CANTURBERY

TALES
General Prologue
 Characters of the
Story
NARRATOR THE KNIGHT THE SQUIRE
Chaucer; writes his A kind and noble knight Son of the knight, dutiful
impressions about the who has fought in many agile and possesses great
other characters battles strength

YEOMAN THE PRIORESS THE MONK

A forester accompanying A dainty, kind and well- The monk who loves
the knight and the squire mannered nun hunting and indulging
 Characters of the
Story
THE
THE FRIAR THE CLERK
MERCHANT
A roaming priest who A trader good at borrowing A poor philosophy student
takes bribes money

THE
MAN OF LAW THE FRANKLIN
GUILDSMEN
An influencial lawyer who A wealthy man but not Five artisans dressed in
is commisioned by the noble at birth guild armor
king
 Characters of the
Story
THE COOK THE SHIPMAN THE PHYSICIAN
Skilled in his trade, has an A rough and tumble wild A man well-acquainted in
open sore on his chin man of the sea the field of medicine

THE
WIFE OF BATH THE PARSON
PLOWMAN
A woman from Bath who Unlike the Friar or the The holy and virtuous
had been married many Monk, the Parson lives the brother of the Parson
times Gospel he teaches
 Characters of the
Story
THE MILLER THE MANCIPLE THE REEVE
A brawny man with a read Someone who's in charge A man who manages
beard of purchasing food and estates
supplies

THE THE HOST

THE PARDONER
SUMMONER
Another supposedly A man who manipulates
The scribe and the judge of
devout religious figure the poor for his own
the stories
who is a hypocrite material gain
 Roles of the Characters During
the Middle English Period
Knight - (in the Middle Ages) a man who served
his sovereign or lord as a mounted soldier in Monk - a member of a religious community of

armor. men typically living under vows of poverty,

Squire - a young nobleman acting as an attendant chastity, and obedience.

to a knight before becoming a knight himself. Friar - a member of any of certain religious
Yeoman - a servant in a royal or noble household, orders of men, especially the four mendicant
ranking between a sergeant and a groom or a orders 
squire and a page Merchant - a person or company involved in
Prioress - a woman who is head of a house of wholesale trade
certain orders of nuns. Clerk - any member of a religious order, a
“cleric” or “clergyman.”
 Roles of the Characters During
the Middle English Period
Man of Law – a successful lawyer
Franklin - a landowner of free but not noble birth Shipman - A labourer on a ship. 

in the 14th and 15th centuries in England. Physician - a person qualified to practice
Guildsmen - A medieval fraternity, far from medicine.
being a society notorious for drunken parties, was Parson - a beneficed member of the clergy; a
an organization of laypeople who shared spiritual rector or a vicar.
and charitable activities. Plowman - A member of the peasant class
Cook - a profession for individuals who prepare
Miller - someone who works in a mill
food for consumption in the food industry
Manciple -  the person in charge of purchasing
and storing food for an institution, such as a
college or monastery.
 Roles of the Characters During
the Middle English Period
Reeve -  was a supervisor appointed by a lord or
elected by peasants.
Summoner – is someone the medieval church
hires to call people before the ecclesiastical court
for their spiritual crimes, like adultery or heresy,
the punishment for which can be
excommunication (expulsion from the church)
Pardoner – A person who was licensed to sell
papal pardons or indulgences
Host - A Host was the owner of an inn. Also
called an innkeeper. 
 General Prologue:
Introduction
Chaucer, the narrator, opens the General
Prologue with a description of the return of spring. He stayed at a tavern in Southwark called the

Around this time of year, the narrator says, people Tabard Inn, a great company of twenty-nine
begin to feel the desire to go on a pilgrimage. travelers entered.
Many devout English pilgrims set off to visit The travelers were a diverse group who,
shrines in distant holy lands, but even more choose to like the narrator, were on their way to Canterbury.
travel to Canterbury to visit the relics of Saint
They happily agreed to let him join them. That
Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, where they
night, the group slept at the Tabard, and woke up
thank the martyr for having helped them when they
early the next morning to set off on their journey.
were in need. The narrator tells us that as he prepared
Before continuing the tale, the narrator declares
to go on such a pilgrimage..
his intent to list and describe each of the members
of the group.
 General Prologue: The Knight
through the Man of Law
The narrator begins his character portraits
with the Knight. In the narrator’s eyes, the Knight is
He is a dutiful son, and fulfills his responsibilities
the noblest of the pilgrims, embodying military
toward his father, such as carving his meat.
prowess, loyalty, honor, generosity, and good
Accompanying the Knight and Squire is
manners. The Knight conducts himself in a polite and
the Knight’s Yeoman, or freeborn servant. The
mild fashion, never saying an unkind word about
anyone. Yeoman wears green from head to toe and carries

The Knight’s son, who is about twenty years an enormous bow and beautifully feathered

old, acts as his father’s squire, or apprentice. Though arrows, as well as a sword and small shield. His
the Squire has fought in battles with great strength gear and attire suggest that he is a forester.
and agility, like his father, he is also devoted to love.
 General Prologue: The Knight
through the Man of Law
Next, the narrator describes the Prioress,
named Madame Eglentyne. Although the Prioress The Monk is the next pilgrim the narrator

is not part of the royal court, she does her best to describes. Extremely handsome, he loves hunting

imitate its manners. She speaks French, but with a and keeps many horses. He is an outrider at his

provincial English accent. The narrator says that monastery (he looks after the monastery’s business

her features are pretty, even her enormous with the external world), and his horse’s bridle can

forehead. On her arm she wears a set of prayer be heard jingling in the wind as clear and loud as a
church bell. The Monk is aware that the rule of his
beads, from which hangs a gold brooch that
monastic order discourages monks from engaging
features the Latin words for “Love Conquers
in activities like hunting, but he dismisses such
All.” Another nun and three priests accompany
strictures as worthless. The fat, bald, and well-
her.
dressed Monk resembles a prosperous lord.
 General Prologue: The Knight
through the Man of Law
The next member of the company is the Friar, a
member of a religious order who lives entirely by
Tastefully attired in nice boots and an imported fur
begging. This friar is jovial, pleasure-loving, well-
hat, the Merchant speaks constantly of his profits. The
spoken, and socially agreeable. He justifies his merchant is good at borrowing money, but clever
leniency by arguing that donating money to friars enough to keep anyone from knowing that he is in debt.
is a sign of true repentance, even if the penitent is After the Merchant comes the Clerk, a thin and
incapable of shedding tears. He pays no attention threadbare student of philosophy at Oxford, who
to beggars and lepers because they can’t help him devours books instead of food.

or his fraternal order. Despite his vow of poverty, The Man of Law, an influential lawyer, follows

the donations he extracts allow him to dress richly next. He is a wise character, capable of preparing
flawless legal documents.
and live quite merrily.
 General Prologue: The Franklin
through the Pardoner
The white-bearded Franklin is a wealthy
The hardy Shipman wears a dagger on a cord
gentleman farmer, possessed of lands but not of
around his neck. When he is on his ship, he steals
noble birth. His chief attribute is his
wine from the merchant he is transporting while
preoccupation with food.
he sleeps.
The narrator next describes the five
The taffeta-clad Physician bases his practice
Guildsmen, all artisans. They are dressed in the
of medicine and surgery on a thorough knowledge
livery, or uniform, of their guild. The narrator
of astronomy and the four humors. He has a good
compliments their shiny dress and mentions that
setup with his apothecaries, because they make
each was fit to be a city official. With them is
each other money. He is somewhat frugal, and the
their skillful Cook, whom Chaucer would praise
narrator jokes that the doctor’s favorite medicine
fully were it not for the ulcer on his shin.
is gold.
 General Prologue: The Franklin
through the Pardoner
Next, the narrator describes the slightly deaf
Wife of Bath. This keen seamstress is always first A gentle and poor village Parson is described next.
to the offering at Mass, and if someone goes Pure of conscience and true to the teachings of
ahead of her she gets upset. She has had five Christ, the Parson enjoys preaching and instructing
husbands and has taken three pilgrimages to his parishioners, but he hates excommunicating
Jerusalem. She has also been to Rome, Cologne, those who cannot pay their tithes. He believes that
and other exotic pilgrimage sites. Her teeth have a priest must be pure, because he serves as an
gaps between them, and she sits comfortably example for his congregation, his flock. The Parson
astride her horse. The Wife is jolly and talkative, is dedicated to his parish and does not seek a better
and she gives good love advice because she has appointment. He is even kind to sinners, preferring
had lots of experience. to teach them by example rather than scorn.
 General Prologue: The Franklin
through the Pardoner
The parson is accompanied by his brother, a
The Manciple stocks an Inn of Court (school
Plowman, who works hard, loves God and his
of law) with provisions. Uneducated though he is,
neighbor, labors “for Christ’s sake” (537), and
this manciple is smarter than most of the lawyers
pays his tithes on time.
he serves.
The red-haired Miller loves crude, bawdy jokes
The spindly, angry Reeve has hair so short that
and drinking. He is immensely stout and strong,
he reminds the narrator of a priest. He manages
able to lift doors off their hinges or knock them
his lord’s estate so well that he is able to hoard his
down by running at them with his head. He wears
own money and property in a miserly fashion.
a sword and buckler, and loves to joke around and
The Reeve is also a good carpenter, and he always
tell dirty stories. He steals from his customers,
rides behind everybody else.
and plays the bagpipes.
 General Prologue: The Franklin
through the Pardoner
The Summoner arraigns those accused of
The Pardoner rides with the Summoner. He sings
violating Church law. When drunk, he
with his companion, and has long, flowing,
ostentatiously spouts the few Latin phrases he
yellow hair. The narrator mentions that the
knows. His face is bright red from an unspecified
Pardoner thinks he rides very fashionably, with
disease. He uses his power corruptly for his own
nothing covering his head. The narrator compares
gain. He is extremely lecherous, and uses his
the Pardoner’s high voice to that of a goat. The
position to dominate the young women in his
narrator mocks the Pardoner for his disrespectful
jurisdiction. In exchange for a quart of wine, he
manipulation of the poor for his own material
would let another man sleep with his girlfriend for
gain. In charge of selling papal indulgences, he is
a year and then pardon the man completely.
despised by the Church and most churchgoers for
counterfeiting pardons and pocketing the money
 General Prologue:
The Conclusion
After serving the pilgrims a banquet and
He lays out his plan: each of the pilgrims will tell
settling the bill with them, the Host of the tavern
two tales on the way to Canterbury and two more
speaks to the group. He welcomes and compliments
on the way back. Whomever the Host decides has
the company, telling them they are the merriest
told the most meaningful and comforting stories
group of pilgrims to pass through his inn all year.
He adds that he would like to contribute to their
will receive a meal paid for by the rest of the

happiness, free of charge. He says that he is sure pilgrims upon their return.

they will be telling stories as they travel, since it The Host also declares that he will ride with
would be boring to travel in silence. Therefore, he the pilgrims and serve as their guide at his own
proposes to invent some entertainment for them if cost. If anyone disputes his judgment, he says,
they will unanimously agree to do as he says. that person must pay for the expenses of the
pilgrimage.
 General Prologue:
The Conclusion
The company agrees and makes the Host its
He tells the group members to draw straws to
governor, judge, and record keeper. They settle on
decide who tells the first tale. The Knight wins
a price for the supper prize and return to drinking
and prepares to begin his tale.
wine. The next morning, the Host wakes everyone
up and gathers the pilgrims together. After they
have set off, he reminds the group of the
agreement they made. He also reminds them that
whoever disagrees with him must pay for
everything spent along the way.
CANTURBERY
TALES
A Knight’s Tale
 Characters of the Story

THESEUS ARCITE
A great conqueror and the duke of The sworn brother to Palamon, Arcite,
Athens in the Knight’s Tale & is imprisoned with Palamon in the tower
often called upon to make the final in the Knight’s Tale, falls equally head
judgment, but he listens to others’ over heels in love with Emelye. 
pleas for help.

PALAMON EMELYE
Palamon is one of the two imprisoned Emelye is the sister to Hippolyta,
Theban soldier heroes in the Knight’s Theseus’s domesticated Amazon queen
Tale. Sworn to everlasting friendship in the Knight’s Tale.
with his cousin Arcite, Palamon falls in
love with the fair maiden Emelye
 Characters of the Story

EGEUS MERCURY
Theseus’s father. Egeus gives
Theseus the advice that helps him Winged-messenger of the gods who
convince Palamon and Emelye to appeared in Arcite’s dream
end their mourning of Arcite and get
married.
 A Knight’s Tale
Long ago in Ancient Greece, a great conqueror and duke named
Theseus ruled the city of Athens. One day, four women kneel in
front of Theseus’s horse and weep, halting his passage into the
city. The eldest woman informs him that they are grieving the
loss of their husbands, who were killed at the siege of the city of
Thebes. Creon, the lord of Thebes, has dishonored them by
refusing to bury or cremate their bodies. Enraged at the ladies’
plight, Theseus marches on Thebes, which he easily conquers.
After returning the bones of their husbands to the four women
for the funeral rites, Theseus discovers two wounded enemy
soldiers lying on the battlefield, nearing death. Rather than kill
them, he mercifully heals the Theban soldiers’ injuries, but
condemns them to a life of imprisonment in an Athenian tower.
 A Knight’s Tale
The prisoners, named Palamon and Arcite, are cousins and
sworn brothers. Both live in the prison tower for several
years. One spring morning, Palamon awakes early, looks
out the window, and sees fair-haired Emelye, Theseus’s
sister-in-law. She is making flower garlands, “To doon
honour to May” (1047). He falls in love and moans with
heartache. His cry awakens Arcite, who comes to
investigate the matter. As Arcite peers out the window,
he too falls in love with the beautiful flower-clad maiden.
They argue over her, but eventually realize the futility of
such a struggle when neither can ever leave the prison.
 A Knight’s Tale
One day, a duke named Perotheus, friend both to Theseus
and Arcite, petitions for Arcite’s freedom. Theseus agrees,
on the condition that Arcite be banished permanently
from Athens on pain of death. Arcite returns to Thebes,
miserable and jealous of Palamon, who can still see
Emelye every day from the tower. But Palamon, too,
grows more sorrowful than ever; he believes that Arcite
will lay siege to Athens and take Emelye by force. The
knight poses the question to the listeners, rhetorically:
who is worse off, Arcite or Palamon?
 A Knight’s Tale
Some time later, winged Mercury, messenger to the gods,
appears to Arcite in a dream and urges him to return to
Athens. By this time, Arcite has grown gaunt and frail from
lovesickness. He realizes that he could enter the city
disguised and not be recognized. He does so and takes on
a job as a page in Emelye’s chamber under the
pseudonym Philostrate. This puts him close to Emelye but
not close enough. Wandering in the woods as it -happens,
Palamon has escaped from seven years of imprisonment
that very day and hears Arcite’s song and monologue
while -sneaking through the woods. They confront each
other, each claiming the right to Emelye. Arcite challenges
his old friend to a duel the next day. They meet in a field
and bludgeon each other ruthlessly.
 A Knight’s Tale
Theseus, out on a hunt, finds these two warriors brutally
Hacking away at each other. Palamon reveals their
identities and love for Emelye. He implores the duke to
justly decide their fate, suggesting that they both deserve
to die. Theseus is about to respond by killing them, but the
women of his court—especially his queen and Emelye—
intervene, pleading for Palamon and Arcite’s lives. The duke
consents and decides instead to hold a tournament fifty
weeks from that day. The two men will be pitted against
one another, each with a hundred of the finest men he can
gather. The winner will be awarded Emelye’s hand.
 A Knight’s Tale
Theseus prepares for the tournament by constructing an enormous
stadium. By its gate, he erects three temples to the gods—one for
Venus, the goddess of love; one for Mars, the god of war; and one for
Diana, the goddess of chastity. The Knight provides a lengthy
description of each temple. The Sunday before the tournament,
Palamon visits the temple of Venus and supplicates her in the night.
He tells her of his desire for Emelye and requests that she bring
him victory in the name of love. The statue of Venus makes an
enigmatic “sign” (the reader isn’t told what the sign is), which
Palamon interprets as a positive answer, and he departs confident.
That dawn, Emelye also rises and goes to the temple of Diana.
Desirous to remain a virgin—“a mayden al my lyf” (2305)—she begs
Diana to prevent the impending marriage. But an image of Diana
appears and informs her that she must marry one of the Thebans.
Obedient, Emelye retires to her chamber.
 A Knight’s Tale

Arcite walks to the temple of Mars and begs the god of

war for victory in the battle. He, too, receives a positive
sign: the doors of the temple clang, and he hears the statue
of Mars whisper, “Victorie!” (2433). Like Palamon, Arcite
departs the temple in high hopes for the coming day. The
scene then shifts to the gods themselves. Saturn, Venus’s
father, assures her cryptically that despite Mars’s aid to
Arcite, Palamon will have his lady in the end.
 A Knight’s Tale
The magnificent armies enter, appearing evenly matched. After
Theseus has sternly delivered the rules, the bloody battle of flashing
swords and maces begins. Though Palamon fights valiantly, Arcite
sees his chance and brings Palamon “to the stake”—he claims
him with a sword at his throat. Emelye rejoices as Theseus proclaims
Arcite victorious. Venus, on the other hand, weeps with shame that
her knight lost, until Saturn calms her and signals that all is not over.
At Saturn’s request, the earth shakes beneath Arcite as he rides
toward Theseus. The knight’s horse throws him, crushing his chest.
Gravely wounded, the company transports Arcite to bed, where
physicians attempt in vain to heal him. Arcite expresses his love to
Emelye, and then tells her that if she decides tomarry another, she
should remember Palamon, who possesses the qualities of a worthy
knight
 A Knight’s Tale
All of Athens mourns Arcite’s death. Emelye, Theseus, and
Palamon are inconsolable. Theseus’s father, Egeus, takes Theseus
aside and tells him that every man must live and die—life is a
journey through woe that must, at some point, come to an end.
After some years pass, the mourners heal, with the exception of
Emelye and Palamon, who continue to go about sorrowfully,
dressed in black. During one parliament at Athens, Theseus
berates the two for grieving too much. He reminds them that God
ordains that all must die, and refusal to accept death is therefore
folly. He requests that they cease mourning, and that his wife’s
sister take Palamon for her husband and lord. They obey, and as
they realize the wisdom of Theseus’s advice over many years,
Emelye and Palamon enjoy a long, loving, and happy marriage.