CANTERBURY TALES PROJECT
Directions: This assignment will afford you the opportunity to modernize Canterbury Tales through
placing your “tale” in a twentieth century time frame. This project will be constructed in three parts, all of
which will be submitted in a folder in the following order:
1. THE PILGRIMS: You are to place 29 characters whom you consider to be representative of our
society – through government, theology, sociology – on a pilgrimage to a significant destination of
your choice. The characters' means of travel are entirely up to your creative genius. You MAY simply
LIST the characters in this section; however you will be evaluated upon the creation of a valid
microcosm reflecting American society today. THEREFORE, DO NOT SIMPLY DASH OFF A HASTY
LIST.
- Be sure to make your pilgrims diverse, from different segments of society and possessing
different qualities
- You will LIST them giving EACH of them a DIFFERENT mode of transportation (yes, I realize that
you cannot technically travel “together” when one is on an airplane or in a car)
2. You are to select ONE of these characters to introduce specifically and colorfully to the reader. You
must create a personality and bring your character to life. The introduction of this character must be
modeled in a format imitating Chaucer’s Prologue in Canterbury Tales. You are to write a minimum of
sixteen poetic lines in rhyming couplets of whatever meter you select. Supply the reader with as much
biographical and personal information as you can.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
-
use couplets (like Chaucer)
describe the character’s dress
describe the character’s personality (without blatantly stating it)
describe the character’s flaws and/or triumphs (without blatantly stating it)
describe the mode of transportation for the character
all of your details should support your critique of the character
use Chaucer’s prologue as “THE” Example!
3. After writing the prologue to your character, you are to write the tale that he or she tells on the
pilgrimage. Remember that Chaucer feels that “the word must be cousin to the deed.” He
constructed his tales to express humor, wit, and morality. Your tale should reflect this construction by
reflecting some moral principle/human truth/philosophical perspective which is communicated in a
humorous manner. It must parallel and coincide with the background information you supplied the
reader in Part 2.
NOTE: Part 3 is to be written in PROSE. The only poetry required is in Part 2.
TOTAL POINTS: 75
I will be looking for:
1. spelling, punctuation, grammatical errors (Should be error free!)
2. capturing the essence of Chaucer and Canterbury Tales
3. originality
4. effort
5. ability to follow directions
-
I will award Extra Credit points to those who go above and beyond the call of duty.
If you cannot print it out at home, remember that you can always email it to me:
jokada@pylusd.org
All tales must be of the G-Rated variety
DUE DATE:
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
RUBRIC
I: LIST OF CHARACTERS
Twenty-nine characters listed?
Does this illustrate a microcosm of society today?
Does each character have a mode of transportation?
Is there a destination for the pilgrimage?
Are there multiple spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors?
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
/10
10 = perfect
8 = pretty good (check mechanical errors)
5 = didn’t follow directions (mechanical errors interfere with reading)
0 = missing
II: PROLOGUE
Are there sixteen lines (in couplets)?
Does this prologue give me insight in to the character?
Are there multiple spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors?
/15
15 = perfect
10 = pretty good (check mechanical errors)
5 = didn’t follow directions (mechanical errors interfere with reading)
0 = missing
III: PILGRIM’S STORY
Does this story capture the “feel” of Chaucer’s work?
(Is the story told BY the pilgrim and NOT about the pilgrim?)
Is it entertaining? (not rushed or incomplete)
Is it original?
Does it contain a moral or lesson?
Does it fit the pilgrim we read about in the prologue?
Are there multiple spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors?
/20
20 = perfect
-5pts for “not sharing”
15 = pretty good (check mechanical errors)
10 = didn’t follow directions (mechanical errors interfere with reading)
0 = missing
IV: PACKAGING
Is this project/paper packaged as to separate it from an ordinary/
run-of-the-mill assignment?
YES
NO
/5
5 = wonderful!
3 = okay
2 = does not meet expectations
0 = missing
/50 TOTAL POINTS
/
EXTRA CREDIT?
AUTOMATIC O for Unacceptable Content
½ Credit for not being typed
PEER CRITIQUE
Please complete each section with your thoughts. This is an informal critique. Be honest, be positive, and answer with
detail and discussion (no YES/NO answers)
PREPARED BY
I.
TWENTY-NINE CHARACTERS : What do you think of this list? Is it a microcosm of our society? Is it diverse? How would
you feel being with this group on this pilgrimage?
II.
PROLOGUE: What do you learn about this character? What type of person would you classify him or her as? Would you
travel with them if you were on this pilgrimage?
III.
THE STORY: Does the story fit the character in the prologue? What did you think of the story? Was it original? Did it
entertain you? What was its moral lesson?
+ What was the best part of this individual’s project? Why?
Please put this finished critique with the project, pass it on, and get another project to critique.
PEER CRITIQUE
Please complete each section with your thoughts. This is an informal critique. Be honest, be positive, and answer with
detail and discussion (no YES/NO answers)
PREPARED BY
IV.
TWENTY-NINE CHARACTERS : What do you think of this list? Is it a microcosm of our society? Is it diverse? How would
you feel being with this group on this pilgrimage?
V.
PROLOGUE: What do you learn about this character? What type of person would you classify him or her as? Would you
travel with them if you were on this pilgrimage?
VI.
THE STORY: Does the story fit the character in the prologue? What did you think of the story? Was it original? Did it
entertain you? What was its moral lesson?
+ What was the best part of this individual’s project? Why?
Please put this finished critique with the project, pass it on, and get another project to critique.