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The Canterbury Tales: Text Structure
Prior to writing The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer Traveled to Italy, where he likely studied work by Dante, Petrarch, and
Giovanni Boccaccio. Obviously, Boccaccio’s stories made an impression on Chaucer, for he constructed the
Canterbury Tales in a similar fashion as Boccaccio’s The Decameron.
Both are construct as a frame story, namely a story that includes a number of different narratives that are united by
an outer story.
Before you start reading the descriptions of the individual pilgrims and complete the activity entitled, Characters of
The Canterbury Tales: The General Prologue, read the 1st 42 lines of the General Prologue and answer the questions
about the outer frame story (located in the larger text box below).
Questions for the outer frame story:
1. During what season/month are the pilgrims traveling? Why (symbolically)?
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2. Where are the pilgrims headed? (Provide the name of the town).
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3. What do they plan to see at their destination?
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4. In what way do the pilgrims hope to be helped at their destination?
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5. How many pilgrims are travelling together?
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6. Where do the pilgrims meet prior to their journey?
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7. What is the game the pilgrims will play on their journey?
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8. What is the prize? What is the punishment if you don’t play?
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The Inner Story:
The “Tales” or the individual story is told by each pilgrim