Canterbury Tales

Brittany M. Smith
August 29, 2007
Mr. Seigmund
The Canterbury Tales
The Knight
The Knight is described as a man who is seen to be godly always winning battles never defeated and loyal to his king but comes off to be very humble. In the text they say that "His steeds were good, but he was not gaily dressed." And so that truly gave me that impression.
The Squire
The Squire was the Knights son and I got the picture that he was good looking and liked to flirt with women. The said he could dance and sing, so he seemed to be very artistic in character. Like when they said, "He could make songs and words thereto indite, Joust, and dance too, as well as sketch and write." So today we would call that person artistic.
The Yeoman
The Yeoman seemed to be his side kick. He seemed to be an outdoors man. I get this impression when they say "A forester he truly was, I guess." Even though it seems that he doubts his ability.
The Prioress
They said that she was nun and that she was mannerable in her ways. They also said that she cared a lot for things and animals. I got that idea from when they said "That she would weep if she but saw a mouse Caught in a trap, whether it were dead or bled."
The Second Nun and Three Priests
The just really said there was another nun who had three priests.
The Monk
I feel like the Monk did not fulfill his position in the ways that he should, it seemed to me that he worried about his possessions and his appearance more than anything else. Like when the said "This same monk let old things slowly pace, And followed new-world manners in their place."
The Friar
This one was a little confusing because at first they made it seem as though he was a man of means. But he was actually a beggar on the streets but it seemed that he was a smart man. "With threadbare cope like the poor scholar, But he was like a lord or like a pope.
The Merchant
There are saying that to the eye he appeared has though everything was going good in his life and business, but he was actually in debt. "There was no person that knew he was in debt, So well he managed all his trade affairs, With bargains and with borrowings and with shares.
The Clerk
The Clerk was an educated man with little means who did not care for his outward appearance. "On books and learning he would swiftly spend, And then he’d pray diligently for the souls, Of those who gave him resources to attend schools.
The Sergeant of Law
The Sergeant of Law had money and dressed nicely. He knew laws more than anyone; he seemed like a modern day lawyer. "He knew all convictions, common and crime, Recorded since King Williams time. And he could write a contract so explicit, Not any man could trace a fault in it; And every law he knew entirely by rote.
The Franklin
It seemed to me as he they were saying that he was a very plump man and that he loved to eat and drink. "His house was never short of food and pies, Of fish and flesh, and these in large supplies.
A Haberdasher and a Carpenter, An Arramaker, Dyer, and Weaver
These are friends, who acted as though they had very high means, they seem to have high maintenance wives. "For property they’d enough, and income too; Besides their wives declared it was their due, Or else for certain they had been to blame.
The Cook
It sounds like he was a good cook, but in some ways he was nasty. "That on his shin an open sore had he; For sweet blanc- mange, he made it with the best."
The Shipman
The Shipman was a sailor who was not a very honest person. "Nice conscience was a thing that he never kept."
The Physician
It seemed to me as if they thought of him not truly knowing what he was doing, well maybe like a root doctor. And it seemed like he cared more about money than his patients. "Since gold in physic is a cordial, There he loved his gold exceeding all.
The Wife of Bath
It seemed as if he messed with lot of men, even though it seems he doesn’t find her that pretty. "Wearing a large wimple, and over all a hat, As broad is a buckler or a targe; An overskirt was tucked around her buttocks large, And her feet spurred sharply under that."


The Parson
They are saying that he was a very holy humble man who would help anyone out rich or poor, and did not care that he really didn’t have any money. "Nor haughty in his speech, nor too divine, But in all teaching courteous and benign."
The Plowman
They are saying even though he was a poor man that he did what he had to do to survive and that he paid his taxes on time no matter what he had to do. "He paid his taxes, fully, when it was due, Both by his toil and possessions he’d sell too.
The Miller
It seems to me as they picture this man to be a bully, because of his size. "But mostly all of sin and obscenity, He could steal corn and three times charge his fee;"
The Manciple
It seems to me that he was a very smart man but he did come off that way. "That such vulgar man has wit to pace, The wisdom of a crowd of learned men?"
The Reeve
The Reeve seemed to me like a land owner with people working for him, he seemed to be unkind and cruel to the workers on his land. "There was no agent, herd, or servant who’d cheat; He knew too well their cunning and deceit; They were afraid of him as of the death.
The Summoner
The Summoner sounds to me as if he were a drunk, and was not an attractive man. "And drink strong blood red wine until dizzy. Then would he talk and shout as if he’s crazy.
The Pardoner
It seems to me that he was a little different from everyone and that he liked to be different. "It seemed to him he rode in the latest style, with unbound hair, except his cap, head all bare.
The Proposal of the Host
This is about the man telling about himself and how he is telling the story by what he remembers. "When one repeats a tale told by a man, He must report, as closely as he can."