Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales
Presentation by Sally Wheeler
Georgia Perimeter College
swheeler@gpc.peachnet.edu
Chaucer, the pilgrim
Chaucer: 1340-1400
• England
• Middle English
Events During Chaucer’s Life
• Black Plague killed nearly half the
population of England
• 100 Years War with France
• Peasants’ Rebellion (remember Robin
Hood)
• Corruption in the Church (Catholic)
• Power struggle between Pope and King
Organization of the Tales
• 30 Pilgrims from all walks of life, both
secular and religious--from Parson and
Plowman to Knight and Prioress
• Each pilgrim was to tell 4 tales: 2 going
and 2 coming
• Chaucer died before completion
Pilgrimage to Cathedral
at Canterbury
• Religious trip to holy shrine of Saint
Thomas a Beckett
• Spring is a time for religious renewal
• Spring is also a time to get outside, have
fun, take a trip, be glad you are alive.
Plants grow, trees bloom, animals make
babies.
• Left from the Tabard Inn in Southwark,near
London
Knight
• An excellent man
• fought in many wars and Crusades--fought
for church and for king--fought against
infidel
• Honored, good warrior, killed many
• Gentle, mannerly, kind, “meek as a girl”
• Rides a good horse, gear is plain
• Has rust from mail on tunic
Squire
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About twenty, son of Knight
Been to war with father, served well
Has women on his mind
Fancy shirt, plays flute
Stays up all night chasing women
“Gets no more sleep than a nightingale.”
Yeoman
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Dressed all in green
Knows his woods lore
Works for knight
Takes great pride in his gear
On chest is a silver image of Saint
Christopher
Prioress
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Sings mass through her nose
Very neat eater, manners are important
Reaches for meat with “comely air”
Tries to imitate court ways
Cries over dead mice; cares for her little
dogs
• Fancy rosary with brooch-- “All things are
subject unto love.”
Monk
• HUNTER
• “Modern monk”: sees no reason to say in
monastery praying and being poor
• Has fine horses and dogs
• Gray fur on sleeves
• Bridle jingles “like a chapel bell”
• “His face was glistening.”
Friar
• A “gay dog”, merry, jolly
• “Many a girl was married by his doing
And at his own cost it was often done.”
• Hears confessions and assigns penance,
give him money and he will give you light
penance
• Would take the last money of a poor widow
Merchant
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A forked beard and a beaver hat
Figured coat and handsome boots
Pompous
Seemed very successful, but actually. . .IN
DEBT!
Oxford Student
• Skinny, hollow, somber looking
• Threadbare coat
• Always broke because he never worked for
a living
• Always borrowing money for books
• “Gladly would he learn and gladly teach.”
Lawyer
• Cunning and discreet
• Deserving to be held in awe--or so he
seemed
• “Seemed much busier than he was.”
Franklin
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Wealthy country gentleman
Owns large country estate
Loves the good life
Especially loves good food: his table is
always set
• An epicurean
Guildsmen and Their Cook
• Guildsmen are from new rising middle class
• Cook--a good cook, but a gross sore on his
leg
Skipper/Ship’s Captain
• Very good at what he does
• But mean and tough: Sent many a man to
the fishes
• Can’t ride a horse very well
Physician
• Well educated/read all the experts, both
recent and ancient
• Yet Chaucer says he does not consult the
Holy Writ (Word of God)
• Physician has a special love for gold
Wife of Bath
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Deaf in one ear
Had five husbands and more lovers
Fancy head gear on Sundays
Excellent weaver
Bold and brash
Plump in red stockings, skirt hitched up
“All remedies of love she knew by name For
she had all the tricks of that old game
Parson
• A true man of God
• Would do anything, go to any length, would
give away all he had to help people both
rich and poor
• Walked, because he had given away horse
• “For first he did and afterward he taught.”
Plowman
• Brother of the parson
• A good man who loved and served God
• “He loved God with his whole heart and all
the while And his neighbor as himself”
• He and brother show good in and outside of
church
• Spends lot of time shoveling manure
Miller
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A tough man, big and muscular
A wrestler
Black hairs coming out of his nose
Like all millers, he cheated his customers,
but he didn’t cheat too much!
Manciple
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A buyer and a seller
Very good at his job
Made money for his customers
Made money for himself by skimming, but
people continued to hire him because he
brought them a profit
Reeve
• Slender with a fiery temper
• Overseer for an estate
• Knew all the tricks of cheating so was much
feared by suppliers
• Rode at the rear of the group--Why
Summoner
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Red faced, pocked, pimpled; heady eyes
Lecherous and scary looking
Children feared him
If he liked a scoundrel, he would let him
off.
• Power to summon people to church court.
Much feared, especially by young people.
Pardoner
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Has bogus religious relics for sale
Sings “Come hither, love, to me.”
Sounds like a small goat.
Eyes like a rabbit.
Never had a beard and never will.
“I think he was a gelding or a mare.”
Sells pardons for forgiveness of sins.
Canterbury Tales can be judged
from several view points
• An entertaining story of a group on a
pilgrimage
• A story representative of 14th century
English society--all levels except nobility
• A literary banquet--many stories of many
different types with complex
characterizations and intertwined themes
• Vivid, complex and subtle as characters and
themes are revealed.
A framed story
• Pilgrimage is a wonderful device (excuse)
for stories of all types and characters of all
types
• We get a range of humanity expressing
different facets of the theme of “LOVE”
• Stories match the personality of the teller
• Origins of stories already in existence
Setting
• How does the trip in the
spring (April) fit the themes
of love and its many aspects?
The Host: Harry Bailey
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Large man
Protruding eyes
Frank, wise, manly, merry, friendly
Organized the pilgrims into a group who
would tell tales and get a prize. He calls on
next story teller, etc.
• Pilgrims agree that he will be the judge.