Canterbury Tales
Independent Tale Assignment
AP English Literature & Composition
Whitted/2010
Choose one tale from the following list and complete this assignment for that tale. This
assignment is due __September 27, 2010__. Remember, each day your assignment is
late I will deduct 7 points.
Put all your answers on your own paper, or type (preferred).
Tales to choose from:

The Man of Law’s Tale

The Nun’s Priest’s Tale

The Wife of Bath’s Tale

The Merchant’s Tale

The Prioress's Tale

The Pardoner’s Tale
Assignment: Read the prologue to the tale and the tale itself. Also, reread the GP to gain
information about your story teller.
1. Who tells the tale? What do you learn about him/her from the GP and the story’s
prologue? Write a 100 word character sketch of your storyteller.
2. Summarize the plot of your tale (short!!!)
3. Point out and explain any instances of irony either in your tale or connected with
the storyteller.
4. What is Chaucer’s overall purpose (think THEME) in including this tale in the
CT? What does he hope his reader will learn? Explain how he achieves his
purpose in a short essay that cites examples from the tale.
a. For example, if you say that the purpose of the Nurse’s Tale (no such
thing) is to show how the qualities of compassion and caring are virtuous,
then cite examples from the tale to prove that this is true.
b. If you want to seek help, you can hunt for a critical essay on this tale to
use a source. This is not required. But, if you do use an essay, you must
attach a works cited page.
5. Write one paragraph in which you make some connection between the tale and
life or people living today. In other words, can people today still learn anything of
value from reading this tale? Or, do the people and/or situations in this tale mirror,
in any way, people and/or situations that exist today? Explain fully.