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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 color is Phoebus' crow?

2. What color are the crow's feathers after Phoebus replaces them?

3. Who is the subject of the Second Nun's Tale?

4. Why does Virginius kill Virginia?

5. Who tells the Tale of Sir Topas?

Short Essay Questions

1. What question is at the heart of the debate between Melibee and Prudence?

2. What becomes the downfall for both Chanticleer and the fox in the Nun's Priest's Tale?

3. What does Chaucer suggest by saying the Tale of Sir Topas includes his best rhymes?

4. What is different about the Parson's Tale in comparison to the rest of the pilgrims' tales?

5. How is the merchant's wife able to buy the clothes she wants?

6. What is the moral the Canon's Yeoman is trying to get across?

7. What is the lesson the Second Nun's Tale teaches women?

8. What is the common moral in the Monk's tragedies?

9. What is the twist at the end of the Pardoner's Tale?

10. What is the theology of life the Parson presents in his tale?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain marriage during Chaucer's time. What pilgrims address marriage in their tales? What do they think of the institution of marriage?

Essay Topic 2

Define theme. Choose one tale and identify its theme. How is the theme expressed in the tale? How is the theme used to drive the story forward?

Essay Topic 3

Explain chivalry. What pilgrims are chivalrous in The Canterbury Tales? How are they chivalrous? What role does chivalry play in the tales the pilgrims tell?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 510 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample