CANTERBURY TALES CHARACTERS
squire
"Embroidered like a meadow bright" dressed in red and white
Friar
"Glib with gallant phrase and well turned speech" (very persuasive at talking woman and wealthy landowners into giving him money on exchanges for listening to confessions "an easy man in penance giving"
Oxford cleric
"Thread on his overcoat was bare" his close are rags
knight
"he possessed fine horses but was not gaily dressed"
Doctor
Blood-red garments slashed with bluish-gray, lone with taffeta (silk)
Wife
Bold, argumentative, well traveled, professional , very social
Monk
Bold, fat
Pardoner
Carrie a bag full of fake religious relics, no good but a little cap on head, bulging eyeballs, ha s cross on his wallet,pilgrim medal on hat
Doctor
Chaucer: "He did not read the Bible very much." Although physically healthy, unhealthy in spirit.
Wife
Chaucer: "a worthy woman"
Merchant
Chaucer: He doesn't even know his name.
Oxford cleric
Chaucer: Maybe Chaucer is just trying to say that studious types retreated from society
Miller
Chaucer: Not approved, he is a brute.
Reeve
Chaucer: Probably not since he was cruel and a thief - he rode in the back of the cavalcade
Tradesmen
Chaucer: They are the new middle class
squire
Chaucer: approved
Yeoman
Chaucer: approved "He was a proper forester, I guess"
knight
Chaucer: approved, "ever honored for his noble graces"
Man of law
Chaucer: approved, everyone respected him "a man of reverence"
Plowman
Chaucer: approved, he is a giver
Manciple
Chaucer: approved, he is smarter than the elite group he buys food and supplies for
Host
Chaucer: approves
Cook
Chaucer: feels sorry for him
Franklin
Chaucer: he liked good food, good wine, kept a buffet of food ready to eat all day
Parson
Chaucer: he lives in poverty but is Rick in holy thoughts and deeds
Prioress
Chaucer: he suggests that her daintiness is too extreme ("her upper lip so clean" being reduced to tears when seeing a mouse in a trap...")
Monk
Chaucer: his wealthy clothes do not match his humble vocation
Friar
Chaucer: not approved, criticizes him and religious figures like him, who are unscrupulous and take advantage of their religious position
Pardoner
Chaucer: not approved, he is a charlatan (fake)
Summoner
Chaucer: not approved, he is not good at his job and takes advantage of his position pretending to know Latin but really only knows a few words
Parson
Clergy
Pardoner
Clergy pardons people's sins form donation to the curch
Summoner
Clergy, official who brings persons accused of violating church law to court
Monk
Clergy-wealthy
Franklin
Confident, cheerful, lived for pleasure
Summoner
Drunk, lecherous, ill-tempered, smelled of garlic and onions
Merchant
Expert at currency exchange but personally in debt
Shipman
Fault and Chaucer: steals wine
Cook
Fault: has a sore in his leg
Wife
Fault: married 5x
Man of law
Fault: none suggested
Reeve
Faults: He grew rich by knowing his job well and stealing from his master
Miller
Faults: He is a big mouthed and blasphemous
Merchant
Faults: He is supposedly part of the wealthy class but he is actually in debt.
Doctor
Faults: He seemed to be more interested in profiting from people's illnesses than helping people get better.
Tradesmen
Faults: Their wives are eager for their husbands to run for office so they can move up the social ladder.
Oxford cleric
Faults: Whatever money he gets from friends, he spends on books, and he doesn't have a job, but he might become a teacher.
Summoner
Faults: drinks too much and is a lecher (womanizer)
Monk
Faults: instead of devoting his life to work and prayer love most monks of the Middle Ages, he spends his time hunting and eating
Friar
Faults: instead of remaining tied to one monastery, he goes from one wealthy landowner to another accepting brides in exchanges for absolution
Host
Faults: none
Manciple
Faults: none
Parson
Faults: none, he is the only devout churchman
Plowman
Faults: none, loves a good Christian life
Pardoner
Faults: rides with the summoner who also takes advantage of his position, the cross on his wallet symbolizes how he uses the church to line his pockets
Prioress
Faults: too delicate
Franklin
Faults: was lucky and didn't serve a nobleman, so he was a free man
Reeve
Feared like the plague by serfs and herdsmen - those beneath him, Knowledgeable in his job
squire
Gown was short, sleeves long and wide
Pardoner
Greedy, fraud, shifty, keeps money from blessings to himself, sneaky, untrustworthy, dishonest, read and sang sermons well
Franklin
Had a dagger and white purse
Friar
Had a long hanging hood, white, thick neck, rich cape like a pope
Summoner
Has leprosy, disgusting red baby face with pus-filled pimples, narrow eyes, black scabby brows and thin beard
Friar
He sang well, played hurdy-gurdy stringed instrument and the harp
Parson
Holy, virtuous, hard working church man who disliked Storting tithe (taxes paid to the church) , gave from the church offerings to the poor, her practices what he preaches
Man of law
Homely, parti-colored coat, pin striped belt
Plowman
Honest worker, good and true, loves God and neighbors, helpful to the poor, pays tithes to the church
Monk
Hunter, has greyhounds, and hunting shoes with Spurs; likes to eat
Host
Large, striking in appearance, manly, bright eyed
Pardoner
Long, greasy, yellow hair, beardless
Host
Loud and merry but quick tempered, bold, tactful, generous, curious
Oxford cleric
Middle Class Student of Philosophy
Doctor
Middle class
Man of law
Middle class lawyer appointed by the king
Franklin
Middle class man of leisure
Wife of bath
Middle class seamstress
Reeve
Middle class steward responsible for running the everyday affairs of a feudal manor
Parson
Modest, poor
Oxford cleric
Motivation: He seeks morality and virtue..."The thought of moral virtue filled his speech"
Manciple
Motivation: He serves food to monasteries so perhaps he wants to serve himself with salvation
Doctor
Motivation: Maybe to make money in case someone gets sick
Merchant
Motivation: Perhaps he hopes to sell some of his furs and cloths
Reeve
Motivation: Perhaps he seeks forgiveness for stealing from his master and creating fear in those who worked for him.
Miller
Motivation: To go against conventional thinking
Tradesmen
Motivation: To represent their group of upcoming craftsmen
Friar
Motivation: a priest but his intentions are dishonest-to make money off selling blessings
Summoner
Motivation: maybe to drink and chase women
Wife
Motivation: maybe to meet another husband
Monk
Motivation: priest but his mission is probably mor self indulgent than spiritual
Plowman
Motivation: to accompany his brother to praise god
Host
Motivation: to accompany the pilgrims in their journey and select one who tells the best story who will be rewarded with a free supper
Cook
Motivation: to cook for the groups of upcoming craftsmen
Franklin
Motivation: to enjoy himself
Parson
Motivation: to help others find salvation
Pardoner
Motivation: to make money in exchange for forgiving pilgrims for their sins
Man of law
Motivation: to uphold justics
Shipman
Motivation; he is well traveled, so perhaps he wants to continue his travels
Reeve
Old, thin, close shaven, legs like sticks, probably frail
Merchant
Part of wealthy trade class of fur traders and cloth
Shipman
Peasant class- a veteran sailor
Plowman
Peasant, the parson's good hearted brother
Tradesmen
Proud men who represented their guild (their group of craftsmen - they are the new emerging middle class
Tradesmen
Seemed like worthy members of a legislative body
Cook
Servant to craftsmen, good sense of taste
Oxford cleric
Slender, hollow look, a sober stare (serious)
Wife
Somwhat deaf, red faced but handsome, gapped teeth, large hips
Cook
Sore on leg
Miller
Stout - weighed 224 pounds, big, brawny red beard, wart on his nose
Oxford cleric
Studious, read a lot, spent all his money on books, not social
Miller
Sword and buckler (shield) at his side, wore a blue hood and white coat
Shipman
Tan, bearded
Tradesmen: carpet maker, haberdasher, dyer, carpenter, weaver
Trade class - group who appear as a unit
Cook
Trade class cook
Miller
Trade class worker uses equipment to make flour
Host
Trade class, leader of the group
Manciple
Uneducated but clever, smarter than the lawyers he feeds
Friar
Wealthy clergy
Monk
Wealthy, wore fine fur trimmed robe, gold brooch
Doctor
Well spoken, excellent knowledge of middle ages medical tricks and remedies based more on medieval practices like blood-letting well connected to local apothecaries who profited
Franklin
White beard
Man of law
Wise, cautious, accurate, knowledgable in all laws
Summoner
Wore a garland in his head
Plowman
Wore a loos jacket smock, rode a mare
Shipman
Wore gown to his knees, dagger hanging from his neck
Wife
Wore kerchiefs finely woven, red hose, new shoes
Miller
Wrestler, steals grain, a loud, bad storytelling clown, plays bagpipes
Shipman
a rascal who steals wine; hardy; skilled navigator but ruthless with enemies, able to withstand hardship, a careful planner
knight
believes in the ideals of chivalry, must be an excellent fighter to have survived so many battles all over Europe
prioress
clergy (wealthy); nun
squire
curly hair, 20 years old, average height, strong, physically fit, sings and plays the flute
squire
faults: none
yeoman
faults: none suggested
knight
faults: none, ideal of chivalry, honor, and bravery, "the sovereign value in all eyes","a true, perfect, gentle, __"
Merchant
forking beard, stately, noble in appearance "high on his horse he sat"
squire
fought on the behalf of a lady and did well quickly, lover
yeoman
head like a nut and brown faced, strong, knew the whole of woodcraft up and down
knight
highest among the pilgrims
squire
likes poetry, jousting, horse riding, dancing
Reeve
long overcoat of bluish gray, rusty blade
yeoman
motivation: accompanying the knight and squire
Squire
motivation: maybe out of respect for father
Prioress
motivation: she is a nun so a spiritual trip seems likely
knight
motivation: to give thanks to God "to do his pilgrimages and render thanks"
Merchant
motley (multi color) dress , wore Flemish beaver hat, daintily buckled boots
prioress
not under grown, elegant nose, gray eyes, small, red mouth, wide forehead
yeoman
peasant class, servant who accompanies the knight and squire
Manciple
provider of provisions for a college or court or monastery
yeoman
ready for any occurrence in the forest (hunting game or defense against highwayman attack); sturdy and serious like Robin Hood
squire
respectful to his father, hard working and willing to take risks
prioress
simple, coy (shy), neat, clean, clingy, helpless, charitable, sympathetic, sentimental, tender-hearted (too much so)
squire
son of the knight
prioress
veil, graceful cloak, jewelry (prayer bracelet) that indicated wealth and worldliness
knight
wise, modest, distinguished, chivalrous, truthful, honorable, generous, courteous, brave, loves action and advesture
knight
wore a dark, Fustian tunic (coarse cloth) that had armor stains
yeoman
wore coat and hood of green with peacock-feather arrows, held a bow, sword, and dagger, and a hunting horn
yeoman
wore saucy bracelet as shield guard from the bow and sword along with St Christopher's medal
