Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 1
Mr. Valentin
Directions: Be sure to answer all questions in complete sentences. You must answer all parts of
the question for credit. In the other notes section, be sure to provide other details that were
explained in class.
Prologue:
When does the story take place?
What type of journey is this? Who are these people going to see? Why?
How many people enter the inn? Where do these people want to go?
Other notes:
Knight:
Why does the prologue begin with the Knight?
How are the Knight’s ethics described?
What are some of the locations he has been to? Why has he been to so many locations?
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 2
Mr. Valentin
Why is it important that the Knight is not “gaily” dressed?
Other notes:
Squire:
What is the relation between the Squire and the Knight?
How is the Squire described physically?
Give a detail from the text about the Squire that shows direct characterization.
Other notes:
Yeoman:
Where is the Yeoman’s job?
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 3
Mr. Valentin
How is the Yeoman’s clothes described? Why might he wear this?
What is important to note about the Yeoman’s skin color? Why is his skin this way?
Other notes:
Prioress:
What is a Prioress?
How are “her ways” described?
How might other people know her as?
How many languages does she speak?
Other notes:
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 4
Mr. Valentin
Definitions: Define the following words, and include the part of speech. Then name which of the
previous four characters best describes the definition.
Dainty:
Chivalrous:
Agile:
Nun and Nun’s Priest:
Other notes:
Monk:
What does the Monk like to do?
How does the Monk feel about the Bible?
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 5
Mr. Valentin
How is the Monk dressed?
Other notes:
Friar:
What does the Friar do?
Define absolution:
What instrument does the Friar play?
Give a detail from the text about the Friar that shows indirect characterization.
Other notes:
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 6
Mr. Valentin
Merchant:
How is the Merchant dressed?
Give a detail about the Merchant that shows direct characterization.
Other notes:
Oxford Cleric:
How would you physically describe the Oxford Cleric?
What is his profession?
Define allusion
Give an example of allusion from the excerpt about the Oxford Cleric.
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 7
Mr. Valentin
What is the philosopher’s stone?
What is his only care in the world?
Other notes:
Sergeant at the Law:
What is his profession?
What do we learn about his grammar abilities?
Other notes:
Franklin:
The Franklin is described as sanguine. Define sanguine.
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 8
Mr. Valentin
Give an example of allusion from the excerpt about the Franklin
Give a detail about the Franklin and how it shows indirect characterization.
Other notes:
The Guild:
What does a Haberdasher do?
What does a Dyer do?
What does a Carpenter do?
What does a Weaver do?
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 9
Mr. Valentin
What does a Carpet-maker do?
Other notes about the Guild:
Cook:
Other notes:
Skipper:
Why does the Skipper have a hard time riding a horse?
How might you describe the Skipper’s temperament?
What is the name of his boat?
Other notes:
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 10
Mr. Valentin
Doctor:
What are the four humors?
What is an apothecary?
Name three allusions from this passage.
“He did not read the Bible much” is an example of indirect characterization. What does it
mean?
Give another example of indirect characterization from the section about the Doctor.
Other notes:
The Wife of Bath
What is Bath?
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 11
Mr. Valentin
Give an example of direct characterization from the section about the Wife of Bath.
What color does she wear? Why is this important?
How many husbands did she have? How did she manage to marry them all at church?
Other notes:
Parson:
What class is the Parson? How holy is the Parson?
What is his profession?
What is tithing? Why might he dislike this? How might this be an example of social
commentary?
Other notes:
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
Plowman:
What is the Plowman’s relation to the Parson?
How do the Plowman and the Parson differ?
Other notes:
Miller:
How might you physically describe the Miller?
Define Simile:
The Miller is likened to the fox, why?
What does he do for the rest of the characters?
Other notes:
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 12
Mr. Valentin
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 13
Mr. Valentin
Manciple:
What does the Manciple do?
The reader is told “Now isn’t it a marvel of God’s grace / That an illiterate fellow can outpace /
The wisdom if a heap of learned men.” This is an example of indirect characterization. What
does it mean?
Other notes:
Reeve:
Give an example of direct characterization about the Reeve.
Other notes:
Summoner:
How is the Summoner physically described?
How does he smell?
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 14
Mr. Valentin
What did the Summoner like to do?
Other notes:
Pardoner:
Give an example of simile from the section about the Pardoner.
What are some animals the Pardoner is compared to? Why?
How does the Pardoner make his living?
Other notes:
Host:
What game does the Host propose?
Why happens for the winner?
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 15
Mr. Valentin
How do they decide who goes first?
Other notes:
Definitions: Define the following words, and include the part of speech.
Prudent
Lobbyist
Soluble
Starting with the lower class people, who might be the best described as prudent?
Which of the Canterbury Tales characters would be the best lobbyist and why?
Which character in The Canterbury Tales is most likely to use a soluble?
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 16
Mr. Valentin
The Wife of Bath’s Guide:
Who was the Wife of Bath’s last husband? Why is he important?
During what time does the story take place (Who is the King)?
What used to exist that no longer does?
The knight took a maiden’s maidenhead. What does that mean?
The queen will allow the knight to live if he can answer what question?
How long does the queen give the knight to find out the answer?
What are some of the answers the knight hears?
Define a frame story.
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 17
Mr. Valentin
There is a flashback of Midas, who is Midas and what happened to him?
How many women does the knight see dancing? What happens when he approaches them?
The knight sees a “foul looking creature” (143). What will she do for him? What does want in
return?
What do women want?
What does the old woman want in return?
Define contemptuous
How does the knight take the news?
Name: ________________________
English 10 Regents
The Canterbury Tales Chapter Notes pg 18
Mr. Valentin
The woman presents the knight with two options. What are they? Which does the knight choose?
What happens to the woman at the end of the story?
What is the moral of the story?
Read (on page 154) the cultural connection. How might The Wife of Bath’s tale be an example
of social commentary.