Destinations:

Home

WCU

Email Me

Book of the Duchess
1. In the beginning of the poem, what is the narrator having trouble doing?
2. What does the narrator do to try and solve this problem?
3. In the story of Seys and Alcyone; how does the husband (Seys) die?
4. How does Alcyone find out about his death?
5. Identify one other thing you remember from the reading for today.

Gower’s Confessio Amantis
1. What is a “recension”?
2. At the beginning of Book 1, which two deities arrive in answer to the narrator’s complaint?
3. One of those deities summons a confessor for the narrator – who is that confessor (what is his name)?
4. In the story of Acteon, what did Acteon do wrong?
5. What was Acteon’s punishment for that transgression?

General Prologue
1. During what month does the Canterbury Tales begin?
2. How many pilgrims does the narrator meet at the inn?
3. What are they planning to do in Canterbury?
4. Who is the first pilgrim described?
5. Identify one other thing about the CT that you think is an important issue.

Knight's Tale
1. How are Palamon and Arcite related?
2. From where do Palamon and Arcite first see Emily and where is she when they first see her?
3. Identify two of the three deities to whom Palamon, Arcite, and Emily pray?
4. How is it decided which of them ( Palamon or Arcite ) gets to marry Emily?
5. At the beginning of the Knight’s Tale, who is the focus of the story (before we even meet Palamon and Arcite).

Miller's Tale
1. Who does the Host first ask to tell the next tale after the Knight’s?
2. What adjective is often used before Nicholas’ name?
3. What does Nicholas make John believe will happen (so that Nicholas can “rage and pleye” with John’s wife)?
4. What is John’s other profession (apart from Innkeeper)?
5. Of what is Absolom somewhat squeamish?

Friar/Summoner
1. In the Friar’s Tale, whom does the Summoner meet on the road?
2. In the Friar’s Tale, what does the old woman agree to give to send the Summoner to Hell?
3. In the Summoner’s Prologue, where are all the Friars located in Hell?
4. In the Summoner’s Tale, what does the Friar get from the ailing Thomas instead of money?
5. Identify one physical characteristic of the Friar or the Summoner from the General Prologue (be sure to tell me which one you are addressing)?
Extra Credit: The Friar in the Summoner’s Tale repeatedly states that he must “glose” for the ailing Thomas; what does “glose” mean?

Tale of Constance
1. What is the lesson/moral of Gower's tale, according to Genius?
2. What are the two different names for the heroine?
3-5. Identify three specific differences between Gower's version of the tale and Chaucer's