Geoffrey Chaucer - Canterbury Tales

Unit 2: Medieval Literature

Chaucer portrayed how a society’s social systems influence the behavior of the individual. In the Middle Ages, a code of chivalry directed the ethical behavior of knights, or armored warriors, in matters of virtue, honor, and love. Literature addresses issues of morality by allowing readers to explore and inform their own behaviors by examining the thoughts and actions of fictional characters. Great literature has chronicled the human struggle to pursue moral behavior. It portrays the universal nature of the human experience. The Canterbury Tales continues to engage readers today as we wrestle with choosing the right course of action. In this unit, students focus on these universal questions: How does social class affect point of view? How can literature force the reader to confront personal ideas about class and gender? How does literature illuminate the moral and ethical dilemma of what is right?