Canterbury Tales

Canterbury Tales

3 Types of Social Class • Military • Nobility • Knight • Squire • Clergy • Prioress (nun and three priests) • Monk • Friar • Parson

Social Class (con’t) • Laity • Landowners • Franklin • Professionals • Clerk, Man of law, Guildsmen, Physician (doctor), Shipman (skipper) • Laborers • Cook and Plowman • Stewards • Miller, Manciple and Reeve • Church officers • Summoner and Pardoner

Knight Most noble of all of the pilgrims He has military strength Chivalric Polite Generous Loyal

Squire Son of the knight Apprentice – knight in training He has fought before in battles, but he is devoted to love Strong, beautiful, curly-haired young man Well-dressed in clothes with flowers on it. Desires the attention of a lady He enjoys playing the flute, writing, and riding. He is a dutiful son and cuts his dad’s meat.

Yeoman Freeborn Servant Wears green from head to toe Carries a large bowand feathered arrows He also has a sword and shield He is a forrester (knows how to get around the forest).

Prioress Madame Eglentyne She is not part of the formal court but tries to act like she does. She eats daintily (reaches for food daintily and delicately) She speaks French, but with an English accent She is compassionate towards animals (she cries when she sees a mouse trapped in a trap). Feeds her dogs: roasted meat and milk– odd for this time, food was scarce. She has an enormous forehead- this is beautiful for the time. She wears prayer beads on her arm which hang from a gold brooch with the words “love conquers All”. Another nun and 3 priests accompany her.

The Monk Very handsome Loves hunting Keeps horses Outrider– Looks after the monastery’s business with the external world). His horse’s bridal can be heard jingling in the wind (like a church bell). He knows that he isn’t supposed to hunt (as per the church), but he thinks that is ridiculous and dismisses those rules. He is fat, bald, and well-dressed.

Friar A member of a religious order who lives by begging. Friar is jovial, pleasure-loving, well-spoken, and socially agreeable. He hears confessions and gives easy penances for people who donate to the church. He is popular with wealthy landowners. He is all about the people who “help him”. He is liked by innkeepers and barmaids (food and drink).

Merchant Tastefully attired (nice boots, fur hat) He is a salesman He borrows money, but is in debt The narrator doesn’t know his name

Oxford Clerk A thinker Threadbare Student of philosophy at Oxford Loves books

Serjeant of Law He was very revered in the group Lawyer who is well spoken, and writes well. He knows his case law by heart. He is often appointed by the king as a judge in the court. He is wealthy and buys a lot of land (he owns it free and clear with no loans).

Franklin white=-bearded Wealthy gentleman farmer Possesses a lot of land, but wasn’t born of nobility. He has a preoccupation for food (he has plenty).

Guildsman Artisans--tradesmen Dressed in uniform of their guild. The narrator likes their shiny attire. He thinks they are fit to be city officials

Cook Chaucer feels he is skillful at his profession. But Chaucer the cook has an ulcer that is put into the food (puss) and therefore, Chaucer can’t eat the food.

Shipman (Skipper) Wears a dagger on a cord around his neck. When he is on his ship he steals wine from the merchant (that is what he transports).

Doctor He practices but he is into astronomy He has a good set up with apothecaries because they work together to make each other money. He is aware of modern and ancient medicine information, but isn’t involved in the religion part of the Middle ages. He is frugal– Chaucer jokes that his favorite medicine is Gold (getting paid).

Wife of Bath Seamstress Always the first to offering at Mass. She gets upset if someone goes in front of her. She has had five husbands and 3 pilgrimages to Jerusalem. She has also been Rome, Cologne, and other pilgrimage sites. Her teeth have gaps between them She is jolly and talkative. She gives good love advice because of her experience.

Parson Gentle Poor villager Pure of conscience Truly believes in Christ He enjoys preaching and instructing parishioners He hates excommunicating those who cannot pay their tithes. He walks with a cane and visits all of the parishoners no matter how far they live. He is dedicated to his parish and doesn’t look for a promotion within the church. He is even kind to sinners and tries to teach by example instead of scorn.

Plowman Works hard Loves God and his neighbor Labors “for Christ’s sake” Pays his tithes on time

Miller Red Hair Makes crude and bawdy jokes Drinks Is is stout and strong. He lifts doors off their hinges. He has a wart on his nose with bright red hairs sticking out of it like bristles. He has a mouth like a furnace. He wears a sword and buckeler, and loves to joke and tell dirty stories.

Manciple He is the administrative assistant of the Inn of Court (school of law). He is uneducated, but is very smart common sense wise.

Reeve He is long, tall, and thin Has short hair (reminds the narrator of a priest). He manages his lord’s estate so well that he is able to hoard his own money and property from the lord. He is a good carpenter, and always rides behind everyone else.

Summoner Arraigns those accused of violating Church law. When drunk he speaks a few Latin phrases he knows. His face is bright red from an unspecified disease. He is corrupt—he uses his power for his own gain. He uses his power with the young women and tries to have sex with them in his area of jurisdiction. For example- for a quart of wine, he would let another man sleep with his girlfriend for a year and then not charge him with a crime.

Pardoner He was just in the court of Rome. Rides with the Summoner. He has long blond hair He sings while he rides. He thinks he rides very fashionable (nothing covering his head). He brought a lot of souvenirs from his trip in Rome. The narrator compares his voice to a goat because it is so high pitched (alluding to the fact that he may be homosexual). He is disrespectful to the poor (and tries to get money for his own gain). The pardoner is a good preacher, storyteller, and singer.

Host He is a corrupt figure – named Bailey The group stayed with the host. He was a beautiful man He had bright eyes and a large man He had bold speech patterns He was jovial friendly Shrewd businessman After he takes their money, he flatters them to make them forget how much money the just gave him. The word quiet means repay– it is a motif throughout the tales—each characters put in a sort of debt by the previous character’s tale, and must repay him or her with a new tale.

7 Deadly Sins wrath greed sloth pride lust, envy, Gluttony -- Franklin

Canterbury Tales