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A list of all the characters in The Canterbury Tales. The Canterbury Tales characters include: The Knight, The Pardoner, The Wife of Bath, The Miller, The Host, Chaucer (The Narrator), The Squire, The Prioress, The Monk, The Friar, The Reeve, The Parson.
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The Pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer are the main characters in the framing narrative of the book.
RoleNameTalesNarratorGeoffrey ChaucerSir Thopas and the Tale of MelibeeHostHarry BaileyOwner of the Tabard Inn, where the ...PrioressMadame EglantineFriarHuberdMajor Characters in the Tales. Duke Theseus (The Knight's Tale) His name is that of the famous ruler of ancient Athens who performed many outstanding feats in his life and was reputed to be a great and noble ruler. Queen Hippolyta (The Knight's Tale) The wife of Theseus. She was a powerful queen of the Amazons before Theseus conquered the tribe ...
- Chaucer. Chaucer does not name himself in the General Prologue, but he is one of the characters who gather at the Tabard Inn. All of the descriptions of the pilgrims in the Prologue are narrated through… read analysis of Chaucer.
- The Knight. The Knight is a noble man who fights for truth and for Christ rather than for his own glory or wealth. He has traveled throughout many heathen lands victoriously.
- The Squire. The Squire is a young knight in training, a member of the noble class. While he is chivalrous and genteel, he is not quite as perfect as his father, the Knight, as he wears… read analysis of The Squire.
- The Prioress. The Prioress attempts to be dainty and well-bred, and Chaucer makes fun of her by describing how she speaks French with a terrible accent and sings the liturgy straight through her nose.
- The Wife of Bath
- The Pardoner
- The Monk
- The Friar
- The Summoner
- The Knight
- The Prioress
- The Parson
- The Clerk
- The Franklin
The Wife of Bath is arguably the most colorful, well-known character inThe Canterbury Tales. She is almost larger than life with her bright redclothing and bright red face. This opinionated woman never hesitates to sayexactly what she thinks. After all, she has manipulated five husbands (andoutlived them) to become a successful, independent busines...
The Pardoner is a shyster extraordinaire, and he is proud of it. A pardoneris specially designated to offer the sacrament of confession to people in manylocations, and this Pardoner does that, but for a price. He hypocriticallypreaches against greed while his whole focus is on obtaining donations throughhis fake relics and spiritual services that a...
Monks are supposed to be men of prayer who choose lives of poverty,chastity, and obedience in order to save their souls and help save the souls ofothers. Chaucer’s Monk, however, is exactly the opposite of this ideal. Heprefers hunting to prayer, fine clothing and horses to poverty, good food toself-denial, and entertainment to study. The Monk live...
The Friar likes money and ladies. He enjoys singing in taverns and wearingnice clothing. These are not characteristics of a devout friar who, inimitation of founders like Saint Dominic and Saint Francis, seeks and evenloves poverty. The Friar is also a man quick to fall into a rivalry with theSummoner, telling his tale out of spite and contention t...
The Summoner is a lusty rascal who quickly enters into rivalry with theFriar and tells his tale specifically as an insult. He is a profane man inspite of his high position as court official for the church. A summoner isdesignated to call people to court to answer for their crimes, but thisparticular Summoner is more interested in earning a bribe. H...
The Knight is a noble man and an example of chivalry and courage. He hasfought victoriously in many wars, yet he shows no haughty pride. In fact, hisclothing and armor are rather ragged. He is not the bright, polished knight inshining armor, for he has just come from the field, and he is more interestedin making his pilgrimage than in presenting a ...
The Prioress is a dainty person, and she seems devout with her story of theyoung martyr and his song to the Virgin Mary. Yet the narrator suggests thatthe Prioress is often distracted from her religious life. She loves the courtlylife and seeks to imitate its manners, conscientiously eating and drinking as aproper lady and putting on airs about her...
Of all the pilgrims, the Parson may be the most truly devout. He is a simplepriest determined to care for his flock to the best of his ability. Hesacrifices himself to teach and care for the people, and he chooses mercy overharsh judgment. While he sometimes speaks many words, as his “tale” (ortreatise) on penitence shows, he also teaches by his ex...
The Clerk has the air of an absentminded scholar who focuses on his studiesto the exclusion of just about everything else. He will not get a secular job,the narrator says, so he relies on his friends for his living. He does not,however, behave in any ostentatious manner. In fact, he is rather shabby andquiet, perhaps with his mind more on Aristotle...
The Franklin enjoys setting a good table and living life to the fullest. Thenarrator calls him an Epicurean, meaning that he puts sensory pleasure aboveall else. It is perhaps a good thing, then, that he is a fairly wealthy man. Healso seems to appreciate the recognition that comes from holding variousoffices, and this could mean that part of the F...
Complete List of Characters in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. Learn everything you need to know about Chaucer, Harry Bailey, and more in The Canterbury Tales.
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The Canterbury Tales study guide contains a biography of Geoffrey Chaucer, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. About The Canterbury Tales
