Siekmeier via AHS
The Canterbury Tales
Breakout Tale Work
Select a tale to read and work with. Choose your tale wisely; Chaucer himself
has warned you that some tales are morally problematic. Use the supplied
materials as reading aids, as available.
Tale:___________________________________________________________________
Prereading
Before you begin the tale, review what the General Prologue says about the
pilgrim who tells the tale. Then, read the prologue to the tale. You must
understand who is telling this tale, the context of the telling, and how the tale
suits the teller.
Perireading: Thinking While Reading
As you read your tale, study its characters, conflicts, symbols, imagery, and
themes. Look for Chaucerian irony and satire. Figure out what the story reveals
about the Middle Ages and also about humankind in general.
What does the tale reveal about these thematic topics?
>Marriage (role of husband/wife; problems that occur in marriage, etc.)
>Love (both carnal and spiritual)
>Role of the Catholic Church, its ideals and its flaws
>Class structure (upper, middle, lower class practices and attitudes)
>Role of women in society (battle of the sexes)
>Evil/Goodness; Sin/Virtue
>Justice and nobility
>Redemption/Rebirth
>The ideals of Chivalry/Courtly love
How does the tale suit the teller and fit into the larger frame story? Consider:
~Do any characters in the tale remind you of the teller?
~Do any characters in the tale represent what the teller would like to be?
~What idea or principle in the tale represents the values of the teller?
~Does the style match the voice and personality of the teller?
~Is there anything ironic about the tale in relation to the teller?
~What in the tale doesn’t fit the teller? What significance do you see here?
~Why does Chaucer include this tale in the frame story? How does the
tale help him in his overall purpose?
tls\02/15/16
1
Palatino
Siekmeier via AHS
Postreading
After studying the tale, write a one-page response that evaluates how successful
the tale is both as a short story and as a part of a larger frame story. Consider the
Prereading and Perireading points above, along with the following:
1) How well does the tale meet the host’s criteria of “good morality” and
“general pleasure”? [cf. new Penguin, p. 24; HRW, p. 126, l. 818]
2) How well does the tale help Chaucer to accomplish his purpose in The
Canterbury Tales? How does the tale fit the teller and help to convey
Chaucer’s themes and attitudes?
Suggested Writing Format
Introduction:
oIntroduce the tale and its teller. Give a one sentence description of the
teller. Then, give a one or two sentence plot summary of the tale itself.
oPresent a thesis that addresses one of the questions above.
Body:
+Paragraph uno: Evaluate how well the tale illustrates “general pleasure” and
“good morality.” Analyze how the story’s literary elements—plot,
conflict, symbol, character, imagery, tone, setting—bring pleasure and
meaning to a reader. Weave in and interpret textual detail and direct
quotations. Go below the surface of the story.
+Paragraph dos: Analyze how well the tale helps Chaucer accomplish his
larger purpose in the frame story. To do this, discuss the following:
oDiscuss how well the tale relates to the teller. Show whether the
spirit of the pilgrim from the General Prologue and the prologue to
the tale extends into the tale. Weave in and interpret significant
details and quotations. Provide page references to any quotation
you make of the tale.
oDiscuss what Chaucer accomplishes with this pilgrim and this tale. Is
he being satiric, ironic, serious? What is his point, his big idea?
Conclusion:
+Highlight or emphasize some of your key points by way of review.
+Answer the question, "So what?; Who cares?" What can a modern reader
(you! and your classmates) gain by reading this tale?
Tip: Any reference to the title of the tale is done thusly: "The Pilgrim's
(possessive) Tale." Use the article, capitalize each word, provide quotes.
tls\02/15/16
2
Palatino