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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the miller refill half the students' the flour sack with?

2. Who is Dorigen?

3. What animal does the king's daughter nurse back to health in the Squire’s Tale?

4. What punishment does Theseus give Palamon and Arcite?

5. Who asks the Clerk to tell the next story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is it fitting for the Squire to begin the tale that he does?

2. What is the purpose of the knight's quest to find what women most desire?

3. Why is the friar in the Summoner's Tale ironic?

4. Why are Palamon and Arcite jealous of each other when Arcite is released from the tower?

5. How do the townspeople react to the situation after John crashes through the ceiling?

6. Why does January say he wants to marry? Why does he likely really want to marry?

7. Why are the characters in the Franklin's Tale rewarded?

8. Why does the Man of Law tell a story he heard once before?

9. Why does the Host come up with the storytelling contest?

10. Why are the pilgrims confused by the Merchant's Tale?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the setting of The Canterbury Tales. How does the setting of a pilgrimage contribute to the individual pilgrims' tales? How would the story be different if Chaucer had used a different setting?

Essay Topic 2

Define fable. Explain the uses of fables in literature. Explain the use of fable in The Canterbury Tales. Why is a fable a useful tale in The Canterbury Tales?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the class system of the Middle Ages. How is the class system expressed in The Canterbury Tales? Is this effective in Chaucer's story? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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