Canterbury Tales
Parson
"...he was rich in holy thought and work. He also was a learned man, a clerk, who truly knew Christ's gospel and would preach it devoutly to parishioners, and teach it." (489) "...if gold rust, what then will iron do?" (510)
Merchant
"...so had set his wits to work, none knew he was in debt, he was so stately in administration, in loans and bargains and negotiation." (289)
Host
"A very striking man our Host withal and fit to be a marshal in a hall" (771) "There is no finer burgess in Cheapside. Bold in his speech, yet wise and full of tact, there was no manly attribute he lacked..." (774)
Miller
"A wrangler and buffoon, he had a store of tavern stories, filthy in the main. His was a master-hand at stealing grain." (576)
Man of Law
"Discreet he was, a man to reverence, or so he seemed, his sayings were so wise" (322)
Cook
"He could distinguish London ale by flavor, and he could roast and seethe and boil and fry, make a good thick soup and bake a tasty pie" (392) "ulcer on his knee" (396)
Clerk
"He had found no preferment in the church and he was too unworldly to make search for secular unemployment" (301) "His only care was study, and indeed he never spoke a word more than was need, formal at that, respectful in the extreme" (313)
Franklin
"He lived for pleasure and had always done, for he was Epicurus' very son, in whose opinion sensual delight was the one true felicity in sight" (345) "He was a model among landed gentry" (370)
Plowman
"He was an honest worker, good and true; living in peace and perfect charity" (542) "...he would help to poor for the love of Christ and never take a penny if he could help it..." (550)
Summoner
"He was as hot and lecherous as a sparrow." (644) "He was a noble varlet and a kind one, you'd meet none better if you want to find one." (665)
Friar
"He was every prompt to arbitrate disputes on settling days (for a small fee) in many helpful ways, not then appearing as your cloistered scholar with threadbare habit hardly worth a dollar, but much more like a Doctor or a Pope" (263-269)
Doctor
"No one alive could talk as well as he did on points of medicine and surgery, for, being grounded in astronomy..." (422) "All his apothecaries in a tribe were ready with the drugs he would prescribe and each made money from the other's guile..." (435) "...had a special love of gold" (454)
Reeve
"No one had ever caught him in arrears...Feared like the plague he was, by those beneath." (620) "He had grown rich and had a store of treasure well tucked away, yet out it came to pleasure his lord..." (627) "He was a carpenter of first-rate skill." (632)
Nun
"She certainly was very entertaining, pleasant and friendly in her ways, and straining to counterfeit a courtly kind of grace...she was so charitably solicitous" (141) "a set of beads...whence hung a golden brooch of brightest sheen...first was graven a crowned A, and lower, "love conquers all things"" (163)
Wife of Bath (Allison)
"She'd had five husbands, all at the church door, apart from other company in youth..." (470) "She had gap-teeth, set widely, truth to say. Easily on an ambling hose she sat..." (478) "In company she liked to laugh and chat and knew the remedies for love's mischances, an art in which she knew the oldest dances" (484)
Monk
"The Rule of good St. Benet or St. Maur as old and strict he tended to ignore" (178) "He spared for no expense" (196)
Skipper
"The nicer rules of conscience he ignored" (408) "If, when he fought, the enemy vessel sank, he sent his prisoners home; they walked the plank" (409) "Hardy he was, prudent in undertaking; his beard in many a tempest had its shaking, and he knew all the havens as they were..." (415)
Pardoner
"There was no pardoner of equal grace" (713) "...he drew more money than the parson in a month or two, and by his flatteries and prevarication made monkeys of the priest and congregation...in church he was a noble ecclesiast" (728)
Yeoman
"This Yeoman wore a coat and hood of green, and peacock-feathered arrows, bright and keen..." (105) "He was a proper forester, I guess" (121)
Squire
"a lover and cadet" (82) "He could make songs and poems and recite, Knew how to joust and dance, to draw and write. He loved so hotly..." (97)
Knight
"a most distinguished man, who from the day on which he first began to ride abroad had followed chivalry, truth, honor, generousness and courtesy...he had done nobly in his sovereign's war... (43-47) "He was a true, a perfect gentle-knight." (74)
Manciple
"an illiterate fellow can outpace the wisdom of a heap of learned men..." (592) "...this Manciple could wipe their (the lawyers) eye." (604)
Guildsman
"one impressive guild-fraternity" (374) "Each seemed a worthy burgess, fit to grace A guild-hall with a seat upon the dais" (379)
Plowman
Brother to the parson, outdoor worker, lives in poverty, honest, hard-working, generous, fair, not fashionable, devout, organized and responsible (pays his dues), Christ-like
Monk
Head of monastery, masculine, tan, hunter, lazy, wealthy, gourmand, not chaste, complains, not cloistered or scholarly, dresses well, eats a lot, owns horses and dogs, doesn't care about his work, has a pin that may signify that he has a lover
Manciple
Servant in charge of purchasing lunch for lawyers, illiterate and uneducated yet very clever, he can outdo the lawyers in certain situations, he learned a lot from them though, spends lawyers money wisely
Knight
Servant under the king, chivalrous, good knight, as modest as a maid, decent clothing yet dirty, very noble and brave knight who succeeded in wars, is going on pilgrimage to give thanks for his good fortune, honorable and generous
Guildsman
A Haberdasher is a seller of hats and clothing accessories, A dyer is a person who dyes clothes for the wealthy, a carpenter builds homes and furniture, a weaver makes clothing and a carpet-maker makes carpets for middle and upper class, they were a group or union that would take care of each other, social guild (fraternity), driving force is their wives who nag them, they are Nouveaux Riches, showy, have nice tools, have a cook
Cook
A gourmet cook that is on the trip with the guildsmen, alcoholic, talented, unclean, sexually active (has an ulcer on knee which is an STD: syphilis), touches food and knee a lot
Man of Law
A lawyer appointed by the monarch to serve as a judge, travels often, educated, eloquent, paid by king to travel, understands law, appears to be busy but is in fact not very busy, not fashionable, well-known and received
Summoner
A layman with the job of summoning sinners to church courts, bad skin (probably has an STD), lecherous, people are afraid of him, smells bad, alcoholic, would only speak Latin when drunk, could be bribed or manipulated, allowed sinners to have concubines if they paid him, knew everyone's secrets and would use manipulative ways to find them out and blackmail people
Reeve
A nameless estate manager, overseer of production by carpenters, short beard and hair, clean-cut, skinny, not in debt, studies people, people are afraid of him and do not suspect him of wrongdoings, his horse's name is Scott, wealthy Upper Class, wore a bluish gray coat, very noble looking
Parson
A poor community priest and scholar, religious, teacher, educated, modest, reserved, lets his actions speak for himself and then teaches others to follow, very respectful, treats everyone the same, Christ-like, like a shepherd, he is fair and yet strict, close-knit with community
Pardoner
A religious figure who sells indulgences and relics to people so that they can be absolved and still go to heaven after sinning, worst figure in story, bisexual, long hair, likes to sing, wealthy due to illicit practices, carries fake relics (animal bones), even confesses to being a con man
Franklin
A wealthy landowner, white beard, sanguine, high-colored (red cheeks, resembling Santa Claus), top of middle class, connoisseur of food and wine, hospitable to everyone, gourmand, was a Sheriff, Tax Auditor and Justice
Yeoman
An attendant in a noble household, a free man, works for the knight, is a forester, wears all green like Robin hood, carries bow and arrow, tan, outdoorsy, wears medal of St. Christopher
Nun
In charge of an abbey, Friendly, speaks French, has good manners, is compassionate and sympathetic, is an animal-lover, tiny and dainty and proper, dresses well for a nun, often accompanied by other people, may not have wanted to become a nun, wealthy (not allowed), is young and beautiful, speaks French, has a necklace that says "Love conquers all things" (two possible meanings)
Host
In-keeper at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, jolly and hospitable man, overweight, masculine, strong, he instructs the pilgrims to follow his advice on the trip and to do a contest where each of them will tell 2 stories and he will decide the best one that is moral and pleasurable and that person will be awarded a feast paid by all unless they argue with him, he will also accompany them on trip, everyone agrees to partake in it
Merchant
Man who sold goods, nameless, dressed well, eloquent, braggart, in great debt, robbed at sea by pirates, hates his wife and marriage
Miller
Person who owns/works in a grain mill, strong, wide, large nose and mouth, red beard and has a wart, not very intelligent, steals grain from his costumers by overcharging them, wears white coat, blue hood and sword, plays bagpipes, crude man
Doctor
Physician who uses astrology and magic to treat patients, prescribes placebo drugs from apothecaries just to make money, greedy, not religious, going on pilgrimage to make money, works closely and slyly with a group of apothecaries to gain a profit, trusts famous ancient medieval medical experts, dressed in blood colored and bluish gray clothing, made money from plague
Skipper
Pirate and Seaman, long gown, wears a dagger or multiple, not comfortable on land, stole wine at Bordeaux when the trader was sleeping, he drowns all his prisoners if he sinks an enemy ship, very good at sailing, familiar with well-hidden spots and havens, may have been a real person because the ship the Maudelayne did exist
Squire
Son of the knight, not as good as his father, he is a knight in training approximately 20 years old, good height and strong, literate, creative, artistic, educated, distracted, lowly and serviceable, wealthy, musical, was becoming a knight to win his lady's hand (the lady he visits often), lover not a fighter
Clerk
Theologian, philosopher, poor man, quiet, grateful, studious, dresses poorly, knows when to speak, respectful, spends borrowed money on books, focused on studies, knew Francis Petrarch and got his store from him, probably rejected by Church
Wife of Bath (Allison)
Wealthy cloth maker woman from bath who is deaf because her husband hit her, has had five different husbands (explains wealth), considers herself a matriarch kind of woman leader of her community, fashionable, has been on many pilgrimages, thinks she gives the best advice, uses twisted interpretations of the Bible to make her point, has fun a lot, powerful, unfaithful wife, curvaceous, showy with money, gap teeth- represent sexual nature, no children, knows she isn't perfect "not all dishes are made of gold"