Canterbury Tales

Front 1

MC: Duke Theseus

Back 1

(The Knight's Tale) His name is that of the famous ruler of ancient Athens who performed many outstanding feats in his life and was reputed to be a great and noble ruler.

Front 2

MC: Queen Hippolyta

Back 2

The Knight's Tale) The wife of Theseus. She was a powerful queen of the Amazons before Theseus conquered the tribe and made her his queen.

Front 3

MC: Emilie

Back 3

(The Knight's Tale) Theseus' beautiful sister-in-law who inadvertently attracts the attention of two imprisoned knights, Arcite and Palamon, and thus is the instrument motivating the central plot.

Front 4

MC: Palamon

Back 4

(The Knight's Tale) A Theban knight who is wounded fighting against Theseus and imprisoned in perpetuity. Years later, he is the first to fall in love with the beautiful Emilie.

Front 5

MC: Arcite

Back 5

(The Knight's Tale) Another noble Theban knight and close friend to Palamon. When Arcite sees the beauteous Emilie, he pledges his undying love for her.

Front 6

MC: Old John, the Carpenter

Back 6

(The Miller's Tale) The rich and old carpenter who foolishly marries a lively young girl.

Front 7

MC: Alison

Back 7

(The Miller's Tale) The sensual young wife of the old carpenter. She conspires to have an affair with the young scholar and to play an obscene trick upon another suitor.

Front 8

MC: Nicholas

Back 8

The Miller's Tale) The passionate young boarder who uses his knowledge of astrology to convince the carpenter that another flood is about to begin so that he can seduce the carpenter's young wife.

Front 9

MC: Absalon

Back 9

(The Miller's Tale) A young clerk who falls in love with Alison and interferes with Nicholas and Alison's trysts. He is delicate, dainty, and overly sensitive to foul smells. He becomes the butt of an obscene joke.

Front 10

MC: Jankyn

Back 10

(The Wife of Bath's Prologue) The Wife's fifth husband, who caused her trouble and had to be tamed into submission.

Front 11

MC: King Walter

Back 11

(The Clerk's Tale) The king who seeks to marry a woman who will never complain about his demands.

Front 12

MC: Griselda

Back 12

(The Clerk's Tale) Walter's wife; a young woman who is the essence of loveliness, patience, goodness, and fidelity.

Front 13

MC: The Three Rioters

Back 13

(The Pardoner's Tale) Drunken revelers who decide to find Death and slay him.

Front 14

MC: Chaunticleer

Back 14

(The Nun's Priest's Tale) The magnificent rooster that rules over his bevy of hens. He is beautiful and exceptionally proud of his singing voice; he is also extremely vain and gullible.

Front 15

MC: Dame Pertelote

Back 15

(The Nun's Priest's Tale) Chaunticleer's wife to whom he is devoted. Although she is something of a nag, she is also devoted to Chaunticleer.

Front 16

MC: Don (Sir) Russel

Back 16

(The Nun's Priests Tale) The traditional name for a fox. He is the sly typical fox who, by flattery, is able to trick Chaunticleer.

Front 17

Pilgrim: The Host (Harry Bailey)

Back 17

The owner of the Tabard Inn, who volunteers to travel with the pilgrims. He promises to keep everyone happy, be their guide and arbiter in disputes, and judge the tales.

Front 18

Pilgrim: The Knight

Back 18

Socially the most prominent person on the pilgrimage, epitomizing chivalry, truth, and honor. He stands apart from the other pilgrims because of his dignity and status.

Front 19

Pilgrim: The Miller

Back 19

A drunken, brash, and vulgar man who rudely interrupts the Host, demands that his tale be next, and warns everyone that his tale about a carpenter will be vulgar because it is true.

Front 20

Pilgrim:The Reeve

Back 20

A very old and irritable man who was once a carpenter. He resents the Miller's tale about a stupid old carpenter.

Front 21

Pilgrim: The Man of Law (or Sergeant of Law)

Back 21

A lawyer and one of the high justices of the court. He is cautious, suspicious, and wise, and one of the more cultivated men among the pilgrims.

Front 22

Pilgrim: Roger, the Cook

Back 22

Known for his cooking and characterized by a chancre sore that runs with pus. His story is incomplete.

Front 23

Pilgrim: The Wife of Bath (Alisoun)

Back 23

Characterized as gat-toothed, somewhat deaf, and wearing bright scarlet red stockings. She has had five husbands (the last half her age), enjoys her freedom, and is openly sensual.

Front 24

Pilgrim: Hubert, the Friar

Back 24

A sensual, licentious man who seduces young girls and then arranges their marriages. He loves money and knows the taverns better than the poor houses.

Front 25

Pilgrim: The Summoner

Back 25

An officer of the church who calls people for a church trial. He is as ugly as his profession; he frightens children with his red complexion, pimples and boils, and skin infected with scales.

Front 26

Pilgrim: The Clerk

Back 26

A sincere, devout student at Oxford University who loves learning and is respected by all the pilgrims. He is very poor because he spends all his money on books.

Front 27

Pilgrim: The Merchant

Back 27

A shrewd and intelligent man who knows how to strike a good bargain and is a member of the rich rising middle class.

Front 28

Pilgrim: The Squire

Back 28

A vain, lusty young man and a candidate for knighthood. He can sing, write poetry, and ride a horse very well, and considers himself a lady's man.

Front 29

Pilgrim: The Franklin

Back 29

A large and wealthy landowner who enjoys fine living and good companionship.

Front 30

Pilgrim: The Shipman

Back 30

A huge, uncouth man who can steer a ship but flounders on his horse.

Front 31

Pilgrim: The Prioress (Madame Eglantine)

Back 31

A very genteel lady who is coy and delicate. She has precise manners, eats as an aristocrat would, and wears a gold brooch with "Love conquers all" inscribed in Latin.

Front 32

Pilgrim: The Physician

Back 32

A doctor who can speak knowingly of medicines, drugs, and humours, and who knows astrology as well. He is fond of gold and makes a lot of money during the plague season.

Front 33

Pilgrim: The Pardoner

Back 33

The most complex of all the pilgrims. He is an intellect and uses advanced psychological means to gain his objective. Although he is not a good person, he can preach a good sermon.

Front 34

Pilgrim: The Monk

Back 34

A man who tends the property of the monastery. He is fat and happy, loves good food and wine, and finds the taverns more to his liking than the cold, severe monastery.

Front 35

Pilgrim: The Nun's Priest

Back 35

The priest of the church who accompanies the nuns so that they may offer up their confessions.

Front 36

Pilgrim: The Second Nun

Back 36

A very devout nun who, because she believes that idleness leads to sin, begins her story immediately.

Front 37

Pilgrim: The Canon and the Canon's Yeoman

Back 37

Although not one of the pilgrims, the Canon appears with his servant (the Yeoman) but leaves when his Yeoman begins a tale.

Front 38

Pilgrim: The Manciple

Back 38

The steward for a law school. Although not as intelligent as the law students, he is clever and shrewd enough to be able to put away some money for himself.

Front 39

Pilgrim: The Parson

Back 39

A very poor but very holy and virtuous religious man who tells a highly moral tale. He gives his scant money to his poor parishioners and tries to live the perfect life and set an ideal for others.