Canterbury Tales

The Knight: He follows chivalry, he is a man of military duty, he is symbolic of a Christian Knight.
1. He was a true, perfect gentle-knight. (pg. 5)
2. And in his bearing modest as a maid. (pg. 5)
Chaucer respects him. He thinks he is a honest and noble knight. Perhaps he is the greatest character and most liked by Chaucer because he is spoken of first.

Squire: He is an apprentance of the knight, after the ladies, and a fine horseman who knows how to joust, dance, write and draw.
1. A lover and cadet, a lad of fire. (pg. 5)
2. He could make songs and poems and recite. (pg. 5)
Chaucer also respects him. He is noble and well-educated.

Yeoman: He is another employee of the knight. He is an outdoorsmen and talented woodcarver. He also has an excellent shot with the bow and arrow.
1. He knew the whole of woodcraft up and down. (pg. 6)
2. And peacock-feathered arrow, bright and keen. (pg. 5)
Chaucer doesn't really know what to think about him. He know that he is to well dressed and equipped for what he does. He seems to be trying to outdo a knight.

Prioress: She is very concerned with her outward appearance, seems to care more about animals than humans, and is very proper.
1. She used to weap if she saw a mouse. (pg. 7)
2. Her nose was elegant her eyes glass-grey. (pg. 7)
Chaucer thinks she is very proper and respects her. Perhaps it is suggested that he thinks she is quite intelligent to when he says "her forehead certainly was of fair spread".

Monk: Rather fat, jolly, bald-headed, likes to hunt, living like a lord, dressed proper.
1. His sleeves were garnished at the hand with fine grey fur, the finest in the land. (pg. 8)
2. Hunting a hare or riding at a fence was all his fun. (pg. 8)
Chaucer doesn't like him very well. He cares more about having fun, dressing expensively, and hunting than his work and love for the Church.

Friar: He is jolly and merry yet evil and cunning. He is dressed with expensive clothes, is overweight, greedy, begs off of poor widows, and worst of all has sex with girls than marries them off when they get pregnant.
1. Natural gifts like his were hard to match. (pg. 9)...he gave the gift of babies.
2. He was the finest beggar of his batch. (pg. 9)
Chaucer doesn't like him at all. He cheats people out of his money and altogether has very bad morals. He cares more about being wealthy and money than the Church. Instead of knowing lepers and beggars he knows the innkeepers and barmaid.

Merchant: He is solemn, serious, intelligent, and cunning. He is an expert in finance, but actually in debt. He is an excellent fellow.
1. He was an expert at dabbling in exchanges. (pg. 10)
2. High on his horse he sat. (pg. 10)...proud of himself/intelligent
I think Chaucer likes him. He says he is an "excellent fellow". Maybe Chaucer likes him because he is wealthy and seems to be of the upper class.

Clerk: He is very thin, his clothes are of threads, has 20 book with him, isn't employed because he is still studying.
1. Preffered books than costly clothes. (pg. 11)
2. Moral virtue filled his speech. (pg. 11)
Chaucer think he is stupid for not getting a job. He doesn't like the fact that he is not associated with the church. Doesn't have much respect for him because he is a poor, worthless man.

Sergeant-at-Law: He dressed expensively, smart, knew of every judgement, case, and crime that ever existed.
1. His saying were so wise. (pg. 11)
2. He could dictate defences or draft deeds. (pg. 12)
Chaucer respects this man a lot. He takes him as being very wise and smart. He likes that he is of the noble class and is making his money in a moral way.

Franklin: He's always having parties, a wealthy landowner, acted as Sheriff, checking and auditing each persons property.
1. He lived for pleasure and had always done. (pg. 12)
2. Loved having feasts and the best wine. (pg. 12)
Chaucer respects him because he is of the noble class but then doesn't seem to like him because he is so foolish with his money. Perhaps it is because he tries to flaunt his money and overdue it.

Haberdasher, Carpenter, Weaver, Dyer, Tapestry Maker: All belonged to a guild, wealthy, wives are demanding.
1. They had capital and revenue. (pg. 13)
2. Wives are demanding and controlling. (pg. 13)
Chaucer doesn't seem to mind these men. They are all very average and seem to be of upper-middle class. They have earned their money in a proper fashion.

Cook: Not the cleanliness person, has ulcer on knee, yet still called an excellent cook.
1. Could distinguish London ale by flavor. (pg. 13)
2. Ulcer on knee makes the food unappetizing. (pg. 13)
Chaucer doesn't mind the cook. Thinks its a shame that he is such a good cook but has such a gross flaw. Chaucer definitely doesn't look up to him.

Shipman: Couldn't ride a horse, ignored his conscience, immoral, well-tanned, likes money, pirate, kills all prisoners, and is a good sailor.
1. Prisoners walked the plank. (pg. 13)...killed everybody.
2. Knew all the havens as they were. (pg. 14)...intelligent/good sailor while out on sea.
Chaucer doesn't like this guy but doesn't hate him. He is immoral which he doesn't like, but is also hardworking and a good sailor which he respects.

Doctor of Medicine: Considered a perfect practicing physician. Worked with the pharmacist to make more money off people. Not religious and knows his work well.
1. He did not read the Bible very much. (pg. 14)
2. Yet he was rather close as to expenses. (pg. 15)
Chaucer doesnt' like this guy a whole lot, but he is definitely not the worst of the bunch. He doesn't like the fact that he is not religious or that he is a cheat. But, he is a working man who values his makings.

Wife of Bath: About looking good but is actually ugly, gap-teeth, large hips, she is well off probably because she kills all her husbands, has seen many places, kills her husbands by sex.
1. Is quite ugly..somewhat deaf, gap-teeth, large hips. (pg. 15)
2. Knew the remedies of love's mischances. (pg. 15)
Chaucer seems to think she is a woman of power and kind of admires her. She gets her money by doing dirty work, but Chaucer looks past her killing her husbands because he is so drawn in by the fact that a woman can be so cunning and intelligent.

Parson: Very poor, cared for parishioners, moral and humble, ideal Christian Priest.
1. Poor but rich in holy thought. (pg. 16)
2. He hated cursing to extort a fee. (pg. 16)
Chaucer thinks he is doing a good thing and is a kind person. But he doesn't care for poor people.

Plowman: Ideal Christian man, loves God, helped the poor.
1. Loves God and neighbors as himself. (pg. 17)
2. Would help the poor and never take a penny. (pg. 17)
Chaucer thinks the same of him as he does the Parson.

Miller: Big and brawny, scary and ugly looking (wart on nose & black nostrils), cheated people out of their grain.
1. He could win the ram at any wrestling show. (pg. 18)
2. He was a master-hand at stealing grain. (pg. 18)
Chaucer doesn't like this guy. He is a stealer with bad morals and tries to scare people with his appearance and strength.

Manciple: Not educated, but smart. Frugal. Can outdo all his masters.
1. An illiterate fellow that can outpace the wisdom of a learned man. (pg. 18)
2. Made a living by watching the market. (pg. 18)
Chaucer likes him. He respects that he is so smart and can outdo people of a higher class than him.

Reeve: He is thin, has lean legs, good at his job, manager of a large estate, sucked up to lord by giving gifts after stealing from the lord, many talents.
1. No auditor could gain a point on him. (pg. 19)
2. Has many talents and no need to fight. (pg. 19)
Chaucer likes him for the most part. He is wealthy, smart, and full of talents. Yet, Chaucer thinks that he is foolish for stealing when he already has it so well.

Summoner: Scary appearance, gets drunk a lot, speaks in Latin, blackmailer, could be bribed easily.
1. Children were afraid when he appeared. (pg. 20)
2. For a quart of wine a man could keep his mistress. (pg. 20)
Chaucer doesn't like him. He will ruin anyone for his own personal gain. He thinks he is very immoral. I think he saved the Summoner and the Pardoner for last because he thinks they are the worst characters.

Pardoner: Feminine characteristics, good singer, made money by selling fake relics.
1. Same voice a goat has got, I judge he was a mare. (pg. 21)
2. Made more money in a day than a poor parson in a month. (pg. 21)
Chaucer doesn't like him because he cheats poor people out of their money. He doesn't like dishonest people and perhaps he leaves him for last because he is bad for all of the above AND it is suggested that he is gay.

Host: Merry-hearted man, likes people who are of the higher class, loud, and large.
1. Bold in his speech yet wise and full of tact. (pg. 23)
2. Likes good morals and general pleasure. (pg. 24)
Chaucer doesn't mind the host. He thinks he is a pleasant person but a wannabe of the wealthy, noble class.

Best Pilgrims.
1. The Knight
2. Parson
3. Plowman
4. Sergeant-at-Law
5. Prioress
6. Manciple

Worst Pilgrims.
1. Friar
2. Summoner
3. Pardoner
4. Wife of Bath
5. Miller
6. Shipman