For the ill and the absent-minded -

Here, you will find a very brief summary of class discussions and activities, lists of assigned readings, and links to other resources. The posts are reminders of what we covered in class and/or of what you missed by being absent physically and/or mentally. If we are required to work remotely, the posts will give directions for the day's activities, and let you know when we will meet via Google Meets. Please read the posts, talk with your classmates, and do the practise work as it suits the timing at home. Please put all work in your digital folders via Google Drive. Feel free to make comments and if you're still confused, please email me!

(NB: I do not condone class absences - you must be present, in class, actively listening and participating whenever possible. Always communicate your absences with the school office as well as with me. It is your responsibility to make arrangements for missed learning opportunities. You MUST meet all assignment deadlines. If we have to meet via Google Meets, please make a note of the QR link posted in Room 205 for the meeting id and passwords.)

16 October 2025

B - ... when you practiced reading Middle English - yes, that's a thing.

ESSENTIAL QUESTONS: Why does literary work in English always seem to involve the sea? What does Canterbury Tales teach us about medieval society?

We discussed Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar" and created possible connections to the Anglo Saxon piece, "The Seafarer." I suggested that despite having been written in different time periods, the sea in each poem serves as metaphor for life, death, and/or spiritual journey. "The Seafarer" has a more of the Anglo-Saxon "vibe" of exile and cold hardships; "Crossing the Bar" has a Victorian calm, quiet, and reflective tone. Both poems show that reverence for the sea transcends time. I asked learners to consider how each of the pieces reflected attitudes of their respective time periods.

We looked at Chaucer's Prologue and tried our hand reading and "translating" Middle English.

PRACTISE: Read the section of your assigned pilgrim and take note of:

  • physical attributes of the pilgrim
  • profession / habits - their estate
  • Chaucer's perspective of the pilgrim - positive or negative depiction?
NEXT CLASS: the knight, the squire, the yeoman, the friar
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