Study Help
Practice Projects
1. As a group, divide the tales up among the participants and formulate a possible reason for each pilgrim's desire to go to the shrine of St. Thomas à Becket in Canterbury.
2. Discuss the various roles that the male pilgrims assign to women and particular wives, such Griselda of The Clerk's Tale, Dorigen of The Franklin's Tale, Constance of The Man of Law's Tale, and May of The Merchant's Tale. Contrast these roles with the role of women and wives in the tales told by female pilgrims (The Wife of Bath's Tale and The Second Nun's Tale).
3. Discuss the description of the Knight in The Prologue and demonstrate how The Knight's Tale reflects upon both the Knight himself and his actions, such as helping with the drunken Cook.
4. The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale greatly upset some of the pilgrims. Discuss her views and then the various reactions to them or the reactions implied through other tales.