Which literary form consists of a story within a story, often used by Chaucer?

The correct answer, a frame-tale, is a literary technique in which a story is set within another story, creating a narrative structure that enhances the overall theme or message. This form is often used to provide context for the inner stories and can help connect the various narratives to a central idea or character.

In the case of Chaucer, his work "The Canterbury Tales" is a prime example of this technique. The outer story involves a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury, and within this setting, each character tells their own distinct tale, thereby forming multiple narratives framed by the overarching journey. This approach not only enriches the storytelling but also allows for a diverse array of themes, styles, and voices, reflecting the complexity of human experience.

The other literary forms mentioned do not incorporate this layered narrative structure. For instance, drama focuses primarily on dialogue and performance, while ballads are narrative poems that typically tell a story in a straightforward manner, often revolving around themes of love or adventure. An elegy is a reflective poem expressing sorrow, usually in memory of someone who has died, and does not convey a story within a story format. Therefore, the frame-tale is uniquely suited for the storytelling method used by Chaucer and is recognized for its