Chaucer S the Canterbury Tales

Name:______

Chaucer’s the Canterbury Tales

Before Reading the Prologue:

p. 96-97

1. How is it helpful to know that the illustrations were created by an artist who also worked as a political cartoonist? How might Chaucer be like a political cartoonist?

As You Read:

Much of what we know about everyday medieval life comes from Chaucer’s Canterbury’s Tales (remember our essential questions! The literature reflects middle ages!). The work is an important view into history as a well as a work of literature. As we read the opening lines of the Prologue together, determine each of the following:

a. Time of year: b. Number of pilgrims: c. The meeting place: d. The destination:

The Pilgrims:

As you read the prologue, find the following information for each pilgrim and write the information in the chart boxes below:

Rank: Aristocracy, upper class, middle class, virtuous lower class, degraded lower class Type: Feudal (Land), Religious, Chivalric, Skilled Labor Opinion: Good, Bad, or Mixed

Use Key Diction from the Text in Your Answers

Character Lines Rank in Physical Description and Type of Character Chaucer’s Opinion Society And Modern Counterpart of the Character

The 42-80 Knight

The 81-102 Squire The 103-121 Yeoman

The Nun 122-166

The Monk 169-211

The Friar 212-279

The Merchant 280-294

Sergeant at the 319-340 Law

The 341-370 Franklin

The 371-388 Guildsmen

389-397 The Cook

The 398-420 Skipper

The Wife of 455-486 Bath The 487-538 Parson

The 539-555 Plowman

The Miller 561-584

The Manciple 585-604

The Reeve 605-640

The Summoner 641-688

The Pardoner 689-734

The Host 767-804

After you have filled in the chart, assign a color for each of the categories listed under each column. When you finish, the entire chart should be colored with the corresponding color.

In the rank column: In the description column: In the opinion column: ____ for aristocracy ____ for feudal characters (land) ____ for good ____ for upper class ____ for religious characters ____ for bad ____ for middle class ____ for chivalric characters ____ for mixed ____ for virtuous lower class ____ for skilled labor characters ____ for degraded lower class