English 211--Quiz #1
Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, General Prologue
1) During what season does the pilgrimage take place?
2) Name the occupations of three pilgrims.
3) Describe the dress, mount, and behavior of one of them.
4) Who organizes the tale-telling game and what is the prize?
5) Who draws the shortest straw and wins the right to tell the first tale?
Extra credit: Having told his audience he will repeat the tales all characters told on the pilgrimage, the narrator says:
But first I praye you of youre curteisye
That ye n'arette it nought my vilainye
Though that I plainly speke in this matere
To telle you hir wordes and hir cheere,
Ne though I speke hir wordes proprely... (ll. 727-31)
Give one of his three reasons for claiming the right to repeat potentially offensive speech in public.