Literature The word or concept “pot luck” can often be used as a literary device and is rarely used in esteemed, memorable literature. The term pot luck dates all the way back to times when Shakespeare was actively writing. The first documented use of the word was by the author, Thomas Nashe. His use of the word makes its first appearance in the play Summers Last Will and Testament, “Because you are my countrymen and so forth; and a good fellow, is a good fellow, though he have never a penny in his purse. We had but even pot-luck, a little to moisten our lips, and no more.” (Nashe 1508).This use of the term is very different from today’s understanding and connotations. The term pot luck comes from meaning luck of the draw. This is regarding
the definition of pot luck in the 16th century. The term was simply a combination of the word pot and luck, since it referred to whatever happened to be in the pot at a time and a guest would hope that they were lucky and it was something they liked, should they arrive unannounced at the door. This literal representation is what Nashe uses in his play. The pot-luck was often taking place in the poor man’s house. A rich man would cook for guests, or have their staff cook for them. While a poor man simply had his wife keep a hot pot for when an unexpected visitor arrives. Nashe uses pot-luck as a reference point for the reader to emphasize just how poor this man is. The use of the word parallels extreme poverty near starvation and this creates a very powerful image in the reader’s mind of the economic state of the character. However the word as it is referred to then is not the word we have come to know today. The term has evolved over time, in the 20th century it is more commonly understood to mean a party in which multiple people bring dishes to be shared among the whole group. With the change in definition has come a change to its use in literature. The concept of a pot luck in literature can vary. It can be used in small children books to explain concepts such as, the existence of multiple cultures, sharing, and the value of contribution and how it helps build character. (Shelby 1991) In Linda Evans novel, The Potluck Club the word is used as an adjective to allude to all the different things that are ongoing in the book. It is not limited to food but instead is used as a concept to explain the variance of everyday life. Overall pot lucks in literature are most often found in novels and used as expressions of diversity. They are used to express an abstract idea of coming together in odd or unusual ways, not necessarily emphasizing differences between things. The potluck that was originated as a noun in the 16th century is now more used as a colloquial adjective to express the now “abstract” idea of coming together where everyone has a responsibility and a role to play.
“A Modest Proposal” written by Jonathan Swift is without a doubt superior to the satire “The Lottery” written by Shirley Jackson. In order to master the intense task of writing a satire the author must put the reader in admiration, and that is exactly what Swift does. “A Modest Proposal” is an excellent piece, and shows Swift’s piercing wit and biting sarcasm. Although this satire was composed within 1729 it still holds the bite and shocking analogies in which we still are in awe upon. “A Modest Proposal” is without a doubt one of the world’s foremost examples of genius, because of the fact that Swift couriers his mastery of his wittiness and how Swift executed expressing the satire was immense.
In “The Pardoner’s Tale,” Geoffrey Chaucer masterfully frames an informal homily. Through the use of verbal and situational irony, Chaucer is able to accentuate the moral characteristics of the Pardoner. The essence of the story is exemplified by the blatant discrepancy between the character of the storyteller and the message of his story. By analyzing this contrast, the reader can place himself in the mind of the Pardoner in order to account for his psychology.
Logan, Jenkins. “Twelfth Night: The Limits of Festivity.” Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 22.2 (1982): 223-38. Print.
Levine’s first chapter presents evidence that 19th century Americans of all social classes enjoyed Shakespeare as an integral part of their culture and entertainment. Shakespeare’s works were familiar enough to the populace that a variety of parodies were written and performed for large crowds that displayed their engagement with the works by applause, vegetable-throwing, interruptions, and commands to the actors. Shakespeare’s plays were performed in frontier communities and in cities, in churches and theatres and make-shift stages, attended by people of all classes. He describes the integration of Shakespeare into the Americans’ language and imagination, and explains Shakespeare’s popularity on the basis of its compatibility with 19th century Americans’ oral rhetorical style and their ability to see their own culture’s emphasis on individualism and morality reflected in Shakespeare’s characters and stories.
In his Canterbury Tales, Chaucer fully explicates the cultural standard known as curteisye through satire. In the fourteenth century curteisye embodied sophistication and an education in French international culture. The legends of chilvalric knights, conversing in the language of courtly love, matured during this later medieval period. Chaucer himself matured in the King's Court, and he reveled in his cultural status, but he also retained an anecdotal humor about curteisye. One must only peruse his Tales to discern these sentiments. In the General Prologue, he meticulously describes the Prioress, satirically examining her impeccable table manners. In the Miller's Tale Chaucer juxtaposes courtly love with animalistic lust, and in various other instances he mentions curteisye, or at least alludes to it, with characteristic Chaucerian irony. These numerous references provide the reader with a remarkably rich image of the culture and class structure of late fourteenth century England.
Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale" should be tragic, because a lot of horrible things happen to the characters. The carpenter's wife is disloyal to him, sleeping with others and making fun of him with Nicholas. Also, he is depicted as a fool. However, readers get a humorous feeling from the story, rather than feeling sorry for the carpenter's unfair life. Chaucer makes the whole story come across as comic rather than tragic. This humor is created by the Miller's narration, the use of irony, the cartoon-like characters, and the twists of plot. These elements combine to produce an emotional distance which enhances the comic effect.
Food is commonly mentioned throughout Old English and Medieval literature. In “Beowulf”, much of the action revolves around the mead hall where great banquets are held. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, the poem begins in the banquet hall and the Green knight first appears before King Arthur and his guests at a feast. Since most of the recipes which I used are from the 14th century I focused most of the literary aspect of my presentation on Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales.” First of all the whole reason that the pilgrims tell their tales is because the inn keeper agrees to give the teller of the best story a free dinner at the end of the pilgrimage. Three characters, in particular, are described in the general prologue in relation to food, the nun or prioress, the franklin, and not surprisingly the cook.
Shakespeare, William, Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Andrew Gurr. The Norton Shakespeare. Second ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. Print.
Arrathoon, Leigh A. "The Miller's Tale," Chaucer and the Craft of Fiction. Ed. Leigh A. Arrathoon, Rochester, Michigan: Solaris Press, Inc. 1986. 241-318
“The Miller’s Tale” perfectly incorporates all of the necessary components that make up a winning tale. In Chaucer’s, The Canterbury Tales, “The Miller’s Tale” fully satisfies every rule required by the Host, in a humorous and intriguing way. He uses the misfortune of the characters to grasp the reader’s attention, and keep him or her interested throughout the story. In the tale, Chaucer includes the idea of religious corruption happening in England during the fourteenth-century. He takes this negative idea and manipulates it into comedic relief by making both Nicholas and Absalom clerks. The actions of those characters, who were supposed to be revered due to their religious position, proves Chaucer’s negative view of the Catholic Church in England at that time. Through Chaucer’s incorporation of fourteenth-century religious corruption,
The courtly love tradition is, however, best expressed in all the works I have chosen by “The Miller's Tale”, Chaucer's recalling of tales supposedly told in his time period. In this story, we witness the amorous liaison between Alyson, the carpenter John's wife, and Nicholas, a student of astronomy and courtly love. The lovers engineer a stratagem which will allow them to consume their passion without fear of retribution, but only after much insistence on the part of Nicholas.
The Miller's Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer is a mirror of medieval society particularly in the way it depicts the relationships between men and women as well as giving a realistic portrait of working class people during the middle ages. Alison, the main character illustrates how a woman was able to use her sex through her actions of deceit to many characters. Popular belief holds that courtly love was prevalent during the medieval period; however The Miller's Tale provides a more realistic look into sexual relationships through its use of infidelity and sexual humor. Chaucer's characters are typical middle class workers rather than elite nobility. In addition, many of the characters seem heartless and corrupt. Alison's character is far away from most others in her mere selfishness followed by inappropriate humor leading to Nicolas and his "injury." She responds to her husband's jealousy and protective nature by a flirtatious demeanor. As most literature does, The Miller's Tale has a moral even though it's slanted and the punishable party is no t appropriately disciplined.
One morning I happened to turn over the saltcellar at breakfast. I reached for some of it as quick as I could to throw over my left shoulder and keep off the bad luck, but Miss Watson was in ahead of me and crossed me off. She says, “Take your hands away Huckleberry; what a mess you are always making!” The widow put in a good word for me… (Twain, 15).
In the Pardoners Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer, the narrator, the Pardoner, is very greedy an deceitful. His tale is about three rioters who go on a mission to seek death and kill him. Instead of finding death, an old man guided them to a tree which had gold beneath it. The gold symbolizes death because it led the rioters to sin and they became very greedy. The three rioters and the pardoner have a lot in common.
The Miller is large and imposing person who personifies a crooked, but likeable businessman. In "The General Prologue," Chaucer describes the Miller as having a "thombe of gold, (563)" which the footnote on page 32 of The Riverside Chaucer notes, "is an ironic reference to a proverb, with the implication that there are no honest millers." The descr...