Canterbury Tales Re-Mix
Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is about a group of 14th century pilgrims from all walks of life who travel together for several days on their way to a shrine in Canterbury. They entertain each other on this journey by telling stories. The person who tells the most entertaining story wins dinner at the local tavern, courtesy of the other story-telling pilgrims.
Your task for this project is to create (as a class) a contemporary version of The Canterbury Tales. As in the original contest, whoever tells the most entertaining story wins lunch. You will create a character just like Chaucer. Your “character” will then give the toast. Before you make your toast, however, you will provide a brief description of yourself/character. What is your occupation? What are you wearing on your journey? What is your personality like? etc.
Destination: Ms. Mathews and Johnny Depp, the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan.
Mode of transport: A Greyhound bus departing from Elizabeth City.
Narrator: The bus driver (Braxton)
Story-telling Theme: Each person on the bus will be giving a toast at the reception. These toasts will serve as our “stories”. They will, 1) explain how your character knows either the bride or groom, and 2) be written in rhyme (like the original tales). They should also aim to be clever and entertaining, as those are among the criteria the judges will use to determine who wins the free dinner. **Please see notes on appropriate content.
Criteria for Assessment
Creation of a Vivid and Interesting Character: 5
Rhyme, Rhythm, Meter: 5
Explanation of Relationship to Bride/Groom: 5
Format (for basic toast—see attached): 5
Grammar, Mechanics, etc.: 5
Performance, Delivery: 5
**Notes on Taste and Appropriateness:
While humor, wit, and social satire are encouraged in this project, it is important to respect the boundaries of appropriate and tasteful content. We want to entertain our audience, not offend them. Good social satire is delicate: we want to illuminate the quirks and flaws of our characters, but we also want to avoid stereotyping or culturally insensitive humor.
Not appropriate:
1. excessive alcohol references
2. drug references
3. sexual references
4. swearing
5. any comments that are derogatory or could be offensive to members of racial, cultural, religious, sexual orientation, or gender groups.
** If you are having a hard time determining whether something is appropriate, ask yourself whether you would say it in front of MY grandmother. J
Tips for writing a wedding toast
Adapted from http://weddings.about.com/od/theweddingparty/a/toastwriting.htm
Before You Begin
Start off by writing down thoughts freely about the bride and groom and your relationship to them.
- How do you know them?
- Why did they choose you to make this toast?
- How would you describe each of them? What are the first five adjectives that come to mind?
- What was the groom like before he met the bride? How has he changed knowing her? (Reverse this, obviously, if you are acquainted with the bride)
- How did they meet? How did the groom tell you about her? (Or how did the bride tell you about him?)
- If you are married, you may wish to think about marriage advice you've received or have learned.
- Are there any particularly amusing anecdotes that illustrate who the bride and/or groom is?
Beginning
Start off by introducing yourself, as not everyone in the room will know who you are.
You might say "Excuse me everyone, if I could have your attention for a moment. I'd like to take a few moments to say a few words about our bride and groom. I'm______, ______'s longtime good friend (or brother, cousin, etc.)"
*This might also be an opportunity for you to say something about your 12-hour bus ride.
Middle
Tell a funny story about the bride and/or groom, give your thoughts on love and marriage, tell the story of how they met, or talk about how you've seen them change through their relationship. Give interesting details. At all costs, avoid ex-girlfriend/boyfriend stories and keep it rated PG for kids and grandmothers in the room.
Closing
It's often good to wrap up your toast with a wish, traditional toast, or blessing for the bride and groom. Raise your glass with a resounding congratulations, cheers, l'chaim or salud, and don't forget to drink to your own toast.