isn’t much wrong with reco= gnition and profitability of their sexuality; almost “uncomfortably c= lose to prostitution” ·&= nbsp;Also touches on business, trade, a field with which the S= kipper is familiar, as he is with the manipulation of trading and goods tha= t takes form in both his tale and in his supposed life and travels ·&= nbsp;Like many others, travelling most likely for personal int= erest; his sense of adventure and the opportunity to learn about the waterw= ays surrounding Canterbury- land navigation was incredibly dependent = upon rivers and other inland waterways in Medieval times- were probably the= main motivations for his pilgrimage. |
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His awkwardness on the horse implies his single-faceted skill, however gre= at it may be. This image brings to mind the idea of a rouse, of the Skipper= trying to pass himself off as something he is not; he may be trying to por= tray that something other than his insatiable sense of adventure has brough= t him on this pilgrimage in an attempt to convey a more acceptable motive. = However, Chaucer also notes his ‘color’ (brown) and the dagger = hanging from his clothing, which provokes the image of a tough and weathere= d seaman whose occupation is not simply his livelihood, but something he li= ves for. This characterization holds true to Chaucer’s <= /p> |
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tendency toward physiognomy, a widely held belief of the time that a perso= n’s appearance is a direct reflection of his or her innate personalit= y. The Skipper could fall into the archetype of the wanderer; looked = upon as frivolous and unbound to the typical aspects of life within society= , the wanderer is often viewed contradictorily, either as possessing a free= dom the onlooker desires, or representing a lack of discipline. |
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The Importance of Medieval Shipmen |
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As fishermen & tradesmen- fish was a diet= ary staple of Catholic Medieval England, culturally and religiously warrant= ed, making fishing a valuable occupation. Although fish consumption w= as mainly a luxury of the upper class, this meant that the significant amou= nt of wealth put into commerce benefited the men in this trade. The m= edieval shipman had a close relationship with the merchant or mercer, as mu= ch trade- increasing in popularity as the period progressed- was done overs= eas. However, the risks of the new trade routes and methods during the medi= eval period included robbery and piracy; note well that it is most likely t= hat the Skipper in Chaucer’s tale(s) was a man of questionable morali= ty, but that since this was an expected characteristic of such men he still= fell toward a more respected end of the spectrum. |
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<— Click me= for more information about Medieval piracy! |
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The most common trade ship was the cog<= /span> |
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<= span style=3D'direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;font-family:Symbol;font-size:10= .0pt; language:x-none;color:black'>·&= nbsp;Battles took place between fleets of ships <= span style=3D'direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;font-family:Symbol;font-size:10= .0pt; language:x-none;color:black'>·&= nbsp;Often, prisoners were taken by the victors- but not by th= is Skipper! The prologue states that “certainly he was a good f= ellow… If that he fought and had the higher hand / By water he sent t= hem home to every land.” <= span style=3D'direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;font-family:Symbol;font-size:10= .0pt; language:x-none;color:black'>·&= nbsp;Shipwrecks were often ransacked by pirates |
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Daily = life of the shipman: &= nbsp; &nb= sp; = ; &= nbsp; &nb= sp; = ; &= nbsp; &nb= sp; = ; &= nbsp; Long fishing and trading vo= yages at sea meant that the Skipper spent most days working on or commanding his boat= and many fewer days at port. |
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Cultural Influence on the Life of the Skipper |
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Urbanization during the Middle Ages p= aved the roads– literally and figuratively– for trade. By land = and by sea, business and commerce boomed and flourished, growing to new pro= ducts and markets at a rapid rate. Weekly local markets and seasonal fairs = provided a place for the lucrative exchange of goods (both regional and int= ernational) and gossip. Medieval business was also greatly impacted by the = introduction and rise of Guilds, the Medieval equivalent of workers’ = Unions today, that diversified and strengthened the work force into an enti= ty whose effective function became crucial to a thriving society. The growi= ng desire for rich culture invited a more worldly outlook and participation= , aspects of life that sea-faring men of the time had called the norm for a= ges past. |
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Amy Lalime ~ AP English, Period 1 |
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