prolouge

Knight

Noble, humble, fought in crusades; ideal medieval knight.

Squire

Young, romantic, talented.

Yeoman

Skilled servant; proud of craft.

Prioress (Madame Eglantyne)

Social ambition greater than religion; sentimental.

Monk

Worldly, loves hunting and fine clothing.

Friar (Hubert)

Greedy; prefers rich company.

Merchant

Fancy, in debt; contrasts appearance vs. reality.

Oxford Cleric

Loves learning and books; poor.

Sergeant at Law

Wise but pretends to be busy.

Franklin

Wealthy; loves food and hospitality.

Guildsmen

Proud tradesmen; rising middle class wanting nobility.

Cook

Skilled but imperfect due to an ulcer.

Shipman

Ruthless; steals wine.

Doctor

Skilled but greedy.

Wife of Bath

Bold and experienced; challenges gender roles.

Parson

Holy and virtuous; a true Christian.

Plowman

Honest and hardworking.

Miller

Cheats customers; represents lower-class corruption.

Manciple

Smarter than lawyers with money.

Reeve

Irritable; steals from the boss.

Summoner

Corrupt, ugly, and lecherous.

Pardoner

Hypocritical; sells fake relics.

Host (Harry Bailey)

Cheerful; proposes a contest.

Themes

Church corruption vs. true virtue.

Themes

Social class and satire.

Themes

Appearance vs. reality.

Themes

Human nature: greed, pride, love, honesty.