1. The Canterbury
Tales
The Pardoner’s Tale
&
The Wife of Bath’s Tale
English IV College Prep. Mrs. Ring

2. The Pardoner’s Tale
Lines 1-12
1. It is ironic that the Pardoner preaches against
avarice because he is
a.
b.
c.
d.
Especially greedy
A pious man
A friend of the Summoner’s
Rude to the Host

3. The Pardoner’s Tale
Lines 13-40
2. The Pardoner earns money from all of the following
except
a.
b.
c.
d.
Preaching against greed
Begging from church to church
Selling relics and papal pardons
Making and selling baskets

4. The Pardoner’s Tale
Lines 41-90
3. The rioters go looking for death because they
a.
b.
c.
d.
Want to repent for their sins and find salvation
Plan to avenge the deaths of their friends
Know he has a great store of treasure
Want to banish him from England

5. The Pardoner’s Tale
Lines 94-110
4. The quote “Death is dead!” is an example of all of
the following, except
a.
b.
c.
d.
Alliteration
Dialogue
Irony
Kenning

6. Stop and Predict
Lines 110-161
What do you think the three rioters will find
underneath the tree? Write your prediction and the
textual evidence that supports it on a chart like the
following.
My Prediction
Textual Evidence
1.
1.

7. Discuss
Lines 162-177
• After learning what the rioters found under the tree,
are you surprised? Why or why not?

8. The Pardoner’s Tale
Lines 178-193
5. What does the “lucky man” who draws the longest
straw have to do?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Rob another group of rioters
Go to fetch food and wine
Stay to guard the treasure
Find an inn where they can spend the night

9. Stop and Predict
Line 193
Do you think the two who remain to guard the
treasure can be trusted with the treasure? Write your
prediction and the textual evidence that supports it
on a chart like the following.
My Prediction
Textual Evidence
1.
1.
2.
2.

10. Discuss
Lines 200-230
• Does the plan that the two “friends” come up with
surprise you or is this what you predicted?

11. Stop and Predict
Lines 230-246
Now that you have read what the youngest rioter has
planned, what do you think will actually happen
when he returns to the group ? Write your prediction
and the textual evidence that supports it on the chart.
My Prediction
Textual Evidence
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.

12. The Pardoner’s Tale
Lines 247-288
6. Which of the following statements best describes
the end of the tale?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The rioters become rich.
Death takes the gold florins.
The rioters meet death.
Death takes a holiday.

13. The Pardoner’s Tale
Lines 247-288
7. After their search for Death, the rioters murder one
another. This is an example of
a.
b.
c.
d.
Dramatic irony
Situational irony
Poetic irony
Verbal irony

14. The Pardoner’s Tale
8. The Pardoner’s pious story reveals his
a.
b.
c.
d.
Immorality
Honesty
Ignorance
Sensitivity

15. The Pardoner’s Tale
Reflection
On the same paper that you used for your predictions
chart, write 3-5 sentences reflecting on the predictions
you made. How accurate were they? What helped
you make such accurate predictions, or what caused
you to make inaccurate predictions? How did
making the predictions help you comprehend the
text?

16. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Side Journal
Entry #1 (Lines 1-17):
Summarize the conversation between the Pardoner
and the Wife of Bath.
Entry #2 (Lines 18-21):
Chaucer includes certain details in order to provide
insight into his characters. Jot down the details from
the text that prove that the Wife of Bath is welleducated.

17. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Lines 31-56
1. What or who, according to the Wife of Bath, has rid
the land of fairies and elves?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The growth of towns and villages
An evil incubus
The spread of dairy farms
Holy friars

18. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Lines 31-58
2. The purpose of lines 31-56 is to do all of the
following EXCEPT
a. To illustrate the Wife of Bath’s knowledge of English
history.
b. To describe the setting of the story.
c. To criticize the Church of Rome.
d. To establish a mood of mysticism and fantasy.

19. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Side Journal
Entry #3 (Lines 60-64):
What crime did the Knight commit? What clues from the text
told you this?
Entry #4 (Lines 65-82):
Write your reaction to the punishment the queen has given
the Knight. Do you think it fits the crime? Why or why not?
Entry #5 (Lines 101-125):
List three things that the Knight was told that women want
that you find funny or interesting. Do you agree with any of
them?

20. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Lines 126-158
3. What stereotype about women does the tale of King
Midas reinforce?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Women do not get along with other women.
Women are only interested in a man for his money.
Women can’t keep secrets.
Women are obsessed with having nice clothes.

21. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Side Journal
Entry #6 (lines 165-176):
Why do you think Chaucer included the detail about the
four and twenty ladies who mysteriously disappeared?
Entry #7 (lines 177-190:
What did the old woman ask in return for revealing the
answer to the Knight’s question? How did the Knight
respond?
Entry #8 (lines 213-221):
What was the answer – what do women want the most?
Do you agree with this answer? Why or why not?

22. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
4. Use your knowledge of context clues and prefixes
to define “misalliance” as it is used on p. 143 (line
245). Write a synonym for the word on your slip of
paper.

23. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Side Journal
Entry #9 (Lines 275-279):
List the three specific complaints (other than her
appearance) that the knight lists about his new wife.
Skip a few lines after each.
1.
2.
3.
Next to each complaint, jot down a few of the old
woman’s rebuttals from lines 285-394.

24. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Lines 395-403
5. What does the old woman imply will happen if he
chooses to have a young and beautiful wife?
a.
b.
c.
d.
She will leave him
She will be unable to manage a household
She will be unfaithful to him
She will not remain young and beautiful forever

25. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Side Journal
Entry #10 (lines 404-432):
Summarize the story’s resolution in your own words.
Be sure to include why the old woman chose to
transform herself for the knight as she did.

26. The Canterbury Tales
Written Response
The pilgrims going to Canterbury compete to tell a
story that provides the greatest pleasure and the most
instruction in morality. On your paper, write a
paragraph in which you evaluate how well the
Pardoner and the Wife of Bath accomplished this.
Determine who out of these two you think should win
the competition. Be sure to include specific details
from both tales to support your answer.
Refer to the text: pp. 129-148