The Canterbury Tales
By Nicholas Strittmatter
Grade 12 English
Main Characters
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The Narrator
The Knight
The Wife of Bath
The Pardoner
The Miller
The Prioress
The Monk
The Friar
The Narrator
▪ Not just a narrator in The
Canterbury Tales, but also a
character.
▪ Named Chaucer, which is also the
name of the author.
▪ An excellent example of an
unreliable narrator, as he may be
misremembering or skewing the
information he presents.
The Knight
▪ Represents nobility, strength,
loyalty, generosity, honor,
kindness.
▪ Has a son who is also his
apprentice.
▪ Both are devoted to love.
The Wife of Bath
▪ Bath is the town where the
Wife is from.
▪ Known for having been married
five times.
▪ Enjoys participating in debates.
▪ Described as having a gap in
her front teeth, which was
considered attractive at the
time.
The Pardoner
▪ Pardoners collected money for
the church to pardon individuals’
sins.
▪ This pardoner kept the money he
collected for himself.
▪ Talented at singing and
preaching while in church.
The Miller
▪ Drunkard with a big mouth.
▪ Interrupts The Host frequently,
insisting on telling the second
story.
▪ Ruins The Host’s planned
storytelling order.
The Prioress
▪ A prioress is the head of a
convent of nuns.
▪ The Prioress is modest and
quiet.
▪ Speaks French.
▪ Kind and Compassionate
The Monk
▪ Most monks in this time lived in
monestaries.
▪ The Monk prefers hunting and
eating to work and prayer.
▪ Described as large and loud.
The Friar
▪ A friar was a roaming priest,
something frowned upon in this
time.
▪ The Friar accepts bribes for his
services in marriage and
confession.
Quiz Question
Which of these characters interrupts The Host’s planned storytelling
order?
a) The Monk
b) The Narrator
c) The Miller
d) The Wife of Bath
Sorry!
Nice try!
Although described as large and loud, The Monk is not the one who
interrupts the storytelling order.
Give it another shot!
Sorry!
Nice try!
While The Narrator is a character in these tales, he is not the one who
interrupts the storytelling order.
Give it another shot!
Sorry!
Nice try!
While The Wife of Bath appreciates a good debate, she’s not the one
who interrupts the planned storytelling order.
Give it another shot!
You got it!
Well done!
The Miller gets drunk and interrupts The Host’s storytelling order,
insisting on telling the second story.
Congratulations!
You’ve completed the Canterbury Tales
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