In this unit, we will be examining the ways in which authors have tackled the subject of marriage in the medieval, renaissance, and regency periods. Each author has used the subject as a commentary of his/her time, but how does it relate to ours? Have our ideas of marriage changed since the medieval period? What is the role of a man and a woman in marriage? What social issues are related to marriage?
Essential Questions
- How do writers create texts to explore the social and political issues of their time?
- What roles do satire and irony play in societal critique?
- How do authors and artists reveal their attitudes toward their subject matter?
- What parallels can we draw between these societies and ours?
Texts
- The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer (General Prologue, Wife of Bath’s Tale, Miller’s Tale, Reeve’s Tale, Pardoner’s Tale, Franklin’s Tale, Shipman’s Tale, Nun’s Priest Tale)
- Chevrefoil, Marie de France
- Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen
- The Taming of the Shrew, William Shakespeare
- Selected Poems including “Alisoun” Middle English lyric
Wed 3/13
What are your ideas about love and marriage? What do you envision for your life? Where do these ideas come from?
“Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person”
Intro to the unit and medieval period
- What are your expectations of reading a piece of literature from the medieval period?
- What does the artwork of the time reflect
Courtly love and chivalry
HW: Intro to Chaucer–Watch the following video about Chaucer and the tales and take notes on the following:
- Chaucer’s life and time period
- Information about The Canterbury Tales.
- 0-10.19
- 14.28-17.53
Thurs 3/15
Living Poet Presentations
What do you know about Chaucer?
Fri 3/15
What do you know about Chaucer and the time period?
Reading the General Prologue
Here we meet all of the pilgrims as well as a definite speaker. Use the handout to keep track of everyone. As you read the first three stanzas together (volunteers anyone?), take note of the following:
- What stands out to you?
- How would you describe the speaker?
HW: Finish reading the prologue and information about the pilgrims on the document
Mon 3/18
Creating the Pilgrim Portrait
Your group is responsible for creating a visual portrait of your assigned pilgrim(s) so that we understand the characters telling these tales. In order to create a true visual representation of your figure, you will need to use the details that Chaucer provides.
- Physical appearance including dress
- Consider how personality traits would be represented visually
- Any objects that might be important to them or that they would have with them on their pilgrimage
HW: “The Knight’s Tale” Parts I and II (p. 26-53)
- How is this tale appropriate for the Knight to tell?
- What does this tale illuminate about the tradition of courtly love?
Tues 3/19
Meeting and reviewing the pilgrims
- Knight, Squire, Yeoman
- Prioress, 2nd Nun, and 3 priests
- Monk
- Friar
- Merchant
- Franklin
- Shipman
- Wife of Bath
- Parson
- Miller
- Reeve
- Wife of Bath
- Chaucer the Pilgrim
- The Host
HW: Study for Pilgrim quiz (multiple choice, matching quotes from Prologue to character) for Thursday
Wed 3/20
Finish meeting and reviewing the pilgrims
Finish reading Parts III&IV “The Knight’s Tale”
HW: study for pilgrim quiz
Thurs 3/21
Pilgrim Quiz
Discussing “The Knight’s Tale”
- Knight’s Tale Questions handout
Fri 3/22
Drop
Mon 3/23
“Miller’s Tale”
“Nun’s Priest Tale”
Understanding Satire in The Canterbury Tales
Reading “The Nun’s Priest Tale”
- How does the satirize courtly love?
- What is Chaucer’s purpose?
- What rhetorical devices and structure does Chaucer use?
NP Criticism and answering NP Tale questions
Fri 3/22
Drop
Mon 3/25
Miller’s Tale
Tues 3/26
Intro to Wife of Bath
HW: Finish reading and annotation WoB Prologue and Tale
Wed 3/27
Groups for assigned readings:
- Merchant
- Franklin
- Clerk
Thurs 3/28
Presentations on Tales
Fri 3/29
In class response to prompt
Mon 4/1
Twelfth Night
Tues 4/2
Twelfth Night field trip
- What were some of the choices that they made? How did they stage it?
Character chart
Acting Exercises Act 1 Scene 2
HW: Journal entry on Kate
Wed 4/3
Drop
Thurs 4/4
Intro to The Taming of the Shrew.
Summarizing the induction (play within a play)
Beginning a reading of Act 1 Scene 1
HW: Finish reading Act 1
Fri 4/5
Reading Act 2
What are the plans?
- Gremio & Hortensio
- Lucentio & Tranio
What type of lovers are these?
Read the first page of the packet with Petruchio’s speech. Scan the speech for stressed and unstressed syllables. You can use dictionary.com to help you (bold=stressed).
- Understanding character by rhythm
- Understanding the verbal sparring in Act 2 Scene 1
HW: Act 3 – consider how you would stage Kate and Petruchio
Mon 4/8
Watching Act 3 & the beginning of the taming of Kate
- The start of the taming process
- Key quotes for Kate and Petruchio (not only what they say but also what others say about them)
HW: Journal response
Tues 4/9
Reading 4.1, 4.3, and 4.5 in full and the summaries for 4.2 and 4.4
HW: Finish reading for Thursday’s class & read overview of Twelfth Night
Wed 4/10
Select scenes of the taming of Kate
- Moving tableaux
- What is her state here?
HW: Journal Response
Thurs 4/11
Kate’s final speech assignment
Reading Act 5
Fri 4/12
In class passage response on Kate’s final speech
HW: Enjoy the break!
Mon 4/22
Drop
Tues 4/23
HW: Read Chapters 1-8 of P&P
Jane Austen and P&P overview
Finish reading through chapter 12
Wed 4/24
Watching chapters 13-20
HW: Reading chapters 21-26
Thurs 4/25
