Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales: The Prologue

But none the less, while I have time and space,

Before my story takes a further pace,

It seems a reasonable thing to say

What their condition was, the full array

Of each of them as it appeared to me,

According to profession and degree’

and what apparel they were riding in;

And at a Knight I therefore will begin.

And so our narrator (Chaucer the character) methodically progresses through the ranks of his fellow pilgrims, beginning with the one who ranks highest in the social hierarchy. For Chaucer, appearance and character are interconnected.

In your small groups, study the descriptions of your assigned pilgrims and prepare to present to the class brief sketches, including such details about your characters as:

• their worldly circumstances, their social rank

• their dispositions and personalities

• their behavior and very mode of being

• their physical attributes and appearance

• their clothing, key possessions, weapons, accessories

• their social, psychological, spiritual attributes

Keep an eye out for what each pilgrim’s description could represent about him or her.

In addition to details, can you detect any irony or satire on the narrator’s or Chaucer’s part?

In other words, what about their appearance, behavior, tendencies, etc seem at odds with their profession, what they say, etc.

Create a single TRADING CARD STLYE SHEET for each pilgrim, including a really rough sketch of him or her on the front with his or her name, and the description and analysis of his or her character on the back. Have fun but dig deep and get busy!

One: Knight Squire Summoner

Two: Nun, a Prioress Merchant Pardoner

Four: Friar Franklin Reeve

Three: Monk Miller Host

Five: Doctor Wife of Bath Parson