Analyzing Tales

First Step: Read and Comprehend Open your books to page 180 We will begin with the prologue, followed by “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” As we read- try to jot down quick notes in your “SOAPS Tone” analysis worksheet (your focus is to UNDERSTAND what you are reading- don’t get lost trying to complete the notes during this first read) This is a complex text- for instance for “speaker” you will have layers to your answer EX: The storyteller is the Wife of Bath, but the ideas communicated are Chaucer’s

Second Step: Complete SOAPS-Tone Analysis Who is the “speaker” vs. ACTUAL author? Time period? Gender norms that would influence plot? BEYOND THE PILGRIMS- Who may Chaucer have been trying to reach? Was there a larger purpose/motivation/message behind this entertaining tale? At its core- this story was about… The story was told with a __________ tone (could you sense a positive/negative/neutral tone?)

Third Step: Learn WHAT a Précis is A précis is a short summary of the main points of a text. When you attempt to write a précis, you have to ignore the descriptive words, cut down the frills, and identify the main points. Ultimately you should express the main points in as short a form as possible.

WOB/Pardoner’s Tale PRECIS TEMPLATE SENTENCE ONE: In his/her _______________ (type of work), ________________ (title of work), author ________________ (name of author) __________ (a rhetorically accurate verb) that _________________________________ (the author’s assertion, argument, position, etc.). SENTENCE TWO: ____________ (the author) develops/supports this __________ (change rhetorical verb to noun) by ________________________________________________________________________________________________ (reveal author’s technique). SENTENCE THREE: ____________’s (author) purpose is to ___________________________ __________________________________________________________ (reveal author’s purpose) in order to (what author wants reading audience to react to: feel and/or do). SENTENCE FOUR: ______________ (author) uses _________________ (description of tone) with his ___________________________________________________ (describe author’s audience).

Analyzing IRONY Within The Tales Irony is present in both “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” and “The Pardoner’s Tale” (Situational, Verbal, Dramatic) You will identify WHAT TYPE of irony is present in each tale and focus on explaining how/where this type of irony was present in the tale (and ultimately how the irony helps Chaucer achieve his purpose for writing) SENTENCE TWO: Chaucer (the author) develops/supports this insinuation (change rhetorical verb to noun) by using situational irony.

Write This Down! On Thursday you will need to make an ORIGINAL précis for “The Pardoner’s Tale” – this will help guide you! (1) In his satirical piece of work, “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”, from The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer insinuates that what women want most in life is the power of choice (a power that women in the Middle Ages could only obtain through marriage- a strategy employed by the Wife of Bath herself). (2) Chaucer develops this insinuation by inserting situational irony into the ending of the plot. Reader’s experience a misogynistic knight act in a way that contradicts their expectations for his behavior when he allows a woman to have complete power over his fate. (3)Chaucer’s purpose is to reveal more about the beliefs held by the Wife of Bath herself, and to possibly ignite a new dialogue about the harsh gender norms of his time. (4) Chaucer uses a straightforward tone while telling this story in order to reach all classes and genders within his time period.

Pardoner’s Tale Due at the end of the period Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN1_h_eGitE Now grab a purple textbook from the shelf Read the Pardoner’s Tale 166-176 with a partner Complete SOAPS-TONE analysis worksheet Turn the sheet over and write a summary using the précis template Refer to the Wife of Bath Example I gave you Due at the end of the period