PILGRIM/
CAREER
The Knight:
Professional
soldier
The Squire:
Son of the knight,
Knight in training
The Yeoman:
Hunter,
Woodsman
Serves the Knight
The Nun:
Prologue to the Canterbury Tales
VISUAL
Physical
Level of
Description
Respect
Wears a tunic of
rough cloth
Very high
Curly hair,
Early 20’s,
Wears fancy
embroidered clothes
Brown face,
Green clothes,
Carries weapons,
Prioress: leader of
the nuns in the
abbey
Her name is
“Eglantyne.”
Wears nice cloak,
beads
The Monk:
Very fat, Coat
sleeves have fur,
Gold jewelry
Member of a
brotherhood
High
Other Traits
Good at his job; lives by
code of honor;
Modest, humble
Ladies’ man,
Stays out all night
Carves for his father at the
table
Very capable forester
Middle
Concerned with her
appearance,
LOW
Treats her dogs better than
normally
would be high people
Speaks textbook French
for a nun
(Not a compliment!)
LOW
for a monk
Hunts all the time,
Spends money on horses,
Does not live in the
monastery
PILGRIM/
CAREER
The Friar:
“The Finest
Beggar”
Supposed to raise
money for the
church
The Merchant:
Businessman,
Deals in imports and
exports
The Oxford Cleric:
Student
Sergeant at the
Law:
Lawyer
The Franklin:
Wealthy
landowner
VISUAL
Physical
Description
Looks more “like a
doctor or a Pope”
Level of
Respect
Very Low
He carries
pocketknives and pins
for curls (bribes).
Nice clothes,
Beaver hat,
Beard,
Buckled shoes
Thin,
Wears a
threadbare coat
Other Information
He seduces girls, gets
them pregnant, and pays
men to marry them.
He hangs out in taverns.
Medium
High
The merchant is actually
in debt.
He can’t find a job in the
church but didn’t want
another job. He borrows
money from friends to buy
books.
Colorful coat with
a silken belt
Medium
This lawyer is not really
as busy as he said he
was.
White beard
Medium
“Eat, drink, and be
merry” should be the
Franklin’s motto.
PILGRIM/
CAREER
The Guild:
Haberdasher
Dyer
Carpenter
Weaver
Carpet-maker
VISUAL
Physical
Description
Neatly dressed,
Their knives are
trimmed with
silver.
Level of
Respect
Other Information
High
They are members of a
union and skilled workers.
Their wives are proud.
They go to church to be seen.
The Cook:
Works for the
Guildsmen
Ulcer (sore) on his
knee from bending
over the fire.
Middle
His specialty was chicken.
The Skipper:
Woolen gown,
Tan,
Wears a dagger on
a lanyard
Low
Owner of the
Pirate
The Doctor:
Physician
Astrologist
The Wife of Bath:
Cloth maker
(Gold-digger)
Blood-red
garments lined
with taffeta, a
shiny cloth
MediumHigh
Wide hips,
Red face,
Gap teethconsidered lucky
Medium
Maudelayne
The doctor and the
pharmacists cheat the
patients.
He makes a lot of $ from
epidemics.
He has a love of gold.
She has been married 5
times.
She is looking for #6.
She knows how to give
abortions.
PILGRIM/
CAREER
The Parson:
Priest of a parish
The Plowman:
Farmer
The Miller:
Makes flour
The Manciple:
Caterer at a
College
The Reeve:
Estate Manager
For a Lord
VISUAL
Physical
Description
Level of
Respect
Other Information
None
The focus is on his
character.
Very high
He is the only truly good
person from the church.
Wears a loose
jacket
Big, brawny man,
Red hair,
Hairy nostrils,
Wart on his nose
He practices what he
preaches.
High
Hardworking, honest man
LOW
He puts his thumb on the
scale to cheat farmers.
He gives 10% to the church.
He loves his neighbor.
He plays the bagpipes.
He breaks down doors.
None
The focus is on his
great common
sense.
High
He cannot read or write,
but he has more common
sense than the
professors.
Older man,
Bald spot on head,
High
He has made a lot of money
cheating his lord.
Skinny chicken
legs
The Miller is his enemy.
PILGRIM/
CAREER
The
Summoner:
Deputy of the
church
The Pardoner:
Paid to forgive
sins.
Sells religious
“relics”
The Host:
(Harry Bailey)
Inn owner
VISUAL
Physical
Description
Red skin, pimples,
boils,
Narrow eyes,
scabby eyebrows,
Bad breath
UGLY!!!
Greasy, yellow hair
hanging in rat-tails
A pleasing high
voice, beardless
“A gelding or a
mare” (castrated)
Bright eyes,
Friendly,
A little heavy.
Level of
Respect
Very Low
Other Information
He arrests people for
adultery and other sins.
He is a liar.
He accepts bribes.
The way he looks scares
children, but he’s bad
inside, too.
Low
His “relics” are fakes.
He carries a jar of pig bones
and says they are the bones
of saints.
He knows the Bible and
uses this to draw people
in.
MediumHigh
The host is honest.
He does not water down the
wine.
He proposes the
storytelling contest.
He goes along with the
pilgrims to be the judge.