Chaucer Cantebury

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English 3 CP

The Canterbury Tales Test (60 pts.)

“BACKGROUND”: 1-4

1. During the Medieval time period in England, which of the following lists is correct concerning the language spoken during this time: a. Latin – church; French – nobility; Middle English – peasants b. Latin – church; Italian – nobility; French – peasants c. Italian – church; French – nobility; Latin – peasants d. Everyone was educated so they could speak Latin, French and Middle English

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“GENERAL PROLOGUE”: Using your knowledge about the “General Prologue,” answer the following questions. (2 pts. each)

5. In “The Prologue” to The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer uses the pilgrimage primarily as a device to: a. Emphasize the characters’ religious aspirations. b. Frame the stories told by individual characters. c. Describe the rigors of medieval life. d. Create a vivid and realistic setting.

6. In "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales, whom do the pilgrims agree to set up as judge over themselves? a. The narrator. b. The Host. c. The Oxford Cleric. d. The Sergeant at the Law

7. Write the letter of the phrase that best summarizes the meaning of the following lines from Canterbury Tales.

“Whatever money from his friends he took / He spent on learning or another book / And prayed for them most earnestly, returning / Thanks to them thus for paying for his learning.”

a. He stole his friends' money, spent it on books, and then prayed his friends would return. b. Whatever money he borrowed from his friends he spent on his studies and books, prayed for more books, and then sent his friends thank-you notes for paying for his learning. c. Whatever money he could get from his friends he spent on his studies and books, prayed for his books, and then returned thanks to his friends for paying for his learning. d. Whatever money he borrowed from his friends he spent on his studies and books and then prayed earnestly for his friends as a way of giving them thanks.

8. Chaucer uses juxtapositions in the prologue as a means of helping to characterize some of the pilgrims. By positioning his description of the Miller almost immediately after that of the Plowman, Chaucer accentuates: a. The virtues of the Plowman. b. The buffoonishness and criminality of the Miller. c. The kinship between these two laborers. d. Both the virtues of the Plowman, as well as the buffoonishness and criminality of the Miller.

9. In "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer uses physiognomy as a means to help characterize the pilgrims. The fact that he describes the Pardoner's hair as "rat-tails" was primarily used to: a. Furnish realistic detail. Provide comic relief. Suggest the Pardoner's obsession with current fashions. Imply moral corruption.

10. What theme does Chaucer convey in "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales? a. The conflicts inherent in society. b. The infinite variety of human nature. c. The basic evil of mankind. d. The pitfalls of sensual pleasure.

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DIRECT and INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION: Identify the line given as an example of (A) Direct characterization or (B) Indirect characterization. (2 pts. each)

12. Knight – “He was a true and perfect gentle knight.”

13. Prioress – “…and she spoke daintily in French, extremely, after the school of Stratford-atte-Bowe.”

14. Parson – “A holy-minded man of good renown there was…Yet he was rich in holy thought and work.”

15. Miller – “He was a master-hand at stealing grain, He felt it with his thumb and thus he knew it’s quality and took three times his due!”

16. Pardoner – “This Pardoner had hair as yellow as wax… thinly they fell, like rat-tails, one by one.”

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“NUN’S PRIEST’S TALE”: Using your knowledge about the “Nun’s Priest’s Tale”, answer the following questions. (2 pts. each)

14. In "The Nun's Priest's Tale," which character trait ALMOST leads to Chanticleer's downfall? a. His respect for family. b. His tendency to boast. c. His taste for romance. d. His fear of battle.

15. In "The Nun's Priest's Tale," Chanticleer tells Pertelote several stories in order to prove that: e. Dreams can be prophetic (telling of the future). a. Dreams can be confusing. b. Murder never goes unpunished. c. History offers valuable lessons.

11. Both Chanticleer and the Fox learn valuable lessons at the end of the tale. The fox learns that “plagues [should] be flung on all who chatter that should hold their tongue.” What modern day saying is closest to what Chanticleer says he learns from his experiences? a. Never listen to a woman because her “counsel is often cold.” b. Don’t brag or run your mouth. c. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. d. Don’t eat yellow snow.

12. After all is said and done, the narrator claims that the audience should take which of the following morals away from "The Nun's Priest's Tale:" a. Beware of flatter b. Women are treacherous. c. Dreams are unreliable. d. “Murder will out”

13. In "The Nun's Priest's Tale," Chanticleer is the one most sure that his dream is prophetic, and yet he fails to recognize the danger he is in when the fox appears and appeals to his vanity. This is an example of: a. Irony. b. Hedonism c. Heroism d. Flattery

14. In terms of literary analysis, an authority is defined as: a. Someone of importance or in a place of power, like the police. b. A citing of a famous stories/person to support one’s reasoning for an idea or action. c. A genre in which animals act like human beings and where a moral/lesson is to be learned. d. Using the language of heroes to describe ordinary people.

15. Which of the following BEST describes the character traits of the fox: a. Crafty, timorous (nervous), and derisive (sarcastic). b. Ugly, crafty, and boastful. c. Handsome, brave, and debonair (suave). d. Crafty, insincere, and boastful.

16. What does the fox say to Chanticleer to get him to stay in the barn yard and talk: a. He wasn’t spying; he just wanted to listen to him sing. b. He knew his parents well and even had them over for dinner. c. That Chanticleer would have great singing technique if he stood on his toes, stuck out his neck, and closed his eyes. d. All of the above.

17. In "The Nun's Priest's Tale," the narrator's description of Chanticleer's remarkable beauty and unsurpassed skill helps emphasize and explain the basis for Chanticleer's: a. Inability to see danger. b. Love of Pertelote. c. Vanity and pride. d. Intelligence and nobility.

18. One of the ways Chaucer achieves a mock-heroic style in "The Nun's Priest's Tale" is by: In the line: "Sure never such a cry or lamentation / Was made by ladies of high Trojan station..." Chaucer compares the hens suffering to that of the women who lost their husbands during the Trojan war. This is an example of how Chaucer achieved his mock-heroic style, which means to: a. Give his tale as a maxim. b. Liken Chanticleer to a god. c. Use heroic language to depict ordinary creatures involved in a commonplace barnyard event. d. Set the events of this story within the framework of another story.

19. At one point in the story, Lady Pertelote tells her husband that, “All women long for husbands tough, dependable and free… not a fool.” She says this because: a. Her husband backed down and ran away from a beast. b. Her husband is really bothered by his bad dream. c. Her husband refuses to hold her “wing.” d. Her husband favors one of the other hens.

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“PARONER’S TALE”: Using your knowledge about the “Pardoner’s Tale”, answer the following questions. (2 pts. each)

20. At the beginning of the story, the young men are all indulged in all of the following “tavern vices” except: a. drinking b. robbing c. gambling d. swearing

21. Which answer best paraphrases the following line from the old man:

“Because I cannot find a man, nay, though I walked from here to Ind, either in town or country who’ll engage to give his youth in barter for my age… not even Death, alas! My life will take.”

a. I cannot find anyone who will switch his/her youth with me. b. I’ve walked from here to Ind and no one will barter with me. c. There is no man in this town or country who will swap his youth for my age – not even Death himself. d. Even Death thinks I am too worthless to barter with. Men here won’t swap with me.

22. The youngest reveler plans to: a. Murder the oldest b. Poison both of the other two c. Sneak back and steal the gold for himself d. Stab both of the other two

23. Which literary devices do the following lines reiterate from “The Pardoner’s Tale”:

“The boy speaks truth, for Death has slain, this year / A mile or more hence, in a large village… and we three will go slay this traitor Death.”

a. juxaposition b. exemplum c. alliteration d. allegory

24. Who do the 3 men go looking for and why? a. Death because he killed their friend. b. Greed because they were all greedy. c. The bartender so he could get them a drink. d. Ms. McQuillan so she could show them how to master DGP.

25. One of major themes from the “Pardoner’s Tale” was: a. There is an infinite variety of people in the world. b. Greed is the root of all evil. c. Religious people are corrupt. d. Death always wins out

Open-Ended Question/Short Essay (10 pts)

After reading the “Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” consider how Chaucer characterizes and “writes” the Fox and Chanticleer. From that, we can infer that the narrator is a man who admires those with great rhetorical skill. Using at least 2 examples from the tale, explain why this is true.

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EXTRA QUESTIONS:

26. All of the following ideas are representative of the idea of courtly love EXCEPT: a. Knights rescuing maidens in distress. b. Embarking on quests, especially to protect the innocent. c. Backing down from difficult challenges. d. Forming special bonds with other knights and rulers.

27. In "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales,Chaucer uses physiognomy as way help characterize some of his characterizes. Chaucer calls the Franklin's girdle "white as morning milk" in order to: a. Furnish realistic detail b. Provide comic relief c. Suggest/imply his purity of heart d. Imply/reiterate his obsession with food

28. What do the following lines from "The General Prologue" suggest about the Wife of Bath?

“In all the parish not a dame dared stir / Towards the altar steps in front of her.”

a. She is a religious fanatic. b. She is selfish and arrogant. c. She abhors the Christian church. d. She disdains the company of women.

29. What can the reader infer about the Friar from these lines from "The General Prologue?"

“But anywhere a profit might accrue / Courteous he was and lowly of service too.”

a. He helps others make money. b. He has aspirations to be a merchant. c. He is humble and servile. d. He will use people for money

30. In "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales,Chaucer uses physiognomy as way help characterize some of his characterizes. Chaucer calls the Franklin's girdle "white as morning milk" in order to: a. Reiterate the Franklin's obsession with food. b. Emphasize the Franklin's personal cleanliness. c. Symbolize the Franklin's purity of heart. d. Show the Franklin's weakness for fancy clothes.

31. In what respect does Chanticleer's relationship with Pertelote in "The Nun's Priest's Tale," follow the rules of courtly love? a. She offers a token of her love. b. They refrain from touching. c. He is totally devoted to her over others. d. He admires her from afar.

32. The “Nun’s Priest’s Tale” is an example of a mock-heroic tale. Which passage from the tale creates the impression that Chanticleer's struggle with the fox is an epic battle? a. ". ..And off he bore him to the woods, the brute, / And for the moment there was no pursuit." b. "Sure never such a cry or lamentation / Was made by ladies of high Trojan station..." c. "’Never again, for all your flattering lies, / You '11 coax a song to make me blink my eyes.'" d. "‘...Do what you like, the cock is mine for good; /I'll eat him there in spite of every one.'"