Web Quest:

Cultural and Historical Context for The Canterbury Tales

Directions: Complete the following Web Quest as a way of gaining background knowledge which will help you understand the context and content ofThe Canterbury Tales.

Part I: Context and Definitions

Directions: Use your own searching skills to answer the following questions.

  1. Define heroiccouplet and provide an example.
  1. Define the term vernacular.
  1. IN YOUR OWN WORDS, define the term Horatian Satire. How does this differ fromJuvenalian Satire?
  1. Define the literary device framestory.

Part II: Background of Geoffrey Chaucer

Directions: Go to the following website about Chaucer’s background:

Use the information from the site to take notes on the following chart to determine the significant aspects of/ events during the Middle Ages. Use bullet points and put everything in your own words.

Background of Chaucer / Notes
View of Religion and Church
Father’s Career & its influence on Chaucer
Chaucer’s Careers
Chaucer’s Social Position

Part III: The Middle Ages

Directions: Go to the following websites about the Middle Ages and Gender Roles:

Use the information from the sitesto take notes on the following chart to determine the significant aspects of/ events during the Middle Ages. Use bullet points and put everything in your own words.

Elements of the Middle Ages / Notes
Religion & beliefs
Women’s roles, Men’s roles, and Marriage
Traditions & rituals
The Bubonic Plague
(aka: Black Plague)

Part III: Pilgrimages

Directions: Go to the following website about the Pilgrims of the Middle Ages:

Use the information you find in ALL FOUR PARTS to respond to the following questions.

Pilgrims and Pilgrimages / Notes
Reasons for Pilgrimages
Length & Direction of Pilgrimages
Occupations of Pilgrims
Popular Pilgrimage Locations and Chaucer’s Pilgrims’ gathering place

Part V: Closing Question

Directions: Respond to the following question after completing the Web Quest.

Based on the background knowledge you acquired, write a twitter conversation consisting of at least four tweets (two from a woman; two from a man) between people in the Middle Ages that reflect the new information gathered in the Web Quest. You are required to utilizecreatively the information learned about Chaucer, the social structure of the Middle Ages, satire, or Pilgrimages.