The Skipper In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

Think about the stereotypical raider or pirate. This image presumably portrays a tough, unkempt, and harsh man. This man probably doesn’t really care about others and will do anything to get what he wants, or his treasure, he even steals and lies. Now think about how others view that man and what they think of him. Most would say that he is eerie and intimidating looking, while others may admire him for his bravery and strength. Chaucer would tend to fall in the median of the two views. In the Prologue of The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer seems to admire and acknowledge the Skipper yet also disapproves of his actions (Ruud). He depicts these feelings by describing the Skipper as excellent, ignorant, and strong, by having him tell a tale about the relationship between a husband and wife and another man. …show more content…
He is well trained and had a lot of knowledge in his trade. In line 405 of the Prologue of The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer directly describes the Skipper as being excellent, “And certainly he was an excellent fellow”. Chaucer uses this to show the Skipper’s manner and skills. In lines previous to this quote, Chaucer explains that he even knows how to ride a horse well which could be interpreted as being versatile. The following lines then go on to describe his appearance. The Skipper was a tan man in a tunic that fell to his knee and had a dagger hanging from his neck. This shows that the Skipper may use it against his enemies or whoever is standing in his way of the