The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by pilgrims traveling to Canterbury Cathedral. The stories are told in a frame narrative, where the pilgrims compete for a free meal.
Reading and Writing Workshop: An Exploration Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
Begin by reading the work either in groups or as a class. If group reading, divide the work into sections and assign each group a section. As groups, they will read their section, write a summary of each chapter, and then each group reports on their chapters sequentially. As students read, they should complete the Novel Tracker. After reading and reporting on the entire novel, the workshop might consist of a single session or more. The goal is to engage participants in an exploration of life in an American religious colony through primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of concepts such as English society, cultural norms, conflict, and resilience.
Objective: This workshop is divided into structured sessions, each focusing on reading, discussion, and writing activities to support student learning and context. The workshop incorporates public domain primary resources to deepen understanding and inspire creative expression. Students will also 1) Analyze the themes and character dynamics of the novel, 2) Examine primary sources to contextualize the novel's setting and societal norms. and
3) Develop creative writing pieces inspired by the novel and its historical context.
*This workshop explores Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales using public domain memoirs, real-life stories, fiction, poetry, and scripts to inspire creative writing. Participants will engage in guided reading, discussion, writing exercises, and peer collaboration to develop their understanding of medieval literature and storytelling.
Session Structure:
Each session follows a structured approach, integrating reading, writing, and discussion using primary public domain resources.
Session 1: Pilgrimage and Storytelling Traditions
Implementation Tips:
Begin by reading the work either in groups or as a class. If group reading, divide the work into sections and assign each group a section. As groups, they will read their section, write a summary of each chapter, and then each group reports on their chapters sequentially. As students read, they should complete the Novel Tracker. After reading and reporting on the entire novel, the workshop might consist of a single session or more. The goal is to engage participants in an exploration of life in an American religious colony through primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of concepts such as English society, cultural norms, conflict, and resilience.
Objective: This workshop is divided into structured sessions, each focusing on reading, discussion, and writing activities to support student learning and context. The workshop incorporates public domain primary resources to deepen understanding and inspire creative expression. Students will also 1) Analyze the themes and character dynamics of the novel, 2) Examine primary sources to contextualize the novel's setting and societal norms. and
3) Develop creative writing pieces inspired by the novel and its historical context.
*This workshop explores Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales using public domain memoirs, real-life stories, fiction, poetry, and scripts to inspire creative writing. Participants will engage in guided reading, discussion, writing exercises, and peer collaboration to develop their understanding of medieval literature and storytelling.
Session Structure:
Each session follows a structured approach, integrating reading, writing, and discussion using primary public domain resources.
Session 1: Pilgrimage and Storytelling Traditions
- Focus Lesson: Introduction to medieval pilgrimage and its significance in The Canterbury Tales.
- Reading: Selections from The General Prologue (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2383).
- Discussion: Compare Chaucer’s depiction of pilgrimage with The Pilgrimage of Egeria (https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/egeria.asp) and Margery Kempe’s Autobiography (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/517).
- Writing Exercise: Compose a Medieval Diary Entry from the perspective of a fictional traveler.
- Focus Lesson: Chaucer’s use of satire to critique medieval society.
- Reading: The Wife of Bath’s Tale and The Pardoner’s Tale (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2383).
- Discussion: Compare with other medieval satirical works like Piers Plowman (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4369) and The Decameron (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23700).
- Writing Exercise: Create a Satirical Poem critiquing a modern social issue in Chaucer’s style.
- Focus Lesson: Understanding Chaucer’s character-driven storytelling.
- Reading: Excerpts from The General Prologue describing different pilgrims.
- Discussion: Explore the motivations and personalities of the characters.
- Writing Exercise: Develop a Character Monologue revealing a pilgrim’s hidden thoughts and motivations.
- Focus Lesson: Analyzing Chaucer’s poetic style and the evolution of English poetry.
- Reading: Selected passages from The Canterbury Tales in Middle English (https://ota.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/repository/xmlui/handle/20.500.12024/2552) and supporting materials like A Middle English Primer (https://archive.org/details/middleenglishpri00swee).
- Discussion: How Chaucer’s verse influenced later poetry, referencing The Development of English Poetry (https://archive.org/details/historyofenglish01couruoft).
- Writing Exercise: Rewrite a Chaucerian tale in modern English while maintaining the original rhyme scheme.
- Focus Lesson: Applying Chaucer’s storytelling techniques to contemporary settings.
- Discussion: Identify elements of The Canterbury Tales that can be adapted to modern-day storytelling.
- Writing Exercise: Write a Modern Pilgrimage Tale, imagining contemporary characters on a shared journey, mirroring Chaucer’s structure.
- Peer Collaboration: Share and discuss stories with writing partners.
- Students share their favorite written pieces and reflect on their learning journey.
- Discussion on how Chaucer’s themes are still relevant today.
Implementation Tips:
- Encourage student choice in selecting reading and writing projects.
- Provide structured yet flexible support through small groups and conferences.
- Integrate writing about reading to deepen comprehension.
- Foster a collaborative learning environment where students learn from one another.