After reading the “General Prologue,” answer the questions from our textbook on page 457 in this discussion board. Be sure you answer in complete sentences and use at least two (2) quotes from the text to support each of your answers. Include proper MLA in-text citations.
Here are the Reading and Review Questions from our textbook PDF:
1. In the “General Prologue” to the Canterbury Tales, how does Chaucer present the various social classes? What kind of commentary does he appear to be offering about social class?
2. In the Canterbury Tales, how does the frame (the General Prologue, and later the pilgrims’ self-descriiptions and commentary between tales) affect the way that we read the individual tales?
3. In the “General Prologue” the narrator withholds direct judgment of the other pilgrims, but gives the reader enough
evidence to make their own judgments. How would you rank the pilgrims on a scale from Good to Evil? Be sure to use categories that allow for a range of answers (such as Okay, Neutral, or So-so—be creative).
4. Chaucer uses humor very deliberately: not just to entertain, but also as a form of commentary. What are some examples of humor being used to comment on an issue, a behavior, or a character?