HW51

Chaucer Paper Assignment

This candle marks the stop where the shrine (built 1220) of Saint Thomas Becket (1118-1170) stood in the Trinity Chapel of Canterbury cathedral.  The candle is there because King Henry VIII (8) had the shrine destroyed in 1538 (and Becket's bones too).  While in existence, the shrine was an extremely popular site for pilgrimage, which serves as the frame story for Chaucer's tales.  Photo credit Pug

Read Chaucer, Canterbury Tales (only those tales in the Dover Thrift paperback edition:  General Prologue, Knight's Tale, Miller's Prologue, Miller's Tale, Wife of Bath's Prologue and the Tale of the Wife of Bath.). Answer the following question in a one-page paper:Citing specific evidence from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (not from the textbook), how "religious" was medieval society (or was it not religious)?

Before proceeding, you might wish to read the short notes and review the study questions on Chaucer. 

Your paper must follow this format:

• font size 10 or 12 only
• one-inch margins
• double-spaced
• page number citations for your quoted evidence
• not to exceed one (1) page
• name at the top left
• must have brief introduction and conclusion paragraphs (each not to exceed two sentences)