The Canterbury Tales
Study Questions
p. 42 Millennium 1
1. What typical event of English medieval society frames the
collection of tales?
The pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas Beckett in
Canterbury.
2. Do his (Chaucer’s) characters mirror a particular social class
as in Boccaccio’s Decameron or do they represent a
heterogeneous society?
They embody individuals from a heterogeneous society.
3. Who are they representative of ?
They represent the middle strata of society; aristocracy and
peasants are both excluded.
4. What characterises Chaucer’s style?
A subtle irony