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Canterbury Pilgrims
The Friar
Though this friar has taken vows of both chastity and poverty, he has had his fair share of female callers and he appears fat, well-fed, and is one of the wealthiest pilgrims in the group. In order to make a living, all friars in Chaucer's time had to beg for alms from the towns people. This often made friars morally corrupt because they would beg for more than they needed.
The Friar's tale describes a corrupt summoner who accuses people of false crimes and then blackmails them into paying him to drop the charges. He ends up meeting the devil along the way and receives his just desserts when he harasses an old widow and she sends him to hell.
The Friar's tale describes a corrupt summoner who accuses people of false crimes and then blackmails them into paying him to drop the charges. He ends up meeting the devil along the way and receives his just desserts when he harasses an old widow and she sends him to hell.
the_friars_prologue-tale.docx | |
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the_friars_tale_reading_guide.docx | |
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The Reeve
The reeve is a wealthy manager of an estate with a farm. His previous profession was that of a carpenter. The Reeve is a vindictive, cutthroat man always seeking out ways to destroy the reputations of others. His tendency towards blackmail means that he spends most of the trip to Canturbury at the back of the line of the other pilgrims because no one trusts him enough to ride along beside him.
The reeve's tale describes a corrupt miller who steals the grain he grinds for his customers. One day, two clerks decide they shall catch the miller stealing from them so they can have him arrested. Indeed, the miller does cheat them out of the corn they brought to have ground. In order to get their revenge, the two devise a plan that includes raping the miller's wife and daughter and beating the miller to a bloody pulp.
The reeve's tale describes a corrupt miller who steals the grain he grinds for his customers. One day, two clerks decide they shall catch the miller stealing from them so they can have him arrested. Indeed, the miller does cheat them out of the corn they brought to have ground. In order to get their revenge, the two devise a plan that includes raping the miller's wife and daughter and beating the miller to a bloody pulp.
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The Pardoner
The pardoner is the most complex of all the pilgrims. A devoted lover of money and an intellectual, he freely admits to his bad character and dishonest profession. He sells indulgences to cleanse people of their sins, though he knows full well that men's sins cannot be wiped away with money. However, the dishonesty of his profession does not stop him from making a comfortable living.
The pardoner's tale is a highly moralistic, cautionary tale about the dangers of greed. Three party-goers go on a quest to meet death and discover a large stash of gold beneath a tree. As the tale unravels, the revelers die as a direct effect of their greed, thus allowing them to truely meet death once and for all.
The pardoner's tale is a highly moralistic, cautionary tale about the dangers of greed. Three party-goers go on a quest to meet death and discover a large stash of gold beneath a tree. As the tale unravels, the revelers die as a direct effect of their greed, thus allowing them to truely meet death once and for all.
the_pardoners_prologue-tale.docx | |
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The Summoner
The summoners in Chaucer's time were responsible for calling people to court to answer for crimes they were accused of. Because of the nature of the summoner's profession, many people accused of crimes attempted to buy or bribe their way out of having to go to court. Worst of all, many of the summoners accepted those bribes, thus corrupting the legal system of the time.
The summoner's tale describes a corrupt friar who is so good at begging for alms from the townspeople that his is one of the wealthiest men in the town. The friar lives a comfortable life until one of his parishoners decides to take revenge and farts in the friar's hand when he asks for a monetary donation for the church.
The summoner's tale describes a corrupt friar who is so good at begging for alms from the townspeople that his is one of the wealthiest men in the town. The friar lives a comfortable life until one of his parishoners decides to take revenge and farts in the friar's hand when he asks for a monetary donation for the church.
the_summoners_prologue-tale.docx | |
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The Miller
Millers were those who owned flour mills in Chaucer's time. They would grind other people's wheat or corn into flour for a small fee. As they ground the flour for their customers, millers were known for cheating people out of their goods. This particular miller is a drunkard, socially inappropriate, and loves to tell dirty stories.
The miller's tale describes a clueless carpenter who gets cuckolded by his wife and a scholar, Nicholas. Everything goes south for the carpenter when Nicholas convinces him that he is a modern-day Noah and must therefore build an ark.
The miller's tale describes a clueless carpenter who gets cuckolded by his wife and a scholar, Nicholas. Everything goes south for the carpenter when Nicholas convinces him that he is a modern-day Noah and must therefore build an ark.
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The Franklin
Franklins were wealthy farmers and landowners who earned a great deal of respect from people in all social positions. Franklins were also great connoisseurs of fine food and wine and their opinion could be trusted for any meal or dinner party.
The franklin's tale tells of a knight who marries a beautiful woman. The marriage goes happily until one day the knight's--and indeed his wife's--commitment to honesty and truthfulness are tested after his wife makes a foolish promise to another man.
The franklin's tale tells of a knight who marries a beautiful woman. The marriage goes happily until one day the knight's--and indeed his wife's--commitment to honesty and truthfulness are tested after his wife makes a foolish promise to another man.
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The Merchant
The merchant represented those rising up into the upper class as a result of new money. This particular merchant is so obsessed with his new-found wealth that it is all he talks about.
The merchant's tale describes a knight who decides to marry a beautiful, and quite young, woman after sixty years of uninterrupted bachelorhood. Unfortunately for the knight, his new wife quickly falls in love with a young squire of the court and the two of them devise a plan to cuckold the old knight.
The merchant's tale describes a knight who decides to marry a beautiful, and quite young, woman after sixty years of uninterrupted bachelorhood. Unfortunately for the knight, his new wife quickly falls in love with a young squire of the court and the two of them devise a plan to cuckold the old knight.
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The Squire
Squires were those boys who aspired to be knights. As such, they were taken into the service of attending knights: helping them into their armour, stowing their weapons, cooking for them, etc. This particular squire is described as boyish, youthful, handsome, and a passionate lover. He serves as s symbol of youth in Chaucer's time, but Chaucer also spends some time making the boy seem effeminate.
The Squire's tale tells of knight who arrives at a castle with an array of magical gifts. The town's people are largely mistrustful of the gifts, but the king and his daughter accept them eagerly. The story ultimately depicts the way in which men and women were expected to behave in Chaucer's society.
The Squire's tale tells of knight who arrives at a castle with an array of magical gifts. The town's people are largely mistrustful of the gifts, but the king and his daughter accept them eagerly. The story ultimately depicts the way in which men and women were expected to behave in Chaucer's society.
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The Lawyer
Lawyers were neither highly respected nor disrespected in Chaucer's time. Indeed, Chaucer's depiction is fairly neutral. Lawyers were expected to write well, speak well, and know 400 years of law by heart. This man certainly fits the bill although he sometimes acts like he is busier than he truely is, suggesting that lawyers could be lazy.
The Lawyer's tale tells of a muslim Sultan who falls in love with a Christian maiden. He dupes her into thinking that he will convert to christianity if she will marry him. After the wedding, the sultan kills all the christians in his land except his beautiful maiden. She is thrown into a rudderless ship and sent to sea to die. However, because of her deep faith, she is returned to her homeland to live happily ever after.
The Lawyer's tale tells of a muslim Sultan who falls in love with a Christian maiden. He dupes her into thinking that he will convert to christianity if she will marry him. After the wedding, the sultan kills all the christians in his land except his beautiful maiden. She is thrown into a rudderless ship and sent to sea to die. However, because of her deep faith, she is returned to her homeland to live happily ever after.
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The Wife of Bath
The Wife of Bath is perhaps the most charismatic and interesting of all the pilgrims. She has had five husbands so far and is currently looking for number six. She is a free woman who owns her own land and has amassed a great amount of wealth as a result of marrying wealthy men who then die and leave the inheritance to her.
Her tale tells of a knight who gets himself into trouble and falls into disfavor with the queen. The queen offers him a lifeline: if he can discover what women desire most in the world, his life will be spared. His future does not look too promising until he encounters an old witch who gives him the answer, but at great personal cost to him.
Her tale tells of a knight who gets himself into trouble and falls into disfavor with the queen. The queen offers him a lifeline: if he can discover what women desire most in the world, his life will be spared. His future does not look too promising until he encounters an old witch who gives him the answer, but at great personal cost to him.
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Extensions
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