Canterbury Tales Webquest
Use internet resources to research the history and significance of the Canterbury Tales and
author Geoffrey Chaucer. Use the links to help you answer each question.
Portrait of Geoffrey Chaucer (15th Century painting commonly known as the Harvard Chaucer Portrait)
Who was Geoffrey Chaucer?
http://www.online-literature.com/chaucer/
http://www.britainexpress.com/History/bio/chaucer.htm
When did he write Canterbury Tales? Explain the circumstances.
http://www.online-literature.com/chaucer/
http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/medieval/chaucer/canterburytales.htm
What language was it written in? Why was this unique?
What is a pilgrimage? Today/in Chaucer’s time period?
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pilgrimage
http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-religion/pilgrimage.htm
What is the significance of Canterbury Cathedral? Why did people make a pilgrimage there?
http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/visit/pilgrims.aspx
Who was Sir Thomas A’ Becket (aka Saint Thomas A’ Becket)?
http://www.britannia.com/bios/abofc/tabecket.html
http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=3927
Explain the class system of the middle ages. Give an example of what type of person might
belong in each category.
http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/fief/medfeudal.html
http://www.themiddleages.net/people_middle_ages.html
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/contents.html
http://www.learner.org/interactives/middleages/feudal.html
http://www.nexuslearning.net/books/Elements_of_Lit_Course6/Middle_Ages/Introduction.
htm