Due: March 2nd and March 3rd

By class on Wednesday, make sure that you have gone through the pilgrims in the General Prologue. Examine their characterization by Chaucer. What significant details does he include? How does the type of details change depending on the specific pilgrim? Why are some names mentioned, and some not? What do you think the rationale is in creating them in this manner?

Read through the handout on the GP as an Estate Satire... there are some significant questions that can aid in your examination of the pilgrims...

You will also be thinking about the use of the Estate Satire... what are the goals of this structure? What are the benefits for Chaucer's purpose?  How do the pilgrims aid in this?

Think about the following questions:
1. To what Estate does each pilgrim belong?
2. What physical descriptions does Chaucer include? Why do some have physical descriptions, and some are limited?
3. What clothing description does Chaucer provide? Clothing is important to Chaucer. Study it carefully.
4. What tone does Chaucer take with each Pilgrim?
5. How does the Pilgrim play to archetype? Against it?

Extra Credit opportunity: Recite by memory the first 18 lines of the General Prologue... IN MIDDLE ENGLISH. The M.E. form and the pronunciation can be found under "CT links". You will also find a Youtube video with the audio of the pronunciation. This is totally doable. If you can sing and 1D song or Taylor Swift song by heart... 18 lines is cake. 

Presentation of the 18 lines will be during class on MARCH 18th. Let me know if you are going to do it. Serious attempts, only.