CHAUCER’S THE CANTERBURY TALES
The Prologue: Study Guide
LINES 1 – 18
AT THE START OF THE PROLOGUE, WHICH FOUR DESCRIPTIONS CLUE THE READER AS TO THE TIME OF YEAR?
WHY DID THE PILGRIMS OF ENGLAND CHOOSE TO TAKE THEIR RELIGIOUS JOURNEYS IN THE SPRING?
WHAT WAS THE MOST COMMON DESTINATION FOR THE ENGLISH PILGRIM?
LINES 19 – 41
WHERE DOES THE SPEAKER BEGIN HIS PILGRIMAGE? CITY? PLACE?
HOW MANY JOINED THE SPEAKER ON THE PILGRIMAGE?
ON WHICH CHARACTERISTICS WILL THE SPEAKER FOCUS IN HIS PROLOGUE?
LINES 42 – 80
KNIGHT
TO WHICH CODE DOES HE PRESCRIBE? WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS WHICH DEFINE THE CODE?
WHERE HAS HE TRAVELED? FOR WHAT REASONS?
WHAT IS HE WEARING?
HOW DOES THE SPEAKER VIEW THE KNIGHT?
LINES 81 – 102
SQUIRE
HOW OLD WAS THE SQUIRE?
WHAT DOES THE EMBROIDERY SAY ABOUT HIM?
WHAT CAN YOU DEDUCE FROM SOMEONE WHO “SLEPT AS LITTLE AS A NIGHTINGALE”?
LINES 104 – 121
YEOMAN
OF WHAT MATERIAL MIGHT THE ENDS OF ARROWS HAVE BEEN MADE?
HOW MIGHT ‘PEACOCK-FEATHERED ARROWS’ FLY?
WHO WAS ST. CHRISTOPHER?
HOW DOES THE SPEAKER FEEL ABOUT THE YEOMAN?
LINES 122 – 166
NUN/PRIORESS
DESCRIBE A NUN FROM CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY.
HOW DOES THE NUN IN THE PROLOGUE DIFFER FROM YOUR VISION?
WHAT IMPACT DID THE STRICT SOCIAL CLASS SYSTEM (feudalism) HAVE ON RELIGIOUS LIFE?
WHAT IS THE NUN’S MOTTO?
LINES 169 - 211
MONK
HOW DOES THE MONK’S LIFE DIFFER FROM THE LIFE OF A MONK WHO TAKES HIS VOW SERIOUSLY?
WHAT KIND OF HOOD DID THE MONK WEAR?
LINES 212 - 279
FRIAR
WHAT KIND OF PENANCE DID THE FRIAR OFFER? WHAT WERE THE CONDITIONS HE CONSIDERED WHEN OFFERING PENANCE?
WITH WHOM WAS HE WELL ACQUAINTED?
WHY DO YOU THINK THE FRIAR IS GIVEN A NAME?
LINES 280 – 294
MERCHANT
WHAT IS THE MERCHANT WEARING? WHAT DO HIS CLOTHES SAY ABOUT HIM?
WHAT IS HIS FINANCIAL POSITION?
LINES 295 – 318
OXFORD CLERIC
WHY WOULD A COLLEGE STUDENT BE THIN?
WHAT DOES THE STUDENT STUDY?
LINES 319 – 340
SERJEANT AT LAW
WHAT KIND OF WORK IS HE A SUCCESS AT DOING?
HOW BUSY IS HE REALLY?
LINES 341 – 370
FRANKLIN
WHAT WAS HIS MOTTO IN LIFE?
LINES 371 – 388
GUILDSMEN
UNDER WHAT SOCIAL SITUATION DO THE GUILDSMEN OPERATE?
LINES 389 – 396
COOK
WHY WOULD THE COOK HAVE AN ULCER ON HIS KNEE?
LINES 397 – 420
SKIPPER
FROM WHICH ENGLISH TOWN DOES THE SKIPPER HAIL?
HOW DOES HE TREAT HIS PRISONERS?
LINES 421 – 454
DOCTOR
WHAT METHODS DOES THE DOCTOR IMPLORE IN HIS PRACTICE OF MEDICINE?
WHICH DOES HE VALUE MORE, GOLD OR FAITH?
LINES 455 – 486
WIFE OF BATH
HOW MANY HUSBANDS HAS SHE HAD?
GIVE A PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF HER.
FOR WHAT DOES SHE HAVE THE REMEDY?
LINES 487 – 538
PARSON
WHAT QUALITIES MAKE THE PARSON AN ADMIRABLE MAN OF THE CHURCH?
LINES 539 – 555
PLOWMAN
WHAT KIND OF WORKER WAS THE PLOWMAN?
WHAT QUALITIES MAKE THIS MAN GENUINE?
LINES 561 – 584
MILLER
DESCRIBE THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLER.
WHAT KIND OF STORIES DID HE TELL?
LINES 585 – 604
MANCIPLE
WHAT IS IRONIC ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THE MANCIPLE?
WHAT DOES THE NARRATOR MEAN WHEN HE SAYS THAT “THIS MANCIPLE COULD WIPE THEIR EYE”?
LINES 605 – 640
REEVE
HOW DOES THE REEVE COMPARE TO HIS LORDS?
LINES 641 – 688
SUMMONER
WHAT IS ON THE SUMMONER’S FACE?
WHY WOULD THE SUMMONER ONLY SPEAK IN LATIN WHEN HE WAS DRUNK?
WHAT WAS THE SUMMONER’S JOB?
LINES 689 – 734
PARDONER
WITH WHOM DOES THE PARDONER RIDE?
DESCRIBE THE PARDONER’S PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.
WHAT KIND OF RELICS DID THE PARDONER HAVE?
LINES 735 – 856
THE HOST AND THE RULES OF THE JOURNEY
WHERE IS THE TABARD LOCATED?
WHAT DOES THE HOST DO FOR THE PILGRIMS?
HOW MANY TALES WILL EACH PILGRIM OFFER ON THE JOURNEY TO CANTERBURY? FROM CANTERBURY?
WHOSE JOB WILL IT BE TO JUDGE THE TALES?
WHAT IS THE PRIZE FOR THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST?
WHO WILL START THE TALES?
A full text of The Prologue of The Canterbury Tales can be found at:
There’s a drop-down menu at the bottom of the first page that allows you to jump to individual pilgrims.
Remember to check Ms. Lomauro’s website for this link, as well as a link to this study guide and other important materials. Just go to the page dedicated to The Canterbury Tales.
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