These activities are recommended by the Alabama Learning Exchange and The National Endowment for the Humanities. I have adjusted them to fit my classroom but I'm excited to try something new this semester. The full lesson is available here.
CT Activity 1
Instructions for students: Read the introduction and first five lessons on the "Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer's Middle English" page at the EDSITEment-reviewed Geoffrey Chaucer Website. You should notice two important differences between speaking Middle English and the English we speak today. First, many of the vowel sounds in Middle English were pronounced differently; second, the final "e" in Middle English is often pronounced rather than silent. After reading these brief lessons, write out the phonetic pronunciation of each line and practice reading it aloud. The stresses on the syllables are indicated by bold font. Next, listen to the recording of the first 18 lines of The General Prologue, available from the Chaucer Metapage Audio Files via the Geoffrey Chaucer Website. How does your own pronunciation compare with the one you just heard?
Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer's Middle EnglishThe General Prologue, Lines 1-18, ready by Tom Hanks (requires Real Player)
Your homework is to memorize these lines in Middle English to recite to Mrs. Haughaboo in the hallway during class on
Teach Yourself to Read Chaucer's Middle EnglishThe General Prologue, Lines 1-18, ready by Tom Hanks (requires Real Player)
Your homework is to memorize these lines in Middle English to recite to Mrs. Haughaboo in the hallway during class on
| canterburyprologue.pdf |
CT Activity 2
Activity 2: Meet Chaucer the Pilgrim and the Wife of BathNow that you understand that The General Prologue briefly describes all the characters on pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral, you can begin dissecting the narrator's specific portrait of the Wife of Bath. Like all the portraits in the "General Prologue," the description of the Wife of Bath reflects on the narrator that Chaucer created for his poem—sometimes called Chaucer the Pilgrim—as much as on the character of the Wife. Remember that "Chaucer the Poet" actually wrote The Canterbury Tales, but "Chaucer the Pilgrim" tells them. Making himself a character in the Tales enables Chaucer to inject opinions without claiming they are his own, a tactic which enables much of the satire and irony in The Canterbury Tales.
For example, the narrator's opinion of the Wife's cloth-making ability (lines 446-447) and his estimate of her kerchiefs (lines 453-454). How does this tendency to exaggerate affect our impression of the narrator?
Also his summary of her married life (lines 459-462). How should we interpret the narrator's suggestion here that quantity is a mark of quality, that the Wife's worth as a woman can be measured by the number of husbands she has had?
Finally, note those lines that seem to imply that the Wife has had extramarital affairs as well (lines 461, 467, 476). Are these sly turns of phrase intended by the narrator, or does Chaucer seem at points like these to be having his narrator reveal more than he means to?
Your Assignment:
Write an in-class five paragraph essay using the following prompts for each paragraph:
Paragraph 1: A general impression of the Wife of Bath, based on her portrait in the "General Prologue." Note that Chaucer devotes many lines to her costume. Does she seem fashionable? over-dressed?
Paragraph 2: Explain her domineering manner in church (lines 449-452). What does that say about her?
Paragraph 3: Tell about her world travels on pilgrimage (lines 463-467). What does that say about her?
Paragraph 4: What are her social skills like (lines 474-476)? How do they affect her interactions with others?
Paragraph 5: Write a SUMMARY of what the narrator seems to think of the Wife of Bath. Is she admirable? ridiculous? attractive? repulsive? How would she be judged back then and how would she be judged now?
For example, the narrator's opinion of the Wife's cloth-making ability (lines 446-447) and his estimate of her kerchiefs (lines 453-454). How does this tendency to exaggerate affect our impression of the narrator?
Also his summary of her married life (lines 459-462). How should we interpret the narrator's suggestion here that quantity is a mark of quality, that the Wife's worth as a woman can be measured by the number of husbands she has had?
Finally, note those lines that seem to imply that the Wife has had extramarital affairs as well (lines 461, 467, 476). Are these sly turns of phrase intended by the narrator, or does Chaucer seem at points like these to be having his narrator reveal more than he means to?
Your Assignment:
Write an in-class five paragraph essay using the following prompts for each paragraph:
Paragraph 1: A general impression of the Wife of Bath, based on her portrait in the "General Prologue." Note that Chaucer devotes many lines to her costume. Does she seem fashionable? over-dressed?
Paragraph 2: Explain her domineering manner in church (lines 449-452). What does that say about her?
Paragraph 3: Tell about her world travels on pilgrimage (lines 463-467). What does that say about her?
Paragraph 4: What are her social skills like (lines 474-476)? How do they affect her interactions with others?
Paragraph 5: Write a SUMMARY of what the narrator seems to think of the Wife of Bath. Is she admirable? ridiculous? attractive? repulsive? How would she be judged back then and how would she be judged now?
CT Activity 3
The "Auctoritees": Antifeminist Thinkers Group Activity
Turn next to the "Wife of Bath's Prologue," where she takes on medieval antifeminism and tells the story of her own much-married life. Chaucer gives us an interesting woman whose coarse speech and flashy clothing seem at odds with the depth of her learning. In the opening lines of her Prologue, the Wife proclaims that her "experience" makes her better equipped to speak about "woe in marriage" than any authority, but to prove her point, she must refute "auctoritee" by arguing against some of the well-known antifeminist tracts of Chaucer's day.
In her defense of marriage, the Wife takes aim at a long tradition of antifeminism that can be traced to St. Paul's dictums on the primacy of virginity in First Corinthians. She also alludes to St. Jerome's Against Jovinian, which argues the virtues of celibacy and portrays marriage as a necessary evil. Chaucer has the Wife quote Jerome and some of the Scriptures he cites, as well as a passage that Jerome translated fromThe Golden Book on Marriage by the ancient Greek philosopher, Theophrastus.
In addition to Jerome, the Wife's "Prologue" refers to many other antifeminist authorities, and cites many examples of the corrupting influence of women, all of which, the Wife says, were collected by her fifth husband, the clerk Jankyn, into a single volume that he called his "book of wykked wyves" (line 685). This is a fictitious book invented by Chaucer to make the Wife's erudition on this topic more plausible, but included in it are further examples from the Bible and classical literature about the danger women pose to men.
Like Chaucer himself, the Wife of Bath is well read. The Wife of Bath's defense of her five marriages and her pursuit of a sixth rests upon her ability to acknowledge the statements made by the church fathers on marriage and virginity and offer her own interpretation of them. The activity contains several passages from the writings of St. Paul and St. Jerome, two men whose opinions about women the Wife specifically alludes to in her Prologue. In the space below each example, students should find the passage in the Wife's Prologue where she makes references to these ideas about marriage and virginity and write it in the space provided. How does the Wife's opinion differ from that of the teachings of the church fathers? On what issues does she agree? You will complete this activity in groups. Your group will have 10 minutes to respond to each question followed by a class discussion one each one.
After completing the exercise, summarize the Wife's argument on marriage, using at least 3 of the following questions as a guide.
Turn next to the "Wife of Bath's Prologue," where she takes on medieval antifeminism and tells the story of her own much-married life. Chaucer gives us an interesting woman whose coarse speech and flashy clothing seem at odds with the depth of her learning. In the opening lines of her Prologue, the Wife proclaims that her "experience" makes her better equipped to speak about "woe in marriage" than any authority, but to prove her point, she must refute "auctoritee" by arguing against some of the well-known antifeminist tracts of Chaucer's day.
In her defense of marriage, the Wife takes aim at a long tradition of antifeminism that can be traced to St. Paul's dictums on the primacy of virginity in First Corinthians. She also alludes to St. Jerome's Against Jovinian, which argues the virtues of celibacy and portrays marriage as a necessary evil. Chaucer has the Wife quote Jerome and some of the Scriptures he cites, as well as a passage that Jerome translated fromThe Golden Book on Marriage by the ancient Greek philosopher, Theophrastus.
In addition to Jerome, the Wife's "Prologue" refers to many other antifeminist authorities, and cites many examples of the corrupting influence of women, all of which, the Wife says, were collected by her fifth husband, the clerk Jankyn, into a single volume that he called his "book of wykked wyves" (line 685). This is a fictitious book invented by Chaucer to make the Wife's erudition on this topic more plausible, but included in it are further examples from the Bible and classical literature about the danger women pose to men.
Like Chaucer himself, the Wife of Bath is well read. The Wife of Bath's defense of her five marriages and her pursuit of a sixth rests upon her ability to acknowledge the statements made by the church fathers on marriage and virginity and offer her own interpretation of them. The activity contains several passages from the writings of St. Paul and St. Jerome, two men whose opinions about women the Wife specifically alludes to in her Prologue. In the space below each example, students should find the passage in the Wife's Prologue where she makes references to these ideas about marriage and virginity and write it in the space provided. How does the Wife's opinion differ from that of the teachings of the church fathers? On what issues does she agree? You will complete this activity in groups. Your group will have 10 minutes to respond to each question followed by a class discussion one each one.
After completing the exercise, summarize the Wife's argument on marriage, using at least 3 of the following questions as a guide.
- How does she refute the view that marriage is less virtuous than celibacy?
- What is the basis for her claim that wives should have authority over their husbands in marriage?
- How does she argue against her third husband's antifeminist accusations?
- How does this compare with the tactics she uses against her fifth husband, Jankyn?
- How does her frank attitude and love of life add to -- or detract from -- the force of her argument?
CT Activity 4
Students will learn more about attitudes toward women and marriage that prevailed during Chaucer's time. To place Chaucer's work in historical context, students will work in groups to prepare short class reports on the institution of marriage in medieval times and the place of women in medieval society. In addition to library resources, background on these topics is available through EDSITEment at the Labyrinthwebsite and the Geoffrey Chaucer Website.
Students will respond to one of the following questions on a 4X6 note card and turn it in before the end of the period:
- Remind students that medieval marriage was a largely financial arrangement, involving a transfer of wealth from the bride's family to the groom. Does this fact make the Wife's account of her own marriages seem improbable?
- Likewise, there is evidence that medieval law held wives in subordination to their husband. Does this evidence make her arguments against academic authorities seem somewhat beside the point? Should we view her not as a freethinker but as an outlaw?
- Finally, what of love? In medieval times, love seems to have had little place in marriage. How should this fact influence our response to the Wife's frequent emphasis on sexual appeal as a driving force in her relationships?
Students will respond to one of the following questions on a 4X6 note card and turn it in before the end of the period:
- How does The Wife of Bath's Prologue connect to her tale?
- Do you agree with the answer that women really want "mastery" over their husbands? Why or why not?
CT Activity 5
After students have read the Wife's tale, consider first what might have led Chaucer to give her this story to tell. Throughout The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer generally gives his pilgrims tales that fit their character. Thus the Knight, who is the noblest member of the group, recites a chivalric romance, while the Miller, who is one of the commoners, tells a bawdy tale. In other cases, Chaucer creates a dramatic motivation for his pilgrims' choice of tales, as when the Friar's insulting tale of a summoner prompts the Summoner to tell an insulting tale about a friar. The following questions may have guide discussion of the Wife of Bath's Tale:
Answer one of the following questions :
- To what extent does the Wife's tale seem appropriate to her character as it has been depicted?
- Does the tale reveal new or unexpected aspects of her character? Does it illuminate any of the very different relationships that she has experienced in marriage?
- The moral of the story seems to confirm her argument in the "Prologue," that wives should have authority over their husbands, but the proof of the moral seems to come through magic. Are we to take the story at face value, or is it, in the truest sense, a "fairy tale"? How does this reflect on the Wife's character and opinions?
- Does Chaucer in this way represent the Wife as seeing herself as the "loathly lady" waiting for some loving husband to unlock the beauty inside her?
Answer one of the following questions :
- To what extent does this argument confirm the moral order of medieval life, which placed spiritual values above worldly ones?
- To what extent does it undermine the medieval belief in natural hierarchy, which saw a feudal pattern governing all things?
- Note that the hag's argument cannot change her loathly appearance. That occurs when her husband refuses the choice between inner truth and outer beauty by giving the governance in their marriage to her. In doing so, does he reject the concept of a natural hierarchy, which gives men authority over women, and place his faith instead in a spiritual order? Or does he "say the magic words" in the fairy tale tradition?
Objectives met in these lessons from The Alabama Course of Study
19.) Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. [W.11-12.1]
a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. [W.11-12.1a]
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. [W.11-12.1b]
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. [W.11-12.1c]
d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. [W.11-12.1d]
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. [W.11-12.1e]
22.) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 19-21 above.) [W.11-12.4]
23.) Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three standards in the Language strand in Grades K-12.) [W.11-12.5]
a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. [W.11-12.1a]
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. [W.11-12.1b]
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. [W.11-12.1c]
d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. [W.11-12.1d]
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. [W.11-12.1e]
22.) Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 19-21 above.) [W.11-12.4]
23.) Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of the first three standards in the Language strand in Grades K-12.) [W.11-12.5]
