The Canterbury Tales Group Assignment
(you will have two weeks from the date assigned for all work to be due)
1.
2.
You and 1 or 2 partners or two will choose one tale from the Canterbury Tales
You will each be responsible for presenting the tale(s) to the class and providing a
worksheet for the class to complete while you present. (see below for criteria).
The Worksheet, Portrait, and Modern Day parallel:
1. PORTRAIT: A colorful drawing of the pilgrim. The drawing should be large,
neat, reflect Chaucer's details, and identify the pilgrim across the bottom with
a line from the tale that exemplifies the character’s
personality (cite the page). (i.e.," a most worthy knight")
2. WORKSHEET: You must include at least 5 short answer questions that the
class will be able to answer while you are presenting as well as fill in the
blank questions. YOU MAY NOT have any true/false, yes/no, or crossword
questions
Include the following on the worksheet:
* include questions about the character’s background and the tale he or
she shares with the group and what that tale tells us about the
character.
*
*
*
Determine whether your character is a member of the Church, the Court, or
the Commoners.
Make bullet notes on the type of clothes that he/she wears and the physical
description of the character.
Summarize that character’s personality traits. Be prepared to defend your
characterization.
3. MODERN DAY PARALLEL - If the pilgrim were alive today, what
might he or she be doing? Try to find an occupation that fits the pilgrim's dress
and personality.
3.
You will also present to the class and be graded on both of your ability to present the
tale and teach the class about its meaning and the character, you must also provide me
with the answers to your worksheet in your presentation.
4.
You will also write two papers for this assignment (see below for criteria)
1. Character Analysis Paper (100 points)
Format: 2-3 typed pages. Follow the format for student papers and the
parenthetical documentation and attach a Works Cited page.
Content and Structure: Write a character analysis for one of your pilgrims.
You should develop a careful analysis that is well supported with evidence from the
text (at least 3 specific examples referencing page numbers in MLA format)
A Character Analysis:
Consider the choices the character makes, his/her major physical and mental traits
(ambitious, lazy, arrogant, kind), what the character says about him/herself, what the
character does, whether the character grows or remains the same. Is this important to your
analysis? Perhaps you feel that the character is controlled or determined by the eyes through
which s/he is perceived (other characters, narrator).
You could choose from several methods to back up your thesis:
1. Organization around a central characteristic, like a kindness, gentleness, generosity,
firmness, or resoluteness of will frustrated by inopportune moments of action, resulting in
despondency, doubt, and melancholy. A body containing this sort of material would
demonstrate how the literary work brings out each of these qualities.
2. Organization around a development or change of character. Here you would attempt to
show the character traits a character possesses at the start of the work, and then describe the
changes or developments that occur. Try to determine the narrator’s view on such changes;
that is, is the change genuine, or does the narrator establish hidden traits in the character
which are brought out as the story progresses?
3. Organization around central incidents that reveal primary characteristics. Certain key
incidents will stand out in a work, and you might create an effective body by using three or
four of these as guide for your discussion, taking care to show in your topic sentence that
your purpose is to illuminate the character you have selected, not the incidents. Therefore,
regard the incidents only as they bring out the truths about the character. Naturally, with this
arrangement, you would have to show how the incidents bring out the characteristics and also
how they serve to explain other things the character might do.
2. Typed 2-page written overview of one of your Tales (different from
character analysis tale) including the following criteria
A. Title
B. Main Characters: briefly describe them and their relationship to one another.
C. Synopsis/Plot Summary
1. What happens in the story?
2. Include conflicts and resolution.
D. Theme
1. Discuss the underlying/implied meaning/moral lesson
2. Discuss the relevance of the theme to our world today.
Due Date Papers:
Due Date Worksheet and Image:
Presentation Date:
______________________
______________________
______________________
Expectations
1. Research and cooperative work during assigned class time is expected. I reserve the right
to lower your grade in accordance with the nature of any infraction.
2. All written portions of the project are due the day of each creative performance, except for
the critical analysis which is due on.
3. All groups will present. Two groups will perform each day: we will select names from a
hat to determine which group will perform
N.B. Because of the cooperative nature of this project, it is extremely important that you do
your best to attend class on a regular basis during the time of this project. Poor attendance
will affect your individual grade and will seriously undermine the success of your group.
Creative presentation for EXTRA CREDIT
A. videotaped dramatic interpretation presented to the class
B. Use your imagination! Ideas: skit, interviews, song, talk show
C. Time – not to exceed 15-20 minutes. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO
REHEARSE.
You may use the following websites for additional help or to read the Tales online:
http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/
http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/month/may2004.html (has images)
http://www.librarius.com/cantlink/links.htm
http://www.kankedort.net/
http://wsu.edu/~delahoyd/chaucer/index.html
Powerpoint Grading Criteria:
___ All group members present for presentation (5 points)
___ Appearance: Dress up for this presentation (5 points)
___ Presentation time frame: 3-5 minutes (5 points)
___ Introduction: basically a topic sentence to introduce the presentation (5 points)
___ Powerpoint slide show (mostly images and visuals) (5 points)
___ Slides: Title slide, content slides, review (conclusion) slide, credits slide (5 points)
___ Oral summary of the tale that corresponds to the slide show (5 points)
___ Visual channel: eye contact, facial expression, gestures (5 points)
___ Vocal channel: clarity, variations in volume and rate, vocal animation (5 points)
___ Conclusion: basically a clincher sentence to summarize the presentation (5 points)
Pilgrim Group Presentation Rubric
Student Names: _____________________________________________
______________________________________________
Category
Knowledge/
Personality
Profile
20
All students showed
excellent knowledge
of content, needing
no cues and showing
no hesitation in
talking or answering
questions.
16
All students showed
excellent knowledge of
content, but needed
note cards once to talk
or answer questions.
12
Students showed excellent
knowledge of content, but
1-2
students needed note
cards often to talk or
answer questions.
8
Most students
needed note cards
to talk and to
answer questions.
Presentation
Provided excellent
context and in-depth
analysis of assigned
pilgrim and presented the
subject matter in a
dynamic and engaging
manner.
Provided excellent
context and analysis
with minor omissions
and presented in an
engaging manner.
Provided good context
and analysis with one or
two major omissions and
presented in a somewhat
creative manner.
Little to no analysis
and material not
presented in a
creative or
interesting manner.
Modern-day
Parallel
Pilgrim is excellently and
correctly analogized to a
modern day character and
the connection is clearly
drawn.
Pilgrim is correctly
analogized to a modern
character but the
connection is unclear or
incorrect.
Length of
presentation
Presentation was at least
five minutes in length and
all components were
thoroughly addressed.
Pilgrim is excellently
and correctly
analogized to a modern
character with the
connection only
moderately clear.
Presentation was at
least five minutes in
length and all
components were
addressed, with some
stronger than others.
Interpretation
Students accurately show
Chaucer’s attitude toward
the subject through tone.
Portrait
The colorful portrait
reflects the description of
the Pilgrim from the tale
and is well explained.
Students mostly
correctly show
Chaucer’s attitude
toward the subject.
The colorful portrait
mostly reflects the
description of the
Pilgrim from the tale
and is well explained.
Students somewhat
correctly show Chaucer’s
attitude toward the
subject.
The colorful portrait
somewhat reflects the
description of the Pilgrim
from the tale and is well
explained.
Worksheet
The worksheet includes
all required criteria
The worksheet includes
most of the required
criteria
The worksheet includes
some of the required
criteria
The parallel is not
clearly or correctly
drawn and the
analogy lacks
clarity or
definition.
Presentation did not
address the
majority of
required
components and
was well short of
five minutes.
Students mostly fail
to correctly show
Chaucer’s attitude
toward the subject.
The colorful
portrait does not
reflect the
description of the
Pilgrim from the
tale and is well
explained.
The worksheet
includes very little
required
information
TOTAL POINTS
__________________________/140
Presentation was shorter
than five minutes in
length and only 2-3
components were
addressed.
Give examples and explain Chaucer’s use of symbolism in “The Pardoner’s Tale.”
Compare and contrast the Knight’s view of women, as expressed in his tale, with the Wife of
Bath’s view of women, as expressed in her tale.
Explain how the Miller’s character is revealed in his tale.
Explain Chaucer’s use of irony in “The Pardoner’s Tale.” Cite several examples.
How is “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” an example of a mock heroic epic?
“The Knight’s Tale”
Short Writing Assignment
In the “Knight’s Tale” Chaucer poses a question to the reader. In a paragraph (10-12
lines) you are to answer Chaucer’s question.
You lovers, here’s a question I would offer,
Arcita or Palamon, which had most to suffer?
The one can see his lady day by day,
But he must dwell in prison, locked away
The other’s free, the world lies all before,
But never shall see his lady more.
Judge as you please between them, you that can,
For I’ll tell on my tale as I began.
Grading Criteria:
Proper heading & page numbering format
Typed and double spaced
A specific topic sentence: state what you are going to prove
10-12 sentences
2 quotes to support your point of view (one that addresses Palamon and one
that addresses Arcita)