Prologue of Canterbury Tales, Derivations

Knight Quotes

Knight Quotes

"a valiant man,/ who, from the time when he had first begun/ to venture out, had loved chivalry,/ truth and honor, liberality and courtesy."
"Although he was valiant, he was prudent,/ and bore himself as meekly as a maiden;"

Squire Quotes

"a lover, and a gay youth on his way to _______,/ with locks as curly as if they had been pressed."
"He was courteous, humble, and serviceable,/ and carved for his father at the table."

Yeoman QuotesQuotes

"well did he know how to take care of his equipment:/ his arrows never drooped with tired feathers!"
"I suppose that he must have been a forester."

Prioress Quotes

"Her table manner were admirable:/ she never let a morsel fall from her lips, nor wet he fingers too deeply in the sauce;/ daintily she carried a morsel to her lips, taking care/ that no drop should fall on her breast:"
"Around her arm she wore a rosary... and on it hung a lovely golden brooch, on which was written first a crowned A,/ and then, Amor vinvit omnia."

Monk Quotes

"an inspector of his monastery's estates, who loved/ venery;"
"Why should he study and drive himself mad,/ always poring over a book in the cloister,/ or work with his hands and labor/ as Saint Augustine ordered? How shall the world be served?"

Friar Quotes

"... who was wanton and merry."
"...for/ it is not fitting for such a respectable/ man as he, in his position, to be acquainted with sick lepers:/ it is not right, there is no profit/ in dealing with such paupers;/ but with the rich and the sellers of food,/ and in general wherever it might be profitable,/ he was courteous and humbly serviceable."

Merchant Quotes

"This worthy man made good use of his wits;/ no one knew he was in debt,"
"In any case, he was indeed a worthy man;/ but to tell the truth, I don't know what his name is."

Clerk of Oxford Quotes

"he still had little gold in his coffers;/ he spent all that he could get from his friends/ on books and learning,/ and diligently prayed for the souls/ of those who gave him money to carry on his studies with."
"He never spoke a word more than was necessary,/ and what he did say was in due form, and reverent,/ and short and to the point, and full of lofty thought:/ his talk tended toward moral qualities,/ and gladly would he learn, and gladly teach."

Sergeant of the Law Quotes

"Nowhere was there a man as busy as he-/ and yet he seemed busier than he was."
"... he could write and draw up a deed/ so that no man could find fault with his drafts;/ and he knew every statute absolutely by heart."

Franklin Quotes

"He was a householder, and a great one:/ the patron saint of hospitality of his part of the country."
"His house was never without baked dishes,/ both fish and meat, and these so plenteous/ that it seemed to snow food and drink in his house,"

Guildsmen Quotes

"... their belts and their/ purses were beautifully made in every respect."
"every one of them, because of his wisdom,/ was suited to be an alderman,/ for they had enough property and income,"

Cook Quotes

"He could easily recognize a draft of London ale./ He could roast, and boil, and broil, and fry,/ make stews, and bake a pie well."
"... he had an ulcer on his shin./ For making an elegant chicken stew, he was among/ the best."

Shipman Quotes

"he had drawn many a draft of wine/ on the way form Bordeaux while the wine merchant/ slept."
"He was a hardy man, prudent in his undertakings;/ many a tempest had shaken his beard./ He knew all the havens as they appear.../"

Doctor of Medicine Quotes

"Having learned the cause and root of the evil,/ he gave the sick man a remedy at once./ He had his apothecaries quite ready/ to send him drugs and medicines,/ for each of them helped the other to profit;"
"... yet he was far from free in his spending;/ he kept the money he gained in time of pestilence."

Wife of Bath Quotes

"In all the parish there was no [one]/ entitled to make an offering before her,/ and if one did, certainly she was so angry/ that she was all out of charity."
"She knew of the remedies of love, as it happened,/ for she knew that art's old dance."

Parson Quotes

"His parish was wide and its houses far apart,/ but he never neglected-for rain or thunder;/ sickness or trouble-to visit on foot,/ with a staff in his hand,/ the furthest in his parish, great or humble."
"To draw folk to heaven by fair behavior/ and good example-that was his business."

Plowman Quotes

"He was a good a faithful laborer,/ living in peace and perfect charity."
"He paid his tithes fairly and well,/ both on his earnings and on his property."

Miller Quotes

"right on top of his nose he had/ a wart"
"He knew well how to steal corn and charge threefold;/ and yet he had a thumb of gold, all right"

Municiple Quotes

"... from whom buyers might take an example/ of how to be wise in purchasing food supplies;/ for whether he paid or bought on account,/ he was always so careful in his buying"
"Now, isn't it a fair example of God's favor/ that such an ignorant man's wit can surpass/ the wisdom of a heap of learned men?"

Reeve Quotes

"No man could find him to be in arrears./ There was no bailiff, or shepherd or other laborer/ whose tricks and plots were unknown to him;/ they were scared to death of him."
"He knew how to please his lord well, underhandly/ giving and lending him the lord's own goods,"

Summoner Quotes

"He knew a few terms.../But if anyone wanted to try him further,/ he had exhausted his learning;/ he would just keep crying, "Questio quid juris"."
"He had the young wenches of the diocese/ under control, at his own wish,/ and knew their secrets, and was their sole advisor."

Pardoner Quotes

"He thought he rode all in the latest style:/ with his hair down, he rode bareheaded except for/ his cap."
"but best of all he sang an offertory;/ for well he knew that when that song was sung/ he must preach and smooth his tongue/ to win silver, as he indeed could do-"

Host Quotes

"he was bold in his speech, prudent, and well taught;/ and he lacked no manly quality."
"I swear I shall give you my own head unless you are amused!"

Knight

Nobility Class Satiric Norm

Guildsmen

Merchant Class Satiric Norm

Parson

Clergy Class Satiric Norm

Plowman

Peasant Class Satiric Norm

Wife of Bath, Franklin

Nobility Class Opposite

Prioress, Monk, Friar, Summoner, Pardoner

Clergy Class Opposite

Miller, Shipman

Merchant Class Opposite

Reeve, Doctor of Medicine

Peasant Class Opposite

People in Nobility Class

Knight, Squire, Franklin, Wife of Bath

People in Clergy Class

Prioress, Monk, Friar, Parson, Manciple, Summoner, Pardoner

People in Merchant Class

Merchant, Guildsmen, Shipman, Miller, Host

People in Peasant Class

Yeoman, Clerk of Oxford, Cook, Doctor of Medicine, Plowman, Reeve, Sergent of the Law

Gluttony

Prioress - doesn't let a morsel of food drop
Monk - fat
Friar - actually does job for people with food/'best beggar'
Franklin - table always full of seasonal food
Cook - alcoholic
Shipman - alcoholic
Miller - mouth like a furnace
Summoner - alcoholic

Greed

Prioress - goes against clergy code and has money
Monk - has ability to feed animals (uncommon for the time), fat, fancy clothes
Friar - gets money for giving easy penances, takes from poor, nice cloak, alcoholic
Merchant - dressed well, knows markets
Doctor of Medicine - working with apothecaries for profit, dressed well
Miller - gain profit on others' crops
Reeve - sell master things he already own to keep money for himself
Summoner - have people pay him to not be excommunicated
Pardoner - sells fake relics, sing well during offertory

Sloth

Monk - doesn't follow rules of the church, fat
Friar - doesn't help the sick or poor like supposed to, doesn't travel
Clerk of Oxford - has others pay for him to sit around and read
Cook - isn't cleanly with food (possibly)
Miller - doesn't grow his own crops, sit around tell stories
Summoner - doesn't care if he is doing his job correctly (not afraid of excommunication)

Lust

Squire - very good at horseback riding and slept no more than a nightingale
Prioress - fancy rosary with brooch with love note (implies relationship)
Monk - dainty horses in stable, loves venery
Friar - is wanton person, married off women he had intercourse with
Wife of Bath - can see undergarments, sits on horse with legs spread apart, knows remedies of love, 5 husbands
Miller - can blow bagpipes well
Summoner - sole advisor to women of diocese

Vanity

Squire - pressed locks, embroidered clothes
Yeoman - dressed well
Prioress - careful consideration to stay in fashion
Merchant - dressed well and richly to show off
Franklin - always have open house, fine linen clothes
Doctor of Medicine - spent money on good expensive clothes
Wife of Bath - wants to be the perfect person for the Church, very big clothes
Reeve - trimmed hair/beard
Pardoner - greasy hair thinking he was in style

Pride

Squire - after Crusades wanted the ladies attention, can doing a lot well
Yeoman - does job well with lots of equipment(maybe)
Prioress - thinks she knows how to speak French
Monk - thinks his way to run monastery is better than traditional way
Friar - power in town knowing everyone's sins, doesn't think he needs to help poor
Merchant - blabbermouth about how well he is doing
Franklin - pleasure in things, in Parliament as Knight of Shire
Doctor of Medicine - scams people and helps them at the same time
Wife of Bath - must be perfect religious woman, women go to her for advice
Reeve - leader and gets away with stealing from master
Pardoner - thinks no one is good enough ignoring that fact that he isn't either
Sergeant of the Law - good lawyer and seemed busier than actually was to get more clients

Anger

Franklin - mad a chef if food wasn't perfect
Cook - gets puss in food (maybe)
Shipman - forces captives to swim, always gets upper hand
Wife of Bath - must be first to Church
Miller - destroying doors, wins wrestling matches
Reeve - everyone under him was terrified of him

Moderation

Clerk of Oxford - not thin, not fat
Doctor of Medicine - doesn't spend all the money he scams from people, saves it
Parson - satisfied with little
Plowman - can pay rent
Manciple - good at handling the money for clergy

Generosity

Squire - shared talents with world
Prioress - shares with animals
Franklin - house is always open to everyone
Wife of Bath - shares advice(maybe)
Parson - paid peoples' tithes if they couldn't
Plowman - paid extra taxes he didn't need to pay
Host - having all the people in his tavern

Diligence

I will update later but basically everyone has it

Love

Knight - never rude
Parson - goes to anyone anywhere, protective of his diocese
Plowman - loves God and neighbor

Modesty

Yeoman - doesn't really show off fancy clothes
Parson - doesn't show off he is very versed in preaching
Plowman - simple clothes

Humility

Knight - doesn't brag about wins
Clerk of Oxford - careful about what he says
Parson - doesn't ask for more than what he has
Plowman - moves dung around, doesn't complain about his job
Manciple - doesn't brag about his street smarts

Forgiveness

Parson - not scornful on people for sinning
Plowman - loves neighbor as self so won't be judgemental

The bet

Storytelling competition between all 29 people part of the pilgrimage. Tell two stories on way to Canterbury and two back from Canterbury. Winner gets a meal paid for by the rest of the people on pilgrimage. If don't tell a story have to pay for everyone else's pilgrimage.

Pilgrimage starts in April; Tabard Inn in middle of 2-3 month journey between London and Canterbury (about 70 miles apart from each other)

Setting

Geoffrey Chaucer

Father of English Language because he was the first to actually write the language of the people of England

around 1385 AD; time when people made pilgrimages at least once in their lives to St. Thomas á Becket

When were the tales written?

Satire to make fun of society; wrote about all classes to give us a glimpse of English society

Why were the tales written?

Chaucer's background

-Child of wealthy wine merchant
-Page in royal household
-Spoke French, Latin, and Italian
-Soldier and diplomat
-Member of Parliament
-lots of jobs
-captured by French

120

How many tales did Chaucer propose?

to set up a frame story

What does the prologue meant for?

Harry Bailey

Host name

Code of Chivalry

What do Knights have to follow?

Code of Clergy

What do Clergy members have to follow?