Canterbury Tales Notes
Mrs. Taylor, in her excitement about this realistic and satirical piece of English literature,
wrote down some adjectives and accompanying notes that reveal key points about the
characters in The Canterbury Tales. Work in groups, read each section aloud if you want
to, and find the quotations that support each pilgrim’s description, and record it beside the
adjective/description.
Before you begin your journey through the last characters on the pilgrimage, find
definitions for the following literary devices at the back of your book and copy them in
you literary terms booklet. Accentuate your understanding by finding examples from The
Canterbury Tales.
Satire
Irony
Symbol
Paradox
Metaphor
Foil
Imagery
Simile
*19. The Wife of Bath: Urban/mercantile
 Cloth maker
 Somewhat deaf
 Sexy: “hose were of the finest scarlet red and gartered tight” (lines 444-445)
 Well traveled
 Worldly
 Personable
 Chaucer likes her
 She becomes jealous and angry if anyone else in church tries to be the first in line
 Handsome
 Physical traits reveal personality
o Teeth
o Deafness (amorousness—likes some lovin’)
*20. The Parson: Clergy
 Good, patient, hard worker
 Giver
 Dedicated
 Practices what he preaches
 Humble
 FOIL to the monk and the Friar because he is truly a man of God
 He is a good shepherd
 What does the wolf symbolize? _____________________________________

Chaucer likes the Parson
* 21. Plowman: Feudal
 Parson’s brother (this can be a literal or a figurative translation—spiritual brother
or actual brother)
 Does his job well
 Chaucer admires him
 Idealistic
 Honest
 Not glamorous
 Good Christian
* 22.The Miller: Urban
 Fat, big
 Tough
 Ugly
 Tells gross stories
 Materialistic
 Greedy/cheater
 Knows his grain
 Brawny
 Demonstrates Chaucer’s realism
23. The Manciple: A steward or servant who purchases provisions for a college, or in this
case, Inns of the court. Urban
 Find the satire in how Chaucer describes the Manciple’s cleverness.
 Smart
 “wipe their eye” = getting the better of someone
24. The Reeve: superintendent of estate, responsible for the crops and animals. Feudal
 frugal management style
 although no one else dares to cheat, he does
 physical appearance reveals character traits
 materialistic (find satire)
 crafty
 he rides last in the line up…Why?
*25. Summoner: sent by the church to “summon” those suspected of breaking Church
law. Ecclesiastical/clergy
 finds sinners
 ugly/bad breath
 poor
 drunk


pompous, lecherous, physically disgusting—but not the worst member of the
Church in the pilgrims on this journey
corrupt
*26. Pardoner: Clergy. Sells Church indulgences, which obviated all or portion of
penance enjoined on penitents by their confessors.
 Chaucer does not like the pardoner
 Ugly
 Animal references
 Effeminate
 Deceptive
 Similarities to the monk and the friar
 Trickery and abuses
27. Chaucer: Urban
 Tells the tale
 Irony: Speaker makes mock apology in advance for “reporting” plain and vulgar
stories
 Realism
28. Our Host: Urban
 Hearty and good natured
 Concerned with comfort and mirth (joy at living)
 Motivation for the telling of the tales.
Please use the space below to write down any questions or confusions about what you
have read today and remember to ask me when I return.