The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale: Contexts, Themes and Questions

Advanced Learner Pack for AS / A Level

The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale
Set text for:
  • OCR AS and A Level
  • Eduqas AS and A Level
  • WJEC AS and A Level

Though Chaucer lived over 600 years ago, fundamentally he wrote of human relationships and behaviour. The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale is a story that deals with gender, youth, marriage, infidelity, power, deceit and delusion. In guiding your students to understand the language, this resource reveals the tale as wholly recognisable and universally human.

The content was detailed, specific and contained evidence of critical engagement with the text that would push high-ability pupils and develop their knowledge

J Hathaway, Head of English & Peer Reviewer

Challenge your eager students with illuminating notes and activities, including a close analysis of key extracts, to discover the text’s enduring relevance.

Look out for!
  • Further reading suggestions
  • Detailed analysis of key extracts
  • Sample answers and commentary for all exam boards

Comprehensive notes, questions/ and exam-preparation material investigating the influential contexts and themes of The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale for a fuller, more sophisticated understanding. Pitched to the 2015 AS and A Level specifications, this pack will inspire your strongest students to go the extra mile in their journey towards exam success.

Pushing high achievers…
  • Informative notes encourage students to think independently about the core aspects of the text, including characters, form, genre and themes
  • Packed with questions to promote intelligent discussion – the perfect springboard for higher-level analysis
  • Suggestions for wider reading empower students to foster an individual critical stance towards the text
To reach those top marks!
  • Exam-style questions provide extensive practice for creative, unique responses
  • Higher-level sample answers with examiner commentary help students recognise what makes a good answer
  • Revision and exam tips help students focus answers to gain top marks
Plus!
  • A carefully constructed historical timeline
  • Indicative content for all questions

What do teachers say about this resource? (11083)

An excellent and thoughtful resource clearly [aimed] at high-ability learners and gave extra information that could be passed on to pupils to stretch and challenge the most able.

The content was detailed, specific and contained evidence of critical engagement with the text that would push high ability pupils and develop their knowledge.

The educational value of this resource lies in its robust intellectual merit: the discussion of the text is excellent and delves deeply into its possible meanings and different ways in which it could be approached.

This was perfectly suited to the specification.

J Hathaway, Head of English & Peer Reviewer

A superb resource which tackles the AOs and builds confidence with context, literary theory, terminology and familiarity with the text. After detailed outlines of key aspects of the text and the exam it weaves all the key components towards producing a coherent essay... The insightful tone of the introductions and the explanations all serve to encourage student and teacher alike into exploring the text further. The key terminology text boxes and their placement are an excellent idea. Clear linking of themes, extracts, context and AOs. The explanations of sections of the texts are especially useful... There is such an in-depth knowledge and appreciation of the text which translates into this guide. It makes the text accessible and it offers support and understanding for a student whilst simultaneously encouraging them to explore other areas independently The extracts are well selected with focused questions to enable reading with purpose... Excellent as as a companion to covering the text in class or working independently. It mirrors the demands of the exam questions. It provides a strong foundation for form, genre, language and context which strengthens a students understanding why these points are important for exam responses... This was one of the most engaging guides I have reviewed.


L Churchill, English Tutor & Peer Reviewer