Canterbury Tales
Chaucer
I. Beginnings
A. The pilgrimage started in
April
B. Pilgrims met at the Tabard
Inn, Southwark
C. Traveling to visit Thomas a’
Becket
II. Characters
A. Knight
1. Distinguished gentleman
2. Followed:
a. chivalry
b. truth
c. honor
d. generousness
e. courtesy
3. Fought battles for faith
4. He was true and gentle
II. Characters
B. Squire
1. Son of a knight
2. 20 years old
3. He was a lover
4. He served in Calvary
5. Talents:
a. singing
b. recite songs
c. joust
d. dance
6. He was courteous
e. draw
f. write
II. Characters
C. Yeoman
1. Wore:
a. green coat
b. peacock feathers
c. bow
d. medal of St. Christopher
2. He was like a nut, brown face
3. He was a proper forester
II. Characters
D. Prioress
1. Madame Eglantyne
2. Personality:
a. dainty
b. entertaining
c. friendly, but coy
d. sympathetic
3. Beads
a. coral
c. Love conquers all
b. gaudy
4. Traveled with
a. Nun
b. three priests
II. Characters
E. Monk
1. Hunting was his sport
2. Head of monastery
3. Not old and strict
4. Appearance:
a. wore gray fur
b. gold pin
c. bald
d. greasy face
e. fat/ personable
f. eyes glittered
5. favorite meal- swan
II. Characters
F. Friar
1. Personality
a. playful
b. merry
c. beggar
d. confession -hears/grants
e. drunk
f. player
g. courteous
II. Characters
2. Talents
a. sang
b. smooth talker
3. Name: Hubert
4. Has a lisp
II. Characters
G. Merchant
1. Appearance
a. forking beard
b. multi-colored clothes
c. beaver hat
d. buckled boots
2. Personality
a. opinionated
b. boastful
c. admirable
II. Characters
G. Merchant
3. Expert in trading
4. Smart
5. In debt
II. Characters
H. Oxford Cleric
1. Student
2. Appearance
a. skinny
b. hard stare
3. Did not sponsor church
4. Spent all friends’ money
5. Preferred books over clothes
6. moralistic
II. Characters
I. Sergeant at Law (lawyer/judge)
1. Personality
a. wary
b. wise
c. discreet
d. busy
e. respectful
2. Appearance
a. homely
b. parti-colored coat
c. girt with striped, silk belt
II. Characters
J. Franklin
1. White beard
2. cheerful
3. kind
4. loved cake and wine
5. lived for pleasure
6. always prepared for a party
7. Sheriff (tax collector)
8. Member of Parliament
II. Characters
K. Haberdasher, Dyer, Carpenter,
Weaver, Carpet Maker
1. Same fraternal order
2. Uniforms- new and clean
3. Carried silver knives
4. Worthy of town council
5. Controlled by their wives
II. Characters
L. Cook
1. Talents
a. boiled
b. flavor
c. roast
d. seethe
e. broil
f. fry
g. make soup and pie
2. Had an open sore on his knee
II. Characters
M. Skipper
1. From far west
2. Appearance
a. woolen gown
b. dagger on necklace
c. tan
d. bearded
3. Personality
a. excellent
b. talented
c. no pity for enemies
d. prudent or practical
II. Characters
N. Doctor
1. Talents
a. well spoken b. well educated
c. perfect physician
2. Strict diet
3. Did not read the Bible
4. Loved gold
II. Characters
O. Wife of Bath
1. Appearance
a. somewhat deaf
b. red pantyhose
c. Handkerchief on head
d. Soft and new shoes
e. Gap teeth
f. Covered head and face
g. Big hips
h. Heal spurs
II. Characters
O. Wife of Bath
2. Married five times
3. Traveler
4. Personality
a. Laugh and chat (funny)
b. Matchmaker (ironic)
II. Characters
P. Parson
1. Rich in work (poor)
2. Smart
3. Jobs
a. clerk
b. preacher
c. teacher
4. Patient
5. Hated cursing
6. Gave all he had away
7. Despised hypocrisy
8. True Christian
II. Characters
Q. Plowman
1. Parson’s brother
2. Jobs
a. carries dung
b. tends corn
c. builds ditches
3. Personality
a. hard-worker
b. honest
c. loving
d. content
e. put others first
f. loved God above all else
4. helped the poor for free
5. always paid his tithes
II. Characters
R. Miller
1. Appearance
a. 224 pounds
b. stout
c. broad
d. red beard
e. strong
f. hairy red wart on nose
g. wide, black nostrils
h. carried a sword
i. mouth like a furnace
II. Characters
R. Miller
2. Wrestler
3. Told vulgar stories
4. stole grain
5. played bag pipes
6. wore a white coat
II. Characters
S. Manciple
1. Caterer for the king’s court
2. Personality
a. role model
b. slow
c. well planned
d. illiterate
e. smart
center of attention
II. Characters
T. Reave
1. Appearance
a. old
b. thin
c. stubble on face
d. stick legs e. blue coat
f. rusty knife
2. Personality
a. easily bargained
b. easily irritated
II. Characters
T. Reave
c. precise
d. trustworthy
e. feared
3. He was rich
4. He was a carpenter
5. Rode a horse named Scott
II. Characters
U. Summoner
1. Appearance
a. red face
b. acne
c. narrow eyes
d. scabby eyebrows
e. thin beard
2. Children were afraid of him
3. Loved garlic and onions
4. drunk
5. Good at memorization
6. Noble
II. Characters
V. Pardoner
1. Appearance
a. blonde, curly, long hair
b. bald on top (mullet)
c. bulging eyes
d. voice like a goat
e. smooth face
2. A joker and liar
3. Wears Christian relics to make fun
4. Member of clergy
II. Characters
W. Host
1. Personality
a. friendly
b. giving
c. bold
d. wise
e. tactful
f. happy
g. joker
2. He had bright eyes and wide hips
3. Leader- suggested telling stories
a. two on the way
b. two on the way back
c. best story gets dinner
III. The Journey
1. Draw straws to see who goes first
a. Knight
b. Prioress
c. Oxford Cleric
2. Knight tells first story