canterbury tales pilgrims

the knight

A distinguished, chivalrous warrior who has fought in numerous crusades. He is modest, wise, and highly respected.

The Squire

The Knight’s 20-year-old son and apprentice. A "lover and a lusty bachelor," he wears embroidered clothes and spends his time singing, dancing, and writing poetry.

The Yeoman

A forester and servant to the Knight. He wears green, carries a bow and arrows, and wears a St. Christopher medal.

The Prioress (Madame Eglantine)

A dainty, high-ranking nun who attempts to be aristocratic. She speaks "French of the school of Stratford-atte-Bowe" and is more concerned with her dogs than religious austerity.

The Monk

A wealthy hunter who disregards traditional monastic rules of poverty and labor. He is overweight, wears fur-lined sleeves, and owns many fine horses.

The Friar (Hubert)

A corrupt, smooth-talking beggar who takes money for confessions and enjoys spending time in taverns.

The Parson

The only truly devout member of the clergy. He lives in poverty but is "rich in holy thought and work," practicing exactly what he preaches.

The Summoner

A church official with a scarred, pimply face who brings people to ecclesiastical court. He is often drunk and accepts bribes.

The Pardoner

A fraudulent preacher who sells fake religious relics and indulgences for personal gain. He has thin yellow hair and a high-pitched voice.

The Second Nun & The Nun's Priest

They accompany the Prioress; the priest is one of three who travel with her

The Merchant

Wears fashionable clothes and a forked beard; he talks constantly of his profits but is secretly in debt.

The Clerk (Oxford Student)

A thin, impoverished student who spends all his money on books rather than food or clothes.

The Sergeant of the Law

A successful, wealthy lawyer who appears busier than he actually is.

The Franklin

A wealthy landowner who lives for sensory pleasure, particularly fine food and wine.

The Wife of Bath (Alisoun)

A gap-toothed, deaf, and wealthy seamstress who has been married five times. She is worldly and experienced in travel.

The Doctor

An expert in medicine and astrology who has a "special love of gold" and made a fortune during the plague.

The Skipper (Shipman)

A hardy, somewhat dishonest sailor who "takes no prisoners" and knows every haven from Hull to Carthage.

The Miller (Robin)

A stout, brawny man with a red beard and a hairy wart on his nose. He is known for stealing grain and playing the bagpipes.

The Reeve

A slender, choleric estate manager who is feared by those beneath him; he was formerly a carpenter.

The Cook (Roger)

A skilled chef known for his "blancmange," though he has a distinct, oozing ulcer on his knee.

The Plowman

The Parson’s brother; an honest, hardworking laborer who loves God and his neighbor.

The Manciple

A shrewd buyer of provisions for a law school who consistently outsmarts the educated lawyers he serves.

The Five Guildsmen

A Haberdasher, Dyer, Carpenter, Weaver, and Carpet-maker who dress in the fine livery of their guild.

The Host (Harry Bailey)

The owner of the Tabard Inn who proposes the storytelling contest and acts as its judge.

Chaucer (Narrator)

A fictionalized version of the author who observes and reports on the other pilgrims