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Characters · 10
Chaucer the Pilgrim
Chaucer the Pilgrim is the fictional narrator that Chaucer, the author, creates for himself in The Canterbury Tales.
character
The Clerk
The Clerk of Oxford stands out as one of Chaucer's most quietly compelling pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales.
character
The Friar
The Friar (Hubert) stands out as one of Chaucer's most sharply satirized pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales.
character
The Host (Harry Bailly)
Harry Bailly, the Host of the Tabard Inn in Southwark, takes on the role of master of ceremonies for the Canterbury pilgrimage.
character
The Knight
The Knight stands out as the most esteemed pilgrim in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, being the first character introduced in the General Prologue.
character
The Miller
The Miller stands out as a striking and disruptive character in The Canterbury Tales.
character
The Nun's Priest
The Nun's Priest is one of the three priests accompanying the Prioress, yet he remains physically uncharacterized in the General Prologue—a notable omission that invites interpretation.
character
The Pardoner
The Pardoner stands out as one of Chaucer's most psychologically intricate and morally challenging pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales.
character
The Prioress
The Prioress, Madame Eglantine, stands out as one of the most ironically complex characters in The Canterbury Tales.
character
The Wife of Bath
The Wife of Bath, known as Alisoun, stands out as one of Chaucer's most colorful and intricate pilgrims.
character
Key quotes · 12
“Trouthe is the hyeste thyng that man may kepe.”
This line — "Trouthe is the hyeste thyng that man may kepe" ("Truth/fidelity is the highest thing a man may keep") — is spoken by the Franklin near the end of The Franklin's Tale in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.
The Franklin (narrator) · The Franklin's Tale
“Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages”
This line appears at the start of the General Prologue of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (c. 1387–1400), spoken by the narrative voice — Chaucer the Pilgrim.
Chaucer the Pilgrim (narrative voice) · General Prologue
“Experience, though noon auctoritee / Were in this world, is right ynogh for me.”
These lines introduce the Wife of Bath's Prologue from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.
The Wife of Bath (Alisoun) · Wife of Bath's Prologue
“For in the sterres, clerer than is glas, / Is writen, God woot, whoso koude it rede.”
These lines come from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, likely found in "The Man of Law's Tale" (or its Introduction), where the Man of Law contemplates fate, destiny, and divine foreknowledge.
The Man of Law (Harry Bailly introduces; the Man of Law reflects) · The Man of Law's Tale (Introduction / Prologue)
“He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.”
This line is found in the "General Prologue" of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (c. 1387–1400), spoken by the narrator—Chaucer's literary persona—as he introduces the Knight to the audience.
Chaucer (narrator) · General Prologue
“And smale foweles maken melodye, / That slepen al the nyght with open ye”
These lines come from the beginning of the General Prologue to Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (c. 1387–1400), spoken by the narrator, who represents Chaucer himself, as part of a broad description of April.
Chaucer (narrator) · General Prologue
“In wommen vinolent is no defence — / This knowen lecchours by experience.”
These two lines come from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, specifically spoken by the Pardoner in "The Pardoner's Tale" (or, more accurately, in his lengthy prologue/sermon about the sins of gluttony and lechery).
The Pardoner · The Pardoner's Tale
“Murder wol out, that se we day by day.”
This line comes from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, specifically in The Nun's Priest's Tale, where it is spoken by the narrator (the Nun's Priest) as a moral lesson.
The Nun's Priest (narrator) · The Nun's Priest's Tale
“The gretteste clerkes been noght wisest men.”
This proverb is spoken by the Reeve in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, specifically in "The Reeve's Prologue."
The Reeve (Oswald) · The Reeve's Prologue
“Radix malorum est Cupiditas.”
This Latin phrase — "Greed is the root of all evil" (from 1 Timothy 6:10) — is spoken by the Pardoner in the Prologue to his Tale in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.
The Pardoner · The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale
“Mordre wol out; this my conclusioun.”
This chilling declaration comes from the Nun's Priest's Tale, one of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales from the 1390s. The Nun's Priest uses it as a moral commentary in his story about Chauntecleer the rooster, which is woven into the narrative of a widow's murdered ox — a nod to the historical assassination of the Flemish nobleman William of Palerne.
The Nun's Priest (narrator) · The Nun's Priest's Tale
“Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote / The droghte of March hath perced to the roote”
These are the famous opening lines from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (c. 1387–1400), delivered by the unnamed Narrator (Chaucer's literary persona) in the "General Prologue."
Chaucer's Narrator · General Prologue
Symbols · 6
Chauntecleer and the Fox
In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, Chauntecleer the rooster and Reynard the fox together represent the ongoing struggle between flattery and vigilance—and, more generally, the risks of pride and self-deception.
Clothing and Appearance
In The Canterbury Tales, clothing and physical appearance serve as powerful symbols of social identity, moral character, and the disconnect between how people present themselves and who they truly are.
The Pardoner's Relics
In The Canterbury Tales, the Pardoner's relics—a pillowcase he claims is the Virgin's veil, a jar of pig's bones he presents as saints' remains, and other similar fake holy items—highlight the corruption of spiritual authority and the troubling power of performance over truth.
The Pilgrimage Road
In The Canterbury Tales, the pilgrimage route to Canterbury symbolizes the journey of human life—filled with moral purpose but also fraught with distractions and social intricacies.
The Springtime Setting
In The Canterbury Tales, the springtime setting represents renewal, desire, and the natural impulses of humanity.
The Tale-Telling Contest
In The Canterbury Tales, the storytelling competition set up by the Host, Harry Bailly, represents how people express their identities and navigate power dynamics in a structured society.
Literary devices · 12
Narrative Poem
The Canterbury Tales is set up as a frame narrative, where a group of pilgrims on their way to Thomas Becket's shrine decide to share stories to pass the time.
Irony
Chaucer's irony stands out as the most prominent and celebrated element of the work.
Dramatic Monologue
Several tales function as extended dramatic monologues where the storyteller unwittingly reveals their character.
Allegory
Allegory is most pronounced in the Pardoner's Tale, where three rioters looking for Death encounter an old man who points them to a tree.
Imagery
Chaucer's imagery in the General Prologue is sharp and loaded with social meaning.
Personification
Personification is central to the Pardoner's Tale, where Death appears as a tangible enemy that the rioters aim to confront.
Juxtaposition
Chaucer skillfully uses structural juxtaposition, particularly in the sequence where the Knight shares a tale of noble love and chivalric suffering, only for the drunken Miller to immediately counter with a story about a carpenter who’s been cuckolded by a student.
Allusion
The Canterbury Tales is rich with references to classical, biblical, and contemporary sources.
Simile
Chaucer employs extended similes in his serious tales and more down-to-earth comparisons in the comedic ones.
Metaphor
The Wife of Bath's Prologue uses extended metaphor to advocate for female sexual authority: she refers to her body as her 'dette' and her 'instrument,' drawing on the language of financial obligation and musical skill to portray marriage as a contract she manages.
Meter
Chaucer played a key role in shaping the iambic pentameter line in English with his Canterbury Tales, using heroic couplets that drive the narrative forward.
Symbolism
The pilgrimage to Canterbury serves as the central symbol of the work: the journey to a saint's shrine represents the Christian soul's quest for salvation.
Vocabulary · 30
shoures soote
Sweet showers; gentle, pleasant rains of spring. 'Soote' is a Middle English word meaning sweet or pleasant in taste and smell.
phrase · Chapter 1
perced
Pierced or penetrated deeply, as rain soaks down through dry soil to its roots. Here it describes spring moisture breaking through winter drought.
verb · Chapter 1
verray
True or genuine in every respect; used to emphasize that something is the real, complete thing and not merely in appearance.
adjective · Chapter 1
parfit
Perfect; without any flaw or failing. In Middle English chivalric writing it describes someone who fully embodies every ideal of their role.
adjective · Chapter 1
gentil
Noble in birth and in behavior; possessing the refined manners, courtesy, and moral qualities expected of the upper class in medieval society.
adjective · Chapter 1
siker
Sure or certain; confident that something is established and will not change. A Middle English word equivalent to modern 'secure' or 'assured.'
adjective · Chapter 2
flour
The prime or peak of life; the moment when a person is at their finest, most vigorous, and most admired — like a flower in full bloom.
noun · Chapter 2
squaymous
Squeamish; easily disgusted or offended by crude bodily things. The word describes a fastidious, overly delicate sensitivity to anything vulgar.
adjective · Chapter 3
daungerous
In Middle English, haughty, standoffish, or hard to please — not physically dangerous. It describes someone who is disdainful and difficult in manner.
adjective · Chapter 3
thonder-dent
A thunderclap; the sudden, explosive crack of thunder. Used here as a vivid comic comparison for an extremely loud noise.
noun · Chapter 3
swonken
Toiled or labored hard; the past participle of Middle English 'swink,' meaning to work strenuously through the night.
verb · Chapter 4
wyle
A trick or cunning scheme designed to deceive someone. The miller suspects the clerks' behavior is a deliberate ruse to outwit him.
noun · Chapter 4
hoord
A stored supply or stockpile, especially of food or goods kept in reserve. Here it refers to a store of apples kept for later use.
noun · Chapter 5
contenance
A front or outward appearance kept up to deceive others; a pretense of respectability used to hide one's true, disreputable activities.
noun · Chapter 5
prees
A crowd or throng of people pressing closely together. The word describes a dense public gathering through which someone is being led.
noun · Chapter 6
seyl
A sail on a ship; used here as a metaphor for the guiding and driving force that moves a person forward through the dangers of life.
noun · Chapter 6
steere
A rudder or steering device on a ship; used metaphorically to mean the force that guides and directs one's course through life.
noun · Chapter 6
auctoritee
Written authority; the weight of established texts, scholars, or the Church used to prove a point. The Wife of Bath contrasts it with lived personal experience.
noun · Chapter 7
governance
Control, management, or rule over someone or something. Here it means the power to direct and make decisions within a marriage.
noun · Chapter 7
hente
Seized or grabbed hold of suddenly and forcefully. The devil snatches the corrupt summoner and carries him off to hell.
verb · Chapter 8
preye
Prey; a victim or prize seized by force. The devil compares himself to the summoner, saying both will travel anywhere to capture what they want.
noun · Chapter 8
stot
An old, worn-out horse or a contemptible old creature; used here as a scornful insult directed at the widow by the devil.
noun · Chapter 8
potente
A walking staff or crutch used for support. The friar sets it aside when he sits down, indicating it is a prop he carries on his visits.
noun · Chapter 9
scrippe
A small bag or satchel, typically carried by a pilgrim or a friar, used to hold food, alms, or other small items collected on the road.
noun · Chapter 9
tuwel
The buttocks or the anal opening; a blunt Middle English anatomical term used in the tale's crude comic climax involving the sick man and the friar.
noun · Chapter 9
Unsad
Unstable, fickle, or inconstant; not firm or settled in loyalty or judgment. The Clerk uses it to criticize the common people's changeable nature.
adjective · Chapter 10
nygard
A miser; a person who is extremely stingy and unwilling to share or spend anything, even when generosity would cost them nothing.
noun · Chapter 11
routhe
Pity or compassion; a deep feeling of sorrow for another person's suffering that moves one to act kindly toward them.
noun · Chapter 12
coveitise
Covetousness or greed; an intense, sinful desire for money or possessions. The Pardoner openly admits this is his only real motive for preaching.
noun · Chapter 13
welked
Withered, shriveled, or faded; describing a face that has lost its color and vitality, grown pale and dried out like a wilted plant.
adjective · Chapter 13