Canterbury Tales
Independent Tale Assignment
British Literature & Composition
Choose one tale from the following list and complete this assignment for that tale. This
assignment is due Friday, September 13, 2015.
Put all your answers on your own paper, or type (preferred).
Tales to choose from are as follows:
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The Nun’s Priest’s Tale ________________________
The Knight’s Tale________________________
The Miller’s Tale________________________
The Reeve’s Tale________________________
The Cook’s Tale________________________
The Man of Law’s Tale________________________
The Shipman’s Tale________________________
The Prioress’s Tale________________________
The Monk’s Tale________________________
The Friar’s Tale________________________
The Summoner’s Tale________________________
The Cleric’s Tale________________________
The Merchant’s Tale________________________
The Squire’s Tale________________________
The Franklin’s Tale________________________
The Physician’s Tale________________________
The Second Nun’s Tale________________________
The Yeoman’s Tale________________________
The Manciple’s Tale________________________
The Parson’s Tale________________________
The Tale of Sir Thopas________________________
Chaucer’s Retraction________________________
Assignment: Read the prologue to the tale and the tale itself. Also, reread the GP to gain
information about your storyteller.
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. SOAPSTone/DIDLS/or TP-CASTT the tale.
4. Point out and explain any instances of irony either in your tale or connected with
the storyteller.
5. 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.
6. 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.