Axel-Lute ENG2403
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
Describe each of these characters in the Prologue.
Knight
Squire
Yeoman
Prioress
Monk
Friar
Merchant
Oxford Student
Lawyer
Franklin
Guildsmen
Cook
Skipper
Physician
Woman of Bath
Parson
Plowman
Miller
Manciple
Reeve
Summoner
Pardoner
Host
To what “estate” does each belong? How do their physical descriptions match their personalities?
Which pilgrims are noble or admirable characters and which are not?
What are their flaws or vices?
Who do you think is the worst? The best?
Why are these people traveling together? Where are they going?
What does the Host suggest that they do on the way?
How do they choose who goes first?
Vocabulary (know what these words mean in the context of the poem):
Stout (line 45)
Wimple (ll 147 & 458)
Honored in the breach (l 171)
Mewed (l 181)
Widow’s mite (l 249)
Benefice (ll 287 & 495)
Disquisition (l 400)
In arrears (ll 473 & 386)
Plastic (l 689)
Jovial (l 737)
What does Chaucer mean when he says about the Friar:
Many a
girl was married by his doing,
And at his own cost it was done. (ll 208-209)
Names to know:
Nicholas
Absolom
Alison
John
Who are the three men in love (or lust) with Alison? Whom does she prefer? Why?
How does Nicholas fool Alison’s husband into leaving them alone for the night?
What does Absolom do that night? How does Alison fool him?
What is Absolom’s revenge?
What happens to John in the end?
Vocabulary:
What does it mean to put horns on someone’s head? (l 33)
What is a wether? (l 63)
What is a censer? (l 146) How is this used as part of a pun? (l 147)
Who is the most foolish? The most immoral?
There are many references to Biblical stories in this tale. How many can you find? Why do you think there were so many such references in such a bawdy tale?
What does “Radix malorum est cupiditas” mean? Why is the Pardoner’s use of it ironic?
How does the Pardoner describe himself in the Prologue? Why does he preach?
What sins does the Pardoner criticize in the beginning of his tale? What does he say about them?
Why does he quote so many Bible verses?
Why do the three young men in the tale go looking for Death?
They meet an old man. What reason does he give for being still alive at his advanced age?
The old man tells them that they will find Death at an oak tree. How is this statement ironic?
What do they find under the oak tree? What do they decide to do about it?
After the Pardoner finishes telling his tale, what does he do? With whom does he have a disagreement?
Vocabulary:
Avarice (l 72)
Omnipotent (l 103)
Roisterers (l 179)
The Pardoner is not one of the admirable characters in Canterbury Tales, but he tells a religious tale with a serious moral. How do you account for this?
Do you think the Pardoner has any self-awareness? Does he realize what a fake he is? Does he have any real religious or moral feelings? Does he really want to “save souls”?