Canterbury Tales Pilgrim Study Guide

Block 3

The Knight• Physical description: “A most distinguished man” (line 43)• Clothing: “He wore a fustian tunic stained and dark

With smudges where his armor had left a mark” (77-78)• Occupation: A knight, fighting for the lord he trained

under as a page and squire• Representative line: “He was a true, a perfect gentle-

knight” (74)• My opinion: He seems to be a brave, skilled, experienced

crusader for Christianity• Modern counterpart: A Navy SEAL• The ideal; most socially prominent member of the journey

SQUIREPhysical Description: Young, curly hair, somewhat tallDescription of clothing: “Short was his gown, the sleeves

were long and wide,” (line 95)Occupation and what it entails: helps in battle on the

cavalries, aids to his father’s (the Knight) service and tries to win a girl over

A representative line: “A lover and cadet, a lad of fire,” (line 82)

Opinion: He is a young man who wants to impress his father, the girl he likes, and the others travelling with them.

A modern counterpart: A Personal Assistant because he attends to the needs of his mentor

By Kelly Konrad

SQUIRE

Yeoman Name: Yeoman Physical description: His head was like a nut, his

face was brown.(111) Description of clothing: this yeomen wore a coat

and hood of green, and peacock-feathered arrows, bright and keen.(105-106)

Occupation: Forester, watched over knights land and the knights assistant.

My opinion: he seems to be a strong, loyal servant Modern counterpart: Robin Hood

YEOMANPhysical Description:  “His head like a nut, his face was

brown.” (line 111)Description of Clothing:  “This Yeoman wore a coat and

hood of green, and peacock feathered arrows, bright and keen” (lines 105-106)

Occupation and what it entails:  Yeoman is a forester, so he watched the knight’s land, and he was the knight’s assistant.

A representative line:  “A medal of St. Christopher he wore” (line 117)

Opinion:  I think this character is truly amazing.  He is loyal and brave as one must be who serves for a knight.  He is prepared with weapons to protect himself as well as his knight, this shows his loyalty and his bravery in battle.   

A modern counterpart:  A policeman because they look out for people and are prepared with weapons to protect people.

By Phoebe Missios

YEOMAN

Prioress Physical Description: “Her nose was elegant, her

eyes glass-grey; her mouth was very small, but soft and red, her forehead, certainly, was fair of spread, almost as span across the brows”. (Lines 156-159)

Clothing: “Her veil was gathered in a seemingly way…her cloak, I noticed, had a graceful charm she wore a coral trinket on her arm, a set of beads”. (155-163)

Occupation: A Nun who is a religious figure but tries too hard to be perceived a certain way.

Representative line: “She was so charitably solicitous”. (Line 147)

Modern Counterpart: A sister, because she is a religious person.

My opinion: She seems to care only about what other people think of her.

Monk Physical Description: “His head was bald and shone

like looking-glass; so did his face, as if it had been greased. He was a fat and personable priest.” (Lines 202-203)

Clothing: “I saw his sleeves were garnished at the hand with fine grey fur, the finest in the land, and on his hood, to fasten it at his chin he had a wrought-gold cunningly fashioned pin.” (197-201)

Occupation: A priest, who hunts as his past time and doesn’t live a traditional religious life.

Representative line: “A manly man, to be an Abbot able”. (172)

Modern counterpart: A brother, because the monk is a religious person but doesn’t really live religious life.

My opinion: This monk seems to be expensively-dressed in fur and gold jewelry and to really like hunting because of all the horses he owns.

FriarPhysical Description: A wanton (cruel) one and merry (212)Clothing: Threadbare robes and stuffed tippet with pins for curls and pocket knives. (237-238) (268)Occupation: A Limiter, a very festive fellow (has girls confess their sins to him, and then helps them find marriage)Representative Line: He was the finest beggar of his batch (256) (the best of his type-a scoundrel; tricky)My Opinion: He seems to be a player, charming, and respected by many people. (charms people to take advantage of them)Modern Counterpart: A Bishop

MerchantPhysical Description: A forking beard and motley dress (280)Clothing: Upon his head a Flemish beaver hat and on his feet daintily buckled boots ( 282-283)Occupation: He was an expert at dabbling in exchanges (288) (knew how to bargain, to the outside he was part of a powerful, affluent class, but no one knew he was in debt)Representative Line: He was an excellent fellow all the same (293)My Opinion: A short man that seems really confident and works hard to earn money.Modern Counterpart: A Trader

CLERKPhysical Descriptions: “And he was not too fat, I undertake” (Line 298) “He had a hollow look, a somber stare” (Line 299)

Description of clothing: “The thread upon his overcoat was bare” (Line 300)

Occupation: A philosopher, which entails that he learns and studies everything he can.

Representative line: “He preferred having twenty books in red and black, of Aristotle’s philosophy, than costly clothes, fiddle

or psaltery.”

Our opinion: He seems to be a wise and intellectual man who hungers more for knowledge than for food.

Modern Counterpart: A college student (philosophy major)

CLERK

The Clerk• Extremely thin• Wears threadbare clothes• He is a poor student of philosophy“yet he was rich in holy thought and work”My opinion: he seems smart, except that he chooses books over food•Modern counterpart: a counselor

Franklin

• “White as a daisy petal was his beard,” “sanguine (positive),” “high coloured and benign”

• Dagger and silk purse hung from his girdle• Occupation: “As sheriff he checked audit, every entry” • Line: “He lived for pleasure, and had always done”

(enjoyed good food and always had his table laid out; wealthy land owner, but not of noble birth)

• Modern counterpart: heir to “new money” business

Haberdasher, Dyer, Carpenter, Weaver, and Carpet-Maker

• Physical Description: “They were so trim and fresh” 375• Description of Clothing: “Their gear would pass for

new” 376• Occupation: To make clothes (and accessories), as well

as carpets• Representative Line: “Their wisdom would have justified

a plan to make each one of them an alderman” 381-382• My Opinion: Men who have specialized jobs that make

them successful• Modern Counterpart: Successful Businessmen• Picture: Drawn by Hand

Cook• Physical Description: “Had an ulcer on his knee” ;an open

sore. 396• Clothing: “Wore a dagger” 401 and “a woolen gown” 402• Occupation: cook• Representative line: “He could distinguish London ale by

flavor, Make good thick soup and bake a tasty pie” 390 • My opinion: A skillful cook that doesn’t have very good

personal hygiene • Modern Counterpart: A chef at a cheap restaurant.

Mcdonalds• Picture: Drawn by hand

The Shipman¨ Name of pilgrim: In the book he was referred to as Skipper (Line 398)¨ Physical description:”The summer heat had tanned his colour

brown,”(Line 404)¨ Clothing:” In a woollen gown that reached his knee. A dagger on a

lanyard falling free Hung from his neck under his arm and down.” (Lines 401-403)

¨ Occupation and what it entails:He is a sailor, and he owns a ship, he has seen every creek, river, bay, etc in “Brittany and Spain”

¨ Representative line:”And he was certainly an excellent fellow,” (Line 405)

¨ My opinion:He seems likes a pretty well rounded guy, a little tough, he’s masculine and has seen a lot of the world.

¨ Modern counterpart: A sailor

The Shipman - Picture

The Doctor¨ Name of Pilgrim: In Canterbury Tales, the doctor is only referred to as Doctor

(Line 421)¨ Physical Description: He was quite skinny “In his own diet he observed some

measure; there were no superfluities for pleasure, only digestives, nutritives, and such” (Lines 445- 457)

¨ Clothing: “ In blood-red garments, slashed with bluish grey And lined with taffeta, he rode his way” (line 449)

¨ Occupation: A doctor. He is “a perfect practicing physician” ( Line 431). He knew the conditions of all his patients (Line 430), and knew everything there is to know about medicine and astronomy (Lines 422-424)

¨ Representative Line: “No one alive could talk as well as he did on points of medicine and of surgery” (Lines 422-423)

¨ My opinion: The doctor is a very smart scholar, who can be quite greedy “ He therefore had a special love for gold” (Line 454). He is also not as pious as one would think a pilgrim would be “ He did not read the Bible very much” (Line 443).

¨ Modern Counterpart: A surgeon

The Doctor- Picture

WOMAN OF THE BATH (THE WIFE)

Physical Description: “Bold was her face, handsome, and red in hue” (line 468) “She had gap teeth, set widely, truth to say” (Line 478)

“She had a flowing mantle that concealed large hips”

Clothing: “Her kerchiefs were of finely woven ground” (Line 458) “Well wimpled up, and on her head a hat as broad as is a buckler or shield” (Line 480)

Occupation: Seamstress, making clothes for the wealthy, and in her spare time she is a professional wife, as she has been married 4+

times.

Representative line: “In company she likes to laugh and chat and knew the remedies for loves mischance’s, an art in which she knew the oldest dances.”

Our opinion: She seems to be a very gregarious, friendly person who loves being in love, although she could be perceived as high maintenance.

Modern Counterpart: Love Guru/ Taylor Swift

WOMAN OF THE BATH (THE WIFE)

Wife of Bath • somewhat deaf• Large hips, red face• She wore kerchiefs on her head, heels, a

hat, a flowing mantle• She made clothes• “in company she liked to laugh and chat” • Opinion: a very open person• Modern counterpart: a seamstress

The ParsonPhysical Description: Looks like priest and was benign, diligent,

and patient was very poorClothing: He wore the clothes of a priest but except for that he

didn’t have muchOccupation: He was a priest who rich in holy thought (ideal

portrait of what a parish priest should be among superficial religious characters on this pilgrimage)

A Representative line: “A holy man of good renown” Line 487Your opinion on this character: He seems to be a wise holy man

with great diligence and fairnessModern Counterpart: A bishop or a strong member of the church

Parson picture

PlowmanAli Benavides 3rd

Physical Description: hard working, peasant farmer, but said to smell like dung…

Clothing: wet boots and wears common peasent clothes.

Representative line: described as one who is holy and virtuous even when doing the worst of the jobs in the Canterbury Tales. He has to haul carts full of manure and other tasks but it is a high quality character like his brother who is the Parson. He doesn't complain about his work because it is work he feels like he is doing for Christ and his fellow Christians. He loves God no matter his lot in life and what he is doing.

My opinion: seems like a good and honest and hard working man, but probably has bad B.O…

Modern Counterpart: Stable Man

The ManciplePhysical Description: There was no Physical description of the Manciple

in the Prologue, but he probably had tanned skin and a slightly hunched back from carrying bags full of food and riding in the sun.

Clothing: He most likely wore a tunic like a lot of the other pilgrims.

Occupation: To buy food from the markets for storage in colleges and monasteries. The Manciple also acted as a caterer and prepared food in the colleges.

Representative lines: “Now isn’t it a marvel of God’s grace that an illiterate fellow can outpace the wisdom of a heap of learned men?” (Lines 591-593)

“His masters…could have produced a dozen from their college…and make them fit to help about the Shire in any legal case there was to try; and yet this Maniple could wipe their eye.” (Lines 594, 596, 602-604) (would outsmart the “well-educated lawyers by keeping a sum of money for himself)

My Opinion:The manciple is intelligent, sharp-witted, and experienced from his travels. He also seems to be a reliable provider of food for the colleges, and he spends money wisely.

Modern Counterpart: A retail buyer or caterer

The MillerPhysical Description: “A great stout fellow big in brawn and bone” (Line

563)(red beard; wart on his nose with red hairs coming from it—made him look fearful)Clothing: “He wore a hood of blue and a white coat” (line 582)

Occupation: To buy food from the markets for storage in colleges and monasteries. The Manciple also acted as a caterer and prepared food in the colleges.

Representative lines: “He could heave any door off hinge and post, or take a run and break it with his head” (Lines 566-567)

“his mouth was the door of the furnace”My Opinion: He seems very charismatic and a little bit awkward too.

Modern Counterpart: A Baker

Miller• Physical Description -“A great stout fellow big in brawn and

bone.” (line 62)

• Clothing -“He wore a hood of blue and a white coat” (line 82)

• Occupation -“He had a store of tavern stories, filthy in the main” (lines 76-77)

• Representative line -“He did well out of them, for he could go and win the ram at any wrestling show.” (lines 63-64)

• My opinion - He seems to be really strong although not the most handsome, pretty smart because he can steal grain.

• Modern counterpart - He represents a college boy, because the story of the Miller seems like it could be told by a college boy. Plus he acts like one socially and physically.

The ReevePhysical Description: “Old and choleric and thin; his beard was shaven closely to the skin, his shorn hair came abruptly to a stop above his ears, and he was docked on top just like a priest in front; his legs were lean, like sticks they were, no calf to be seen. He kept his bins and garners very trim” (605-611)Clothing: “He wore an overcoat of bluish shade and rather long; he had a rusty blade slung at his side” (635)Occupation: Senior official of a town or manor, usually appointed by the king. (manager of a large estate; cheats his lord by lending him what was already his own)Representative Line: “He knew their dodges, knew their every trick.” (622) (rode last in the pilgrimmage, trusts no one)Opinion: Seems to be a man with a great amount of power who is feared by many. (shrewd, business like, capable, bad temper)Modern Counterpart: general manager

The SummonerPhysical Description: “His face on fire, like a cherubin, for he had carbuncles. His eyes narrow, he was as hot and as lecherous as a sparrow. Black scabby brows he had and a thin beard.” (643-645)Clothing: Most likely wore official clothing such as a puffed shirt and pants that were proper for horse riding long distances (No in-book description)Occupation: A summoner for the court who calls out those who performed sins, like heresy or adultery. (paid to take sinners to court)Representative Line: “He knew their secrets, they did what he said.” (683) (people hated getting summons from him bc he was so gross, but could easily be bribed-Chaucer ironically calls him a good fellow for that)Opinion: Appears to be a disgusting, drunken man who calls people out for their sins, while purposely ignoring his own out of fear of excommunication.Modern Counterpart: Someone who accuses/reports a criminal to the police.

THE PARDONERPhysical Description: He has stringy yellow hair and big bulging eyeballs “like a hare.”Clothing: He has no hood but wears a small cap with a holy relic sewn onto it. Occupation: He preaches and sings in a church and grants pardons to people.Representative line: “And by his flatteries and prevarication Made monkeys of the priest and congregation.” Opinion: Despite his work with the church, his “flatteries and prevarication”

make him sound like he’s not an entirely genuine character. Modern Counterpart: a pastor

The Pardoner• “hair as yellow as wax hanging down smoothly like a hank of flax”

(line 695-696)• “He wore no hood upon his head” , “but for little cap his head was

bare” (line 700 and 703)• “In church he was a noble Ecclesiast” , “But best of all he sang an

Offertory” (line 728 and 730). He worked in the church to help bring the people closer to God

• “How well he read a lesson or told a story” (line 729)• He seems to care about bringing the people of the church to God,

but seems as though he may also be concerned about pay• The modern counterpart would be a church leader like a priest or

pastor

THE HOSTPhysical Description: “His eyes were bright, his girth a little wide.” (line 774)Clothing: not specifiedOccupation: A burgess and leader of the pilgrimsRepresentative line: “A very striking man our Host withal,And fit to be a marshal in a hall.” (772-773) Modern counterpart: Peacemaker, “mayor” Opinion: He seems like he is well-liked amongst the other pilgrims

and has a leadership quality.

The Host • “His eyes were bright, his girth a little wide”, “There was no

manly attribute he lacked”, “A very striking man” (lines 773, 776, 771)

• “Fit to be a Marshal in a hall” (772) His clothes were nice yet modest

• “He served the finest victuals you could think”, (769) He acted as a bit of a housekeeper

• “At my own expense and serve as a guide” (824)• He seemed to be a good-natured, fun, enjoyable man• The modern counterpart would be a bar tender

(innkeeper)

Good luck studying!

Love, Ms. Sacco and Mr. Tatum