AP English—Canterbury Tales, an Oral Presentation





See Power Point programs: Literary Genres of the Middle Ages and Canterbury Tales
http://englishcomplit.unc.edu/chaucer/zatta/Zatta_Index.htm (Find Canterbury Tales in Middle
English to the right on this web cite.)
http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/chaubib.htm (Find readings of Tales in Middle English)
http://englishcomplit.unc.edu/chaucer/chpages.htm (Meta Page for Chaucer)
http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/pronunciation/ (To Pronounce Middle English)
NOTE: Read the tale itself, the links and prologue to the tale, and the envoy too!
The Miller’s Tale
The Reeve’s Tale
The Wife of Bath’s Tale
The Pardoner’s Tale
The Franklin’s Tale
The Nun’s Priest’s Tale
The Clerk’s Tale and Envoy
The Friar’s Tale
We are all going on a field trip, to accompany Chaucer’s gang, to Canterbury! You are all going as
critical observers, and will be working in teams of three or four, to look closely at one of the pilgrims
and his or her tale. Your pilgrim team will share the following tasks:
1) Synopsis of the tale: All of you must contribute to the story!
2) Character analysis of the narrator: Use General Prologue, and the tale’s prologue and links.
 Is this a round character, an allegorical figure, a caricature, a symbolic character or a stereotype?
Explain with examples.
 What is the character’s role in the middle ages? What is the historical relevance of including this
character? Why did the narrator choose this tale? How does his or her personality shape the tale?
 Why is this character making a pilgrimage – or why should he or she make a pilgrimage!
3) The Tale Itself:
 Level of character development and internal psychology motivating the characters. (Do they have
secrets from themselves?)
 What conflicts expressed in this tale relate to medieval life?
4) What is the moral or theme of the tale? (fate v. free will, the ideal of courtly love, sins or virtues as
predictors of fate, de casibus tragedy, shifting social class, and with Chaucer, the role of women.)
 How does Chaucer – perhaps through the Pilgrim Scribe – show changing ideals of the times,
incorporating more of what is thought of as Renaissance ideology?
 Is the tale satirical? How? What is it mocking?
 Which genre of medieval literature does this particular tale fall into? Explain why.
5) Visual Aids. Costumes, pictures, props, maps, art work, or music, for example, that relate directly
to your presentation. Explain what it is, and why you chose it.
6) Share the reading of a 14-line segment of the tale in Middle English. Explain why you chose it,
and where it is in the tale.
Note: if you are doing this solo, you must do all parts of the project.
SCORING RUBRIC FOR CANTERBURY TALES PROJECT
Students:
NAME OF TALE:
Total
Points
Each
1) Synopsis of Tale
(Everyone must pitch in to tell the story.)
20
2) The Narrator: (See Prologue)
20

Is this a round character, an allegorical figure, a
caricature, a symbolic character or a
stereotype? Explain with examples.

What is the character’s role in the middle ages?
What is the historical relevance of including
this character?

Why did the narrator choose this tale? How
does his or her personality shape the tale?

Why is the Narrator making a pilgrimage?
3) The Tale Itself:

Level of character development and internal
psychology motivating the characters. (Do they
have secrets from themselves?)

What conflicts expressed in this tale relate to
medieval life?
4) Theme of the Tale


State the theme of the tale (as it were.)
How does the theme reflect changing views
from medieval to Renaissance?

Is the tale sincere or satirical? Explain why or
why not. What is the Scribe’s role in conveying
the message?
Pilgrim
One
Pilgrim
Two
Pilgrim
Three
Pilgrim
Four
20
20
 Define the genre of the tale. Explain.
5) Visual Aids, with explanation
10
7) Reading in Middle English (14 lines)
(Everyone must do some of this!)
10
You may present this tale in any form whatsoever, but your presentation many not include nudity, sexual acts
or nasty smells that can’t be controlled.