Question

-Urgent-

Read this excerpt from "The Nun's Priest's Tale" in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.

O new Iscariot, O new Ganelon!
O false dissimulator, Greek Sinon
That brought down Troy all utterly to sorrow!
O Chanticleer, accursed be that morrow

Which sentence in the following description identifies the style used in the excerpt?

(These lines describe the false beliefs that Chanticleer held.) The proud Chanticleer is being mocked in these lines for having raised such outcry. (The narrator mocks the narrative style of epic poetry by applying it to a beast fable.) (The proud Chanticleer is mocked by the other hens because he was making much of the dream.)

Answer 1

The correct answer is C. The narrator mocks the narrative style of epic poetry by applying it to a beast fable.

Epic poetry is known for its distinct style. Exaggeration (hyperbole) is common, and the diction is very lofty, meaning that the style of speech used is elevated -- not everyday language. Furthermore, epic poetry was centered upon heroes and gods, and these poems related tales of heroism, the supernatural, and other great deeds.

By applying the elevated style of the epic to a story about a rooster, Chaucer is mocking the style of epic poetry.

Answer 2

It might be absurd to think about the academic background of a rooster in Chaucer's tale, however, the choice of words of the rooster hero Chanticleeer demonstrates erudition. This type of elevated language is used in the epic. The narrator mocks the narrative style of epic poetry by applying it to a beast fable, option C.