Canterbury Tales Unit

1. Create an Annotated Bibliography for research conducted on Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

2. Read the Canterbury Tales Prologue (in-class)

3. Read your assigned Pilgrim’s Tale. If it is more than 1000 lines long read a portion of it (no more than 1000 lines and then read a synopsis of it. (Wikepedia is good). FSU has a good modern translation: http://english.fsu.edu/canterbury/knight.html, and our library has three texts as well.

4. Read two tales: Pardoner’s Tale and Wife of Bath’s Tale (in-class).
5. Create a Character Sketch for your chosen Pilgrim.

Annotated Bibliography (50pts.)

Each student will create an annotated bibliography with at least five sources that address the following topics of discussion: 1.Chaucer’s Life, 2.Medieval Time Period, 3. Canterbury Tale Themes, 4.Chaucer’s Writing Style, 5.Literary Criticism. For this last topic, each student must read and review one article of Literary Criticism (Kirsten English Web, IPL, EBSCO) about the CT. Students will also select one theme and review a source that addresses the issue. Themes include, but are not limited to the following: Courtly Love, Medieval Life, Pilgrimage, Science, Corruption, Religion and Morality. The other three topics should be self explanatory. Resource Links are on the Kirsten English 12 Webpage, as are links to help you write an Annotated Bibliography.

Must Include: Source in MLA, Summary, Author’s Thesis, Discussion of Claim/Points, Evaluation of Relevance.

Canterbury Tales Character Sketch (50 pts.)

Each student will choose a Pilgrim. You must become familiar with this character from a number of aspects such as personality, motivation, physical description, and connection to their Tale. First, read the section in the Canterbury Prologue on your character carefully. Paraphrase it, make a list of characteristics, and begin to draw conclusions about your character based on the information in the text. Also read your Pilgrim’s Tale (FSU Etexts and others on Kirsten English Page).

1) Create a full-paged (8.5x11 or larger) colored drawing of your character based on the Prologue description. Put your pilgrim’s name on the picture and your name as well.

2) Write a one paragraph character description that includes personality, motivation, and physical characteristics. This should be your own analysis and go far beyond simply paraphrasing Chaucer’s description. Attach to picture.

3) Your Tale- Rewrite, in prose, a 1 page condensed version of your tale set in a different time period(modern?).

Canterbury Tales Pilgrims:

-Knight 2256

-Squire 668

-Yeoman (Cannon Yeoman) 764

-Nun (Prioress) 203

-Monk 793

-Friar 364

-Merchant 1174

-Oxford Cleric (Clerk, Student) 1166

-Sergeant at the Law (Lawyer) 1033

-Franklin 896

-Cook 58

-Skipper (Shipman, Sailor) 434
-Doctor (Physician) 286

-Wife of Bath 408

-Parson

Plowman* (added later)

-Miller 668

-Manciple 256

-Reeve 404

-Summoner 586

-Pardoner-ALL will read in class 506

-2nd Nun 434
-Nun’s Priest 626
-Sir Thopas (Topaz) 207

-Melibee

Haberdasher (Must read and analyze other tale)
Dyer (Must read and analyze other tale)
Carpenter (Must read and analyze other tale)
Weaver (Must read and analyze other tale)
Carpet-maker (Must read and analyze ot)