Canterbury Tales

Prologue
The character’s and their stereotypes:
revelations and perceptions*

Summaries borrowed from www.sparknotes.com

The Knight (lines 43-80)
 Noble in battle—enjoys  Has fine horses
adventure  Dresses in natural
 The epitome of chivalry clothing with smudges
 Realistic/humanized
 Strong and brave  Going on the Pilgrimage
(especially to have to show thanks to God
survived so many for his talents
battles—15 plus jousts—
always killed his man) Chaucer/the narrator admires the
 Wise Knight despite the decline of
chivalry. Most of his battles are
 Modest “a true and religious leading us to believe he is
perfect gentle knight” a crusader.
 Gossip!
 You have 2 minutes to gossip with your
table mates about the traveler. Consider
discussing...
 Your opinion of the traveler
 If you would like to “get to know” them better
 How you feel about them
 Symbols that might represent them
 REMEMBER TO STAY IN CHARACTER!
The most interesting table conversation will receive a prize at
the end of our presentation time!
The Knight (lines 43-80)
 Noble in battle—enjoys  Has fine horses
adventure  Dresses in natural
 The epitome of chivalry clothing with smudges
 Realistic/humanized
 Strong and brave  Going on the Pilgrimage
(especially to have to show thanks to God
survived so many for his talents
battles—15 plus jousts—
always killed his man) Chaucer/the narrator admires the
 Wise Knight despite the decline of
chivalry. Most of his battles are
 Modest “a true and religious leading us to believe he is
perfect gentle knight” a crusader.
The Squire (lines 81-102)
 The Knight’s son—
youthful (20 years old);
“lover” and “cadet”
 Curly hair (as if pressed)
 Suggests he’s a dandy—
concerned with his looks
 Served in the cavalry
and done valiantly
 Likes to sing and write
songs
 Does everything with a
passion
 Destined to become just
like his father
Contrasts with his father—the religious
chivalric knight—the squire is very
“romantic.” His dress is fancy and
there is a lot of social desire. Always
out to win his lady’s favor in the
cavalry. Chaucer is accepting of the
squire, but not admiring. He has
growing up to do, but will make a good
knight
The Yeoman (lines103-
121)
 An attendant of the  A hunter and
woodworker—attends
Squire the Squire but has his
 Dressed in green; own personality
carries peacock  St. Christopher’s medal
 Patron Saint of Travelers
arrows and a bow
and wears a bracelet
to protect his arm; a
sword; a shield; and Chaucer looks at the Yeoman
a dagger positively and uses no irony
in the description; Suggests
 Head like a nut that like the Knight and the
w/brown face Squire, the Yeoman is a
worthy occupation
Prioress (Nun)—(lines122-
168)
 Eglentyen/sweetbriar
 Coral trinket on her arm,
 Exceptionally mannerly
when eating
 Animal rights activist—
should be concerned with?
 PEOPLE!
 Sentimental and tender &
speaks elegant French
 Smile is “simple and coy”;
“elegant” nose; “glass gray
eyes,”; small, soft, red
mouth suggests…
 Perfect beauty
green prayer beads, “Love
Conquers all” on her golden
brooch suggests…
 Rich tastes; worldliness
Irony of Chaucer: charity
should be for needy people,
but it is for animals; love is
very worldly rather than Amor
Dei, godly; expresses a desire
to show courtly manners,
rather than follow rules of
simplicity; expensive jewelry
suggests worldliness instead
of poverty.
The Monk (lines 169-211)
 A Manly Man, fat,  Ignores the rules of the
prominent eyeballs, monastery
supple boots, not pale,
 Loves hunting & fine
food The Monk it Chaucer’s prologue
 Bridle “jingles”; is corrupt; Loves good food,
expensive clothing and hunting
garnished sleeves; fine violate the monastic views of
tunic; owns many horses poverty and simplicity and
and greyhounds; displays no guilt. Hunting was a
suggests… big no-no for Monks.
 Wealth he should not •Irony: “finest sort”, suitable to
have be an abbot, agrees with point of
view, “fair prelaat”
 The Friar (lines 212-279)
 Brother Hubert has a white  Knows the taverns and the
neck barmaids well suggests…
 Supports himself through  Took confessions—and
begging—well rehearsed and pardons them…for a
spoken “gift”…suggests…
 Loved among the rich land  He manipulates people’s
owners; Only deals with the desire to be good
rich; avoids the poor beggars  Arbitrates disputes for a
and lepers…suggests… fee
 He is corrupt and only cares about
worldly things
 Sings and plays hurdy-gurdy
and lisps to attract women Chaucer paints a picture of the
corrupt clergy
 Fixes up many young
women…after giving them •Irony: “strong pillar of the church”,
lovely gifts…suggests… calls him merry, sweet, pleasant and
 He has seduced them first worthy
Chaucer

 Author and appears as a pilgrim through

the narrative
 Functions as a naïve narrator and the
guide on the way to Canterbury and we
learn about his society through the irony
and sarcasm he relates through the tales
and stories. His tone requires careful
reflection
Good Guys Bad Guys
 Knight  Nun
 Squire  Monk
 Yeoman  Friar
 Merchant  Lawyer
 Oxford Cleric  Franklin
 Parson  Craftsmen
 Plowman  Cook
 Host  Skipper
 Doctor
 Wife of Bath
 Miller
 Manciple
 Reeve
 Summoner
 Pardoner
“The Ship of Fools”
Good Guys Bad Guys
 Knight  Nun
 Squire  Monk
 Yeoman  Friar
 Merchant  Lawyer
 Oxford Cleric  Franklin
 Parson  Craftsmen
 Plowman  Cook
 Host  Skipper
 Doctor
 Wife of Bath
 Miller
 Manciple
 Reeve
 Summoner
 Pardoner
How can Chaucer’s
Pilgrims be seen as a
“ship of fools”?

Give examples.
 Feudalism
Orare:
those who pray

Labore:
Pugnare:
Those who
Those who fight
work
Chaucer’s society
is…
How does this compare to our own?
Explain your response by using specific
comparisons between our stereotypes
and Chaucer’s