1. “The Prologue” By Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales
“The Prologue”
By Geoffrey Chaucer

2. “The Prologue” lines 35-42
But none the less, while I have time and space,
Before my story takes a further pace,
It seems a reasonable thing to say
What their condition was, the full array
Of each of them, as it appeared to me,
According to profession and degree,
And what apparel they were riding in;
And at a Knight I therefore will begin.

3. Consider rhythm and rhyme pattern? Count the syllables
But none the less, while I have time and space,
Before my story takes a further pace,
It seems a reasonable thing to say
What their condition was, the full array
Of each of them, as it appeared to me,
According to profession and degree,
And what apparel they were riding in;
And at a Knight I therefore will begin.
Consider rhythm and rhyme pattern?
Count the syllables
Label the rhyme scheme
Label the stress pattern

4. Stress pattern = iambic pentameter10
But none the less, while I have time and space,
Before my story takes a further pace,
It seems a reasonable thing to say
What their condition was, the full array 10
Stress pattern =
iambic pentameter

5. Rhyme Scheme
But none the less, while I have time and space, Before my story takes a further pace, It seems a reasonable thing to say What their condition was, the full array Of each of them, as it appeared to me, According to profession and degree, And what apparel they were riding in; And at a Knight I therefore will begin. A A B B C C D D

6. Assignment: Write your personal prologue imitating Chaucer’s style
Each line must be 10 syllables and you must have rhyming couplets
You must write at least 20 lines
Include your positive and negative traits
HINTS:
Write in pencil
Write it out, count, add adjectives

7. Bush’s Personal Prologue
There once was an English teacher named Bush.
The kids thought her class was easy and cush.
If only they knew, she was mean and fierce,
The small student’s hopeful hearts she would pierce.
She graded like a nazi and would make
The lax students cry for each their own sake.
EXAMPLE