Unit 2: Chivalry Unit Project
For this project, you will be transported to the mythical land of Camelot!
Well, not really. However, you will be writing a creative piece that will demonstrate your understanding of chivalry. In this Unit Project, you will imagine what it would be like to be a knight in King Arthur’s court in Camelot.
You will be the protagonist of your story, so this should be written in a first person point of view. You have read all about chivalry in this unit, have studied examples of knights, and you will be taking this knowledge with you to Camelot. You will also be fully accepted by King Arthur as a knight and outfitted with shining armor accordingly.
You will be spending a week as a knight. During this week, three events will occur, similar to the ones we read about in the selections from this unit. Choose three from among the following options:
- Negotiate a peace agreement with a rogue knight (as in Le Mort d’Arthur)
- Lead an army into an epic battle (as in Le Mort d’Arthur)
- Receive an order to complete a task from King Arthur (as in Le Mort d’Arthur)
- Face temptation (as in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)
- Receive a challenge for a duel (as in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)
- Fall in courtly love and pursue a romance (as in a Knight’s Tale)
- Recruit a squire (as in Don Quixote)
Your project will tell in detail what happened during your chosen three events.
For each event you face, you must acknowledge the chivalrous thing to do:
- What is the chivalrous thing to do in this situation?
- Why do you think this the chivalrous thing to do?
- In the stories you have studied, how did the knights react to this specific situation?
You will need to provide support for this. Your support may be a recollection of the text when a character faced this situation; if so, provide a quote from the story. Or, you may choose to support it with research instead. You can use a link provided in the course or find one of your own. (Make sure to include a Works Cited page.)
Once you have acknowledged the chivalrous thing to do, you may choose to either do the chivalrous thing or not. You must behave chivalrously at least once, and you must break the code of chivalry at least once. Justify your decisions! You must have a reason why you choose to do the right thing or the wrong thing in each scenario. Remember – Sir Bedivere had a hard time throwing Excalibur away as he was told to! However, Sir Bedivere also had a specific reason for disobeying his kings orders.
Be detailed. Write these scenarios loosely based on the stories we read, but take liberties to create your own adventure. I should be able to see your understanding of the texts and of the code of chivalry, but this should be a fun piece that showcases your creativity and imaginatio
Tie your story or essay together to create a cohesive piece. Since this is a unique and somewhat absurd situation, spend your first paragraph introducing your reader to the scenario. This may mean discussing what you learned in the course, describing the time-travel experience, or detailing your first meeting with King Arthur. Your conclusion should wrap up your paper with a discussion of your experience and perhaps your return home.
You may choose to write this narratively (like a novel), as a diary entry, a letter, or just a report to your teacher about your experience. Embrace the project! Write as though you are truly living this!
This essay should be between three and seven pages (750-1750 words) in length. Your final draft should be saved and submitted as .doc or .pdf file. It should be in 12-point font in Times New Roman.
10% of your grade will be on grammar and mechanics. Write as clearly and correctly as you can. This means that 90% of your grade is based on your ideas – however, you will not earn an A if you do not proofread carefully and check for errors.
Most importantly, remember this is a culminating project for the Chivalry Unit. Your essay should show everything you have learned throughout the unit.
Unit 2 Chivalry Your paper must have all of the following. If it does not, you will receive an automatic failing grade for not following instructions. Narrative point of view: first person. Three events that mirror those in the stories of the unit. For each, an acknowledgement of the chivalrous thing to do. For each, a reference to the story as support. The narrator must choose chivalrous acts at least once. The narrator must choose to break the code of chivalry at least once. Events must be related, build, and create a cohesive plot. Include use of descriptive techniques. Paper must be written in one distinct style (as a report, journal entry, narrative, etc.) A works cited page for any research. Display polish (less than a handful of errors throughout the paper).
The 10% for “Style” is reserved for teacher discretion. I may decide not to give a grade for style, and in that case, your grade will be calculated out of the other 90%. (For example, if you scored 60% out of the 90%, you will get the same percentage out of 100%, or 67%.) You can earn this 10% by developing complex supporting characters, including of fantastic elements, exceptional commentary on chivalry’s modern importance, or general enthusiasm for the prompt. However, points for “effort” and the “wow factor” will not be more than 10%, so don’t neglect the other academic aspects of the paper.
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