The Canterbury Tales Pilgrim Study
Guide
Block 7
The Knight
• Physical description: “A most distinguished man” (line 43)
• Clothing: “He wore a fustian tunic stained and dark
With smudges where his armor had left a
mark” (77-78)
• Occupation: A knight, fighting for the lord he trained under
as a page and squire
• Representative line: “He was a true, a perfect gentle-knight”
(74)
• My opinion: He seems to be a brave, skilled, experienced
crusader for Christianity
• Modern counterpart: A Navy SEAL
• The ideal; most socially prominent member of the journey
Physical description: Chaucer describes him as “embrouded as
if he we a meal all ful of fresshe floures, whyte and feede” (8090) with locks as curly as if hey had been pressed.
Occupation: A squire is like an indentured servant learning the
trade on how to be a knight. He makes songs, and poems and
recites them, shield or armor bearer of a knight.
Modern counterpart: An apprentice.
Representative line: “Courteous he was, lowly and serviceable
and curved to serve his father at the table”
I think that the squire is a servant that spends years learning his
trade so he can be the best Knight possible when he is older.
Clothing: ‘short was his gown, the sleeves were long and wide”
(95)
Physical description: “His head was like a nut, his face was
brown.”(line 111-112)
Clothing: “wore a coat and hood of green, and peacock
feathered arrows, bright and keen”(line 105-107)
Occupation: A forester, he takes care of the forest on the
knight’s land, protecting it from outlaws and so nobody
poaches in them
Representative line: “He was a proper forester”(line 121)
My Opinion: He seems to be trustworthy, loyal, and a
strong person.
Modern counterpart: Park Ranger
A Nun who is a religious
figure but tries too hard
to be perceived a
certain way.
PRIORESS
Physical Description: “Her way of smiling very simple and coy.” (123)
“Her nose was elegant, her eyes glass-grey; Her mouth was very small,
but soft and red, Her forehead, certainly, was fair of spread, Almost a
span across the brows…” (156-159)
Clothing: “Her veil was gathered in a seemly way.” (155) “Her cloak, I
noticed, had a graceful charm. She wore a coral trinket on her arm, a
set of beads, the gaudies tricked in green, where hung a golden brooch
of the brightest sheen.” (161-164)
Occupation: A nun who spoke French
Representative Line: “And to seem dignified in all her dealings” (145)
My Opinion: She seems well educated, well mannered, and very
compassionate Worries about appearance, which is unusual for a nun.
Modern Counterpart: A nun
MONK
Physical Description: “His head was bald and shone like looking-glass; so
did his face, as if it had been greased. He was a fat and personable priest;
His prominent eyeballs never seemed to settle.” (203-205) “He was not pale
like a tormented soul.” (209) “His palfrey was as brown as is a berry.” (211)
Clothing: “I saw his sleeves were garnished at the hand, With fine grey fur,
the finest in the land, And on his hood, to fasten it at his chin, He had a
wrought-gold cunningly fashioned pin;” (197-201)
Occupation: A monk who studied religious scripts, who also took care of
horses and hunted
Representative Line: “Where my lord Monk was Prior of the cell.” (176)
My Opinion: I think that he has a wild personality because he hunts and
kills animals, yet studies religious texts that disapprove of these actions
Modern Counterpart: A monk (Phil Robertson)
Friar
Physical Description: A wanton (cruel) one and merry (212)
Clothing: Threadbare robes and stuffed tippet with pins for
curls and pocket knives. (237-238) (268)
Occupation: A Limiter, a very festive fellow (has girls confess
their sins to him, and then helps them find marriage)
Representative Line: He was the finest beggar of his batch
(256) (the best of his type-a scoundrel; tricky)
My Opinion: He seems to be a player, charming, and
respected by many people. (charms people to take advantage of
them)
Modern Counterpart: A Bishop
Merchant
Physical Description: A forking beard and motley dress
(280)
Clothing: Upon his head a Flemish beaver hat and on his
feet daintily buckled boots ( 282-283)
Occupation: He was an expert at dabbling in exchanges
(288) (knew how to bargain, to the outside he was part of a
powerful, affluent class, but no one knew he was in debt)
Representative Line: He was an excellent fellow all the
same (293)
My Opinion: A short man that seems really confident and
works hard to earn money.
Modern Counterpart: A Trader
Poor, but doesn’t mind
because rich in smarts.
Franklin
• “White as a daisy petal was his beard,” “sanguine
(positive),” “high coloured and benign”
• Dagger and silk purse hung from his girdle
• Occupation: “As sheriff he checked audit, every
entry”
• Line: “He lived for pleasure, and had always
done” (enjoyed good food and always had his
table laid out; wealthy land owner, but not of
noble birth)
• Modern counterpart: heir to “new money”
business
Harberdasher, Carpenter, Weaver Dyer,
Carpet-Maker
Physical Description: *None
Description of Clothing: Trim and Fresh,
Knives made of silver
Occupation: They all create, fix, or sell products
Representative Line: “Their wisdom would have
justified a plan, to make each one of them an
alderman.” (Line 381-382)
Opinion: I’m assuming they all must be friends since
they travel with each other and they must be
important because they each have a special skill.
Modern Counterpart: Handyman
Cook:
Physical Description: Ulcer on his knee
Description of Clothing: *no info in book
Occupation: Cooked food for the travelers,
Representative Line: “They had a cook with
them who stood alone”(line 389)
Opinion: He was a great cook, and created
many delicious meals, however he was old
and had some physical problems. (his ulcer
makes some people turned off by his food)
Modern Counterpart: Cook
The Shipman
Physical Description: “The summer heat had tanned his colour
brown,
And certainly he was an excellent fellow.” (lines 404-405)
Clothing: “He rode a farmer’s horse as best he could,
In a woollen gown that reached his knee.
A dagger on a lanyard falling free
Hung from his neck under his arm and
down.” (lines 400-403)
Occupation: A skipper that fights enemy vessels at sea
Representative Line: “Hardy he was, prudent in undertaking;”(line 415)
My opinion: He seems to be a relentless and shrewd captain who was a hard worker
and felt no sympathy. (tough, knowledgeable of the geography of the sea)
Modern Counterpart: A ship captain
THE SKIPPER
-PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: “HE CAME FROM
DARTMOUTH, SO I UNDERSTOOD. “HE RODE
A FARM ER’ S HORS E AS B EST HE C OUL D . ”
DESCRIPTION OF CLOTHING: “HE RODE HIS
FARM ERS HORS E AS B EST HE C OU L D I N A
W O O D E N G O W N T H AT R E A C H E D H I S K N E E . ”
O C C U PAT I O N - H E W A S A F I G H T E R A N D
WHEN HE FOUGHT HIS ENEMY VESSEL
SANK.
R E P R E S E N TAT I V E L I N E - “ H E S E N T T H E
PRISONERS HOME; THEY WALKED THE
PLANK.”
OPINION- I THINK THE SKIPPER IS A GOOD
P E R S O N AT W H AT H E D O E S A N D K N O W S
W H AT H E ’ S D O I N G E A C H T I M E H E F I G H T S
The Doctor of Medicine
Physical Description: “No one alive could talk as well as he did
On points of medicine and of surgery,” (lines 422-423)
Clothing: “”In blood-red garments, slashed with bluish
grey
And lined with taffeta, he rode his way:” (lines 448-450)
Occupation: A self-sufficient physician that prescribes medicines for his patients as
well as cares for them
Representative Line: “He was a perfect practicing physician.” (line 432)
My opinion: He appears to be an intelligent business man who is rather wealthy with
gold. (good dr., physically healthy, but spiritually lacking)
Modern Counterpart: A Pediatrician
WIFE/WOMAN
OF
BATH
•
Physical description: “Bold was her face, handsome
and red in hue.” (line 468) deaf, gap in her teeth
•
Clothing: “The ones she wore on Sunday, on her
head. Her hose were of the finest scarlet red and
gartered tight; her shoes were soft and new.”
(line465-4670
•
Occupation: Knows remedies for love mischances
•
•
(seamstress)
Representative line: “In company she liked to laugh
and chat”
•
My opinion: Very well off and has seen the world
•
Modern counterpart: trophy wife
Physical description: Male
Clothing: Old clothes that are not extravagant
Occupation: Parish priest who spreads Christianity
and teaches virtuous and holy living.
Representative line: “Christ and His Twelve
Apostoles and their lore, He taught, but followed it
himself before.” (537-538)
Opinion: He is a very selfless man (he lives in
poverty) who takes his job as a parish priest very
seriously. (ideal portrait of what a parish priest should be
among superficial religious characters on this pilgrimage)
Modern Counterpart: Priest
Physical Description:
“He wore a tabard smock and rode a mare.” Line 555
Clothing:
He wore a tabard smock.
Occupation:
He was a friar or priest. (works picking up manure in the fields)
Representative line:
“He was an honest worker, good and true,
Living in peace and perfect Charity,” Line 543
My Opinion:
He seems like a good hearted priest or friar that just wants to
make others happy and to give all he can. (brother of the parson)
Modern Counterpart:
A modern day priest.
Physical Description: “A great stout fellow big in brawn and
bone.” (Line 562) “Broad, knotty and short shouldered”
(Line 565) “His beard, like any sow or fox, was red and
broad as well” (Line 568-569) (red hairs coming from the wart on
his nose made him look intimidating)
Clothing: “He wore a hood of blue and a white coat.” (line
582)
Occupation: A store owner that buys and sells grains.
Representative line: “His mighty mouth was like a furnace
door.” (line 575)
My opinion: He seems like a large, hairy, greedy man that
uses muscle over brain, except when he’s cheating people
out of their money.
Modern counterpart: A street vendor.
The Miller
- “ A GREAT STOUT FELLOW, BIG IN BRAWN
AND BONE” (563) “BROAD KNOTTY AND
SHORT SHOULDERED” (565)
- “HE WORE A HOOD OF BLUE AND A WHITE
COAT” (582) “HE HAD A SWORD AND A
BUCKLER AT HIS SIDE” (574)
- A STRONG MILLER, WITH THE UNCANNY
ABILITY TO IDENTIFY ANY GRAIN.
- “HIS WAS A MASTER HAND AT STEALING
GRAIN. HE FELT IT WITH HIS THUMB, AND
THUS HE KNEW ITS QUALITY….” (578-580)
“HE COULD HEAVE ANY DOOR OFF HINGE
AND POST” (566)
- THE MILLER SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY
STRONG, AND HE ALSO SEEMS VERY
SKILLED AT HIS PROFESSION.
- A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER OR A MASTER
BAKER.
The Miller
The Manciple
- “
AN ILLITERATE FELLOW CAN
OUTPACE THE WISDOM OF A HEAP OF
LEARNED MEN?” (LINE 592-593)
- IN CHARGE OF
PURCHASING/PREPARING FOOD FOR
THE INNER TEMPLE A LAW SCHOOL
- “IN BUYING VICTUALS HE WAS NEVER
RASH, WHETHER HE BOUGHT ON
CREDIT OR PAID IN CASH”(LINE 88-89)
- HE SEEMS TO BE A SMART AND
SENSIBLE PERSON. (WOULD OUTSMART THE
“ W E L L - E D U C AT E D L AW Y E R S B Y K E E P I N G A S U M
OF MONEY FOR HIMSELF)
SWINDLE THEIR MONEY FROM THEM)
- BUSINESS AGENT OR CATERER
The Manciple
(manager of a large estate; cheats his
lord by lending him what was already his own)


Physical Description: Narrow eyes and black, scabby
brows, thin beard, smelled like garlic and onions,
pimples sitting on his cheeks.
Clothing: No detail
Occupation: A mendictant friar who travels about
preaching and gaining his living by begging. (paid to take
sinners to court)

Representative line: “Garlic he loved, and onions too,
and leeks, and drinking strong red wine till all was
hazy.”
My opinion: He seems to be frightening, unappealing,
and repulsive. (people hated getting summons from him bc he was so gross,
but could easily be bribed-Chaucer ironically calls him a good fellow for that)

Modern counterpart: A drunk
•
•
•
•
•
Physical description- “hair as yellow as wax” line 695
Clothing- “he wore no hood on his head, for fun” line 700, “but
for a little cap his head was bare” line 703 “he’d sewed a holy
relic on his cap” line 705
Occupation- a pardoner in the middle ages was a clerk of the
Catholic Church that raised money for the church by selling
indulges
My opinion-I think he is a pretty chill dude. He seems to care a
lot about the church and is really religious Despite his work with the
church, his “flatteries and prevarication” make him sound like he’s not an
entirely genuine character.
Modern Counterpart- Catholic priest that hands out penance after
confessions
•Physical description: hair yellow as wax(line 695) bugling
eye-balls(line 704)
•Clothing: he wore no hood upon his head (lines 700-705)
•Occupation and what it entails: noble ecclesiast in
church(729), told stories
•A representative line: He’d have to preach and tune his
honey tongue (line 732)
•Your Opinion of Character: well spoken preacher, rich, well
accomplished man (through trickery; makes his money
preaching about greed, but he is greedy himself.)
• Modern counterpart: Christian rap artist
Host
• Physical Description: “A very striking man, had bright eyes, his girth
a little wide” (lines 772-773)
• Clothing: No detail
• Occupation: Inn Keeper – “Our Host gave us great welcome;
everyone was given a place and supper was begun” (lines 667-668)
“He shall be given a supper, paid by all, here in this tavern, in this
very hall” (lines 819-820)/ Judge – “Serve as guide, I’ll be the
judge” (lines 824-825) “Become our Governor in short, judge of our
tales and general referee” (lines 833-834) He will judge the stories
that are told while on the journey.
• Representative Line: “Bold in his speech, yet wise and full of tact,
there was no manly attribute he lacked, what’s more he was a
merry-hearted man” (lines 775-777)
• My Opinion: He seems to be a merry-hearted man who is looking
to provide fun for and have camaraderie with others. He seems to
enjoy planning and executing the storytelling competition as well as
providing a reward.
• Modern Counterpart: Hotel Manager

Physical description: bright eyes, wide grin (lines 773)
fit to be a marshal (line 772) very striking man (lines 771)

Clothing: modern but slightly holy (lines 701-705)

Occupation and what it entails: governor in short and
be judge of our tales(line 833) sets a price for the supper
(line 835)

A representative line: Judges of our tales and general
referee(line 834)

Your Opinion of Character: adventurous man, kind, and
rich
Modern counterpart: homeowner
