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Text Bank
The Doctor
Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales (ca 1387–1400)
General Prologue, lines 421–454
In the General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer includes representatives of all social
classes. Among his pilgrims, there is also a member of the new middle classes, a Doctor.
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A Doctor too emerged as we proceeded;
No one alive could talk as well as he did
On points of medicine and of surgery,
For, being grounded1 in astronomy,
He watched his patient closely for the hours2
When, by his horoscope, he knew the powers
Of favourable planets, then ascendent,
Worked on the images for his dependent3.
The cause of every malady you’d got
He knew, and whether dry, cold, moist or hot4;
He knew their seat, their humour and condition.
He was a perfect practising physician.
These causes being known for what they were,
He gave the man his medicine then and there5.
All his apothecaries in a tribe
Were ready with the drugs he would prescribe
And each made money from the other’s guile6;
They had been friendly for a goodish while7.
He was well-versed in Aesculapius too
And what Hippocrates and Rufus knew
And Dioscorides, now dead and gone,
Galen8 and Rhazes, Hali, Serapion,
Averroes, Avicenna, Constantine9,
Scotch Bernard, John of Gaddesden, Gilbertine10.
In his own diet he observed some measures;
There were no superfluities for pleasures,
Only digestives, nutritives and such.
He did not read the Bible very much.
In blood-red garments11, slashed12 with bluish grey
And lined with taffeta, he rode his way;
Yet he was rather close as too expenses13
And kept the gold he won in pestilences.
Gold stimulates the heart, or so we’re told.
He therefore had a special love of gold.
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being grounded. Poiché
conosceva a fondo.
closely for hours.
Seguendo le ore celesti.
images for his
dependent.
Talismani di cera
che rappresentavano
il paziente.
dry ... hot. Freddo,
caldo, umidità e
arsura. Si pensava
che tali condizioni
influenzassero
i temperamenti
e gli umori (collerico,
malinconico, sanguigno
e flemmatico)
dell’uomo.
then and there. Subito.
guile. Astuzia.
for a goodish while.
Di vecchia data.
Aesculapius … Galen.
Esculapio, Ippocrate,
Rufo, Dioscoride,
Galeno, autorità
mediche dell’antica
Grecia.
Rhazes … Constantine.
Razis, Alì, Serapione,
Averroè, Avicenna,
Costantino Afro, medici
di origine araba.
Scotch … Gilbertine.
Bernard Gordon, John
of Gadesden e Gilbertus
Anglicus, medici inglesi
vissuti tra il XIII e il XIV
secolo.
garments. Abiti.
slashed. Ornati.
close as too expenses.
Accorto nelle spese.
8  Text Bank
COMPREHENSION
1
READ lines 1–24 and find out:
1 what the Doctor had studied;
2 what approach he followed with his patient;
3 who his friends were.
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READ the text to the end and write down:
1 what remedies he suggested;
2 whether he trusted the Bible;
3 how he was dressed;
4 what he loved.
ANALYSIS
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FOCUS on the character of the Doctor. Circle all the adjectives used to describe
the Doctor.
1 What features does Chaucer focus on?
2 What do you think is Chaucer’s attitude towards this pilgrim?
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DISCUSS. Is the Doctor presented as an old-fashioned or modern doctor? Why?
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IDENTIFY the lines where Chaucer uses irony, a typical feature of his style.
YOUR TURN
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USE Chaucer’s method to write a character sketch about a type of person found
in modern society. You may describe a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer, a politician, a singer...
Before you start, think about the kinds of details Chaucer used to create his pilgrims,
for example:
• personal details;
• behaviour;
• social status;
• experiences;
• physical appearance;
• interests;
• clothes.
Also provide a context (see Chaucer’s pilgrimage) for your character.