On Topics for Presentations on English Literature of the Middle Ages
You are strongly encouraged to pick your own topic; you may choose any mediaeval piece (i.e., from Volume A of the Norton Anthology) that is not already on the syllabus.
Some suggested topics:
"The Wife's Lament" (p. 120): The introduction in the text poses an interesting question which you might discuss in your presentation.
Marie de France (p. 142) tells stories of Medieval Romance from a unique viewpoint: that of an intelligent woman. My favorite of the three stories in the text is Lanval, but the other two are worthwhile, too. Please choose just one.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (p. 183) is described by the editors of our text as "the finest Arthurian Romance in English." What is the appeal?
"The Miller's Tale" (p. 264) from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is very famous and funny, but it might have a point, too.
"The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale" (p. 310) from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is a study in holy hypocrisy. The Epilogue (p. 324), which is really a short dramatic scene of conflict between the Host and the Pardoner, leaves us to puzzle over the question of just what the Pardoner, who proclaims himself a rascal, really thinks of himself.
The text says of "The Nun's Priest's Tale" (p. 326) from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales "morals proliferate"; is there one moral that is the most important?
Does The Prioress' Prologue and Tale support or question prejudice against Jews? (Note about the link: You have to hit the link, then scroll down a bit to find the text.)
"The Tale of Philomene and Tereus" from John Gower's The Lover's Confession (p. 346) is both shocking and beautiful. You might ask yourself how that effect is achieved.
Robert Henryson's "The Cock and the Fox" (p. 501) has the same plot as the primary plot of Chaucer's "The Nun's Priest's Tale" (p. 326). Is the effect the same?