Geoffrey Chaucer
Lesson plans for The Canterbury Tales

Audio Recordings
Scroll down to nos. 5-11 to hear excerpts read in Middle English. MP3 software required for access.

The Canterbury Tales
An interactive e-text. Click on a hyperlinked word to see a translation or explation in the glossary in the lower right frame. Woodcuts, some analysis, and links to biography and historical background are also available.

The Canterbury Tales
This site offers theme openers, crosscurricular assignments, research assignments, and suggestions for related reading.

The Canterbury Tales
Links to audio files of sections of the General Prologue and other tales.

Canterbury Tales Remix
Guidelines for a modern retelling of the Tales as a class project.

Chaucer's English
The British Library sponsors a site on the changing English language. This link leads to the opening page of the section on Chaucer, including a summary and an audio file of Middle English. Follow the links at the bottom to practice comparing and contrasting Middle and Modern English.

Chaucer
Biography and extensive criticism from the Internet Public Library.

Chaucer and Cautionary Tales
Is the Pardoner's Tale that much different from an urban legend? This post-reading writing activity explores the possibilities.

Chaucer Metapage
Biography, bibliography, e-texts, audio files, and related links.

The Chaucer Pedagogy Page
Themes, timeline, research topics and support for teachers of Chaucer.

Chaucer's Wife of Bath at EDSITEment
Students analyze Chaucer's portrayal of the Wife of Bath, consider how the story reflects on both her character and on Chaucer's view of marriage and women, examine literary sources that contributed to this characterization, and explore the historical context that informs this depiction of the rights of women in marriage.

Dr. John's Blackberry Jam
A prereading guided imagery activity and postreading writing assignment. Adobe Reader or compatible application required for access.

The Electronic Canterbury Tales
Links to online texts of the Tales in both Middle English and Modern English.

Enjoying "The Knight's Tale"
Summary, analysis, and related links.

Geoffrey Chaucer.org
Check out the links to the left -- terrific information is available even if you're not interested in the books being sold to the right.

The Geoffrey Chaucer Website Homepage
Texts and translations of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and related texts from the time period, criticism, background information.

Heraldry Worksheet and Coat of Arms
Using these printable handouts students research and create a personal coat of arms. Access requires Adobe Reader or compatible application.

Medieval Sourcebook, Canterbury Tales: Prologue
Side-by side paraphrase of the prologue and of several portraits.

The Miller's Tale
Biography and background, analysis and commentary.

New Chaucer Society
Don't miss the extensive collection of links to information about Chaucer and medieval England.

Pilgrims Passing To and Fro
What Chaucer left out: background information, social status, income, the Tabard Inn, and a map of the journey.

Study Questions on Geoffrey Chaucer
These questions focus on the Prologue and the Pardoner's Tale.

Studying the Wife of Bath's Tale
Biography and background, scholarship, summary, character traits, and essay questions. A very thorough site!

Taking a Pilgrimage to Canterbury
After analyzing Chaucer's technique of describing each pilgrim in the Prologue, students create their own pilgrim to join the others.

Whan that Aprille
A pronunciation guide for the Prologue and links to related sites.

The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
Extensive commentary and analysis, possible writing prompts.

Vocabulary from The Canterbury Tales
155 words, listed in groups by story.