HIS 101
Chaucer Paper Assignment

 

 



 

This candle marks the stop where the shrine (built 1220) of Saint Thomas Becket (1118-1170) stood in the Trinity Chapel of Canterbury cathedral.  The candle is there because King Henry VIII (8) had the shrine destroyed in 1538 (and Becket's bones too).  While in existence, the shrine was an extremely popular site for pilgrimage, which serves as the frame story for Chaucer's tales.  Photo credit Pug!

 

Becket Shrine
 
Red Separator Bar
 
Read Chaucer, Canterbury Tales (only those tales in the Dover Thrift paperback edition:  General Prologue, Knight's Tale, Miller's Prologue, Miller's Tale, Wife of Bath's Prologue and the Tale of the Wife of Bath.). Answer the following question in a one-page paper:

Citing specific evidence from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (not from the textbook), how "religious" was medieval society (or was it not religious)?
 
Your paper must follow the following format:
  • typed using a word processor (font size 10 or 12 only)
  • one-inch margins
  • double-spaced
  • page number citations for your quoted evidence
  • not to exceed one (1) page
  • name, date and HIS 101 at the top left
  • must have a brief introduction and conclusion (each not to exceed two sentences)
  • You may consider submitting drafts of your assignment to your instructor for feedback before submitting the assignment for a grade. Please send some specific questions that you would like answered about your draft. The questions can be general (Is my introduction clear?) or specific (Is the phrase, "Chardin was jeweller," written correctly?).  You can send in multiple drafts (within reason) of an assignment before you submit for a grade.
  • At times, you may be asked to rewrite your essay before it is graded.  This is done for your own benefit and will result in an improved grade.
Before proceeding, you might wish to read the short notes and review the study questions on Chaucer.

Your assignment should be sent to your course instructor following the directions for submitting assignments.
 
Please take a moment to review Charlie's History Writing Center for specific information on the writing requirements for the assignments in the course.

The Chaucer Paper is worth a maximum of 100 points.

 

 

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