"The Canterbury Tales": Characters and Their

Descriptions
HOLLE ABEE • JUL 15, 2022

The Canterbury Tales: Introductions in the Prologue

Having taught British Literature for many years, I’ve learned a thing or two about The Canterbury Tales and the
characters. Most of what we know about The Canterbury Tales characters is provided in the Prologue, where the
narrator describes most of the members of the group. A few bits and pieces about The Canterbury Tales characters
can also be gleaned from the tales themselves. These tidbits can be garnered by direct and indirect
characterization: what the characters say, how they act, and how others act toward them.

The Canterbury Tales Prologue is an extremely important piece of literature. It provides readers with a realistic view
of the fourteenth century, with a cross-section of medieval society. Many literature experts, in fact, agree that the
Prologue is the most important part of The Canterbury Tales. Here, readers are introduced to most of the Canterbury
Tales characters and are provided with a framework for the individual tales.

Unfortunately for modern readers, a simple reading of the Prologue might prove difficult. Some of Chaucer’s
descriptions and innuendos are lost on modern readers, even when the translation is in modern English. Because of
this, I researched some of the terms used by Chaucer, and I used them to help my students better understand The
Canterbury Tales characters. Perhaps some students in the cyberworld will find this information helpful!

The Host

The Host runs the Tabard Inn, where the group of pilgrims meet prior to their journey. The storytelling contest is the
Host’s idea. A large man, the Host is loud, boisterous, and jovial. Many believe that Chaucer modelled this character
after himself.

Wife of Bath

The Wife of Bath is the most believable and the most vibrant of all the Canterbury Tales characters. From the city of
Bath, the Wife of Bath is wealthy and well-versed in the ways of love. She’s been married five times and is perhaps
going on the pilgrimage searching for husband number six. The Wife of Bath is an excellent seamstress and wears
stylish clothes. She enjoys offering advice about love and relationships, and it appears that she thinks women
should have the upper hand in marriage.
The Wife of Bath is handsome, with a ruddy complexion and broad hips. She’s hard of hearing, perhaps due to a
blow by one of her husbands. She’s described as having gap teeth, which was a sign of sexual passion and libido in
Chaucer’s time.

Knight

The Knight has participated in numerous holy crusades and is brave, honorable, wise, chivalrous, and generous. His
appearance is shabby, but his horses are top-notch, revealing where he places his priorities. All admire the Knight.
Even though he’s always been a warrior and has killed many enemies, the Knight serves as a peace-maker on the
pilgrimage.

Squire

The Knight’s son, the Squire, is about twenty years old. The Squire has curly hair and wears an embroidered tunic of
red and white. He’s an excellent horseman and has seen action with the cavalry. The Squire is of average size but is
strong and agile. He can sing, dance, play the flute, write, draw, and recite poetry. He’s also hot-blooded and
passionate when it comes to love.

Prioress

The Prioress, Madame Eglantyne, is a high-ranking nun in the Catholic Church. She tries to impress others by
speaking French, but her French is very bad. She sings Church services through her nose and has good manners.
She’s quiet and timid. She kept small dogs as pets, which was against the rules of the Church. The thinking behind
this was that the food that went to support pets should instead feed hungry people. She also wore jewelry, which
was against Church rules, as well. The Prioress has grey eyes, a small mouth, and a broad forehead, which signified
beauty in Chaucer’s time. The Prioress is accompanied by a nun and three priests.

Parson

Of the Canterbury Tales characters associated with the Church, the Parson is by far the most honest and appealing.
He’s poor but holy. He has a large parish and does his best to take good care of his parishioners, visiting them
regularly on foot. He knows the Bible well and preaches it dutifully. Whenever he acquires coins or goods, he gives
them to the poor.

Plowman

The Plowman is the Parson’s brother. He’s a lowly farm worker, and like the Parson, the Plowman is poor but holy. He
often works for others without charging them. He wore a heavy smock and rode a mare in the procession to
Canterbury.

Yeoman

The Yeoman is servant to the Knight and Squire. In appearance, the Yeoman is much like Robin Hood. He’s dressed
in green and carries a bow and arrows, along with a shield, a sword, and a dagger. He wears a brace to protect his
forearm while shooting his bow. He also wears a St. Christopher medal and a hunting horn. The Yeoman is wise in
the ways of the forest.

Pardoner

Of all the Canterbury Tales characters, the Pardoner is one of the most odious. He’s conniving, selfish, and dishonest.
His position with the Church is to sell pardons to sinners. The money received from the pardons is supposed to go
to the Church to do good, like helping the poor. Chaucer’s Pardoner, however, keeps the money for himself. He
carries around a jar of pigs’ bones and claims that they’re the bones of saints. He has long blond hair and
effeminate mannerisms. The narrator hints that perhaps the Pardoner is gay or bisexual.

Friar

The Friar was a jolly man named Hubert. He cared little for the poor, but he was always willing to grant forgiveness
to the wealthy for a bribe. He was eloquent in speech, and he spoke with a lisp, believing that it made his voice
sweeter. He enjoyed young women and often gave them small gifts. He also arranged quick marriages for girls who
found themselves “in trouble.” He was probably responsible for “the trouble” in many cases. The Friar sang and
played the hurdy-gurdy and the harp.

Oxford Cleric

The Oxford Cleric is a student at Oxford. He’s thin and rides a very thin horse. The man is very poor, and whenever he
gets a coin or two, he spends them on books. He’s quiet, respectful, and appreciative. He prays for those who help
him in his learning endeavors. He follows a philosophy of moral virtue. “Gladly would he learn, and gladly teach.” All
he seems to care about is his education.

Monk

The Monk is a bad representative of the Church. Monks were supposed to be poor and lacking in worldly goods, but
Chaucer’s Monk is dressed in rich clothes and maintains a stable of horses and a kennel of hunting dogs. He
spends much of his time hunting instead of saving souls. His hood is fastened with an expensive gold clasp. The
Monk is fat and has a shiny face and a shiny bald head, along with bulging, darting eyes. The Monk rode a brown
horse.

Miller

The Miller is a huge man, weighing 224 pounds, with red hair, a spade-like beard, and a wart on his nose. He’s loud
and bawdy, with a foul mouth. He’s also a cheat. When people come to buy grain from him, he often places his
thumb on the scale in order to make customers pay more. The Miller wears a white coat with a blue hood, and he
plays the bagpipes.

Sergeant at the Law

This character is a lawyer who was appointed by the king. He often serves as a judge, and he specializes in land
deeds. He’s always talking about laws, cases, and judgments and is sort of a know-it-all. He wants everyone to
believe that he stays very busy in his profession, but in truth, he doesn’t. the Lawyer wears a coat of different colors
and a pin-striped silk belt.

Franklin

The Franklin is a wealthy landowner who’s fond of fine food and drink. In fact, Chaucer describes him as an
Epicurean. He was an excellent host, providing his house guests with all the best foods, ales, and wines. In
appearance, he looks much like Santa Claus, with a red face and white beard. The Franklin has served as judge at
cases heard by the Justices of the Peace, and he often represented his county in Parliament.

Manciple

The Manciple’s job was to supply the courts with food and drink. He was excellent at his job, always finding the best
deals. Although he was illiterate, he was intelligent and had a vast amount of common sense. In fact, he often
outsmarted the learned men for whom he worked. The Manciple was frugal and debt free because he was such a
good money manager.

Summoner

Of all the Canterbury Tales characters, the Summoner is perhaps the most repulsive. His face is covered with boils,
and he has a scraggly beard and scabby eyebrows. His appearance was so bad that it frightened children. To make
matters worse, he also smelled bad, largely due to his love of onions, leeks, and garlic. He was also fond of wine and
often got drunk and acted irrationally. His job was to summon people to court.

Skipper

The Skipper is tanned dark from his years at sea in the sun. He owns a ship named Maudelayne, and he’s an
excellent sailor, but it’s obvious that he’s uncomfortable on a horse. He has little conscience. He steals wine from
the traders and forces his captured enemies to walk the plank. The Skipper hails from Dartmouth, which was a
haven for pirates in Chaucer’s day, so the Skipper is probably a pirate.

Reeve

In Chaucer’s time, a reeve was sort of like a sheriff – the steward of a shire. In fact, our word “sheriff” originated
from “shire reeve.” Chaucer’s Reeve was old, cantankerous, and thin. He was excellent at his job, keeping close
account of his master’s livestock and grain. Our Reeve, however, grew wealthy by stealing from his boss, so he was
able to afford a nice house with a grassy lawn. The Reeve was also a carpenter. He was last in the procession and
rode a grey stallion named Scot.

Merchant
The Merchant had a forked beard and dressed in motley. He also wore a beaver hat and expensive boots. The
Merchant is always bragging about his business success, but he’s actually deep in debt. He tries to give the
impression that he’s wealthy and successful, and he does a good job of fooling people into believing it.

Doctor

Chaucer’s Doctor talks at length about illnesses, treatments, and cures. He’s in cahoots with the druggists in
cheating his patients. He loved gold and was a tightwad. He was more interested in what a patient could pay him
than he was in actually caring for those under his care. The Doctor wore red and grey garments.

Cook

This character is an excellent cook, famous for his blancmange. Chaucer uses this to sort of “gross out” readers.
Blancmange is a dish with a white sauce, and the cook has an ulcer on his knee that is oozing a white liquid.

Tradesmen

Five members of a guild fraternity are also on the pilgrimage to Canterbury: a dyer, a haberdasher, a weaver, a
carpenter, and a carpet maker. They all wear expensive tools of their trades, but the tools look as though they’ve
never been used. These men are wealthy, and their wives are “wannabees” who attend Church just to be seen in their
fine clothes.

The Canterbury Tales Prologue in Middle English:

Wife of Bath's Tale:

The Miller's Tale:

Questions & Answers

Question: Do you think Chaucer's The Prologue still appeals to the modern readers?

Answer: Yes, I do. Human nature hasn't changed, so I think modern readers can relate.

Comments

ok on October 24, 2019:

thanks its helpful

KK on July 15, 2019:

Nandri

Helena on June 09, 2019:

Thanks for this. It's very helpful.

Ritu on November 25, 2018:

Thanks to provide these character list this is easy to learn

Andrianna Wolf on September 13, 2018:

Thank you for this, I had no idea how to study all the characters for the Canterbury tales, so this is extremely helpful!

Brittany Kussman from St. Louis, MO on February 14, 2014:

Awesome hub! I didn't become a fan of Chaucer until my last year in college and never thought I would find so much
humor in Middle English. I too love The Miller's Tale, it's one of my favorites.

Holle Abee (author) from Georgia on August 02, 2013:

Margaret, that's really neat! What wonderful memories.

Partha on August 02, 2013:

Hi,The photo of the Cathedral looks to me like it was taken late 1950s. Judging by the clothes on plopee and the
bus. I was born in Christchurch and have fond memories of visiting the Cathedral, putting a present under the very
large Christmas tree in the Cathedral. My father was a choir boy there, around 1920.Margaret.

fia on February 15, 2013:

its vry helping,bt i am the beginner n havng some difficulty plz guide me a bit more. thnx

fnjfrjmn on December 11, 2012:

very helpful for work

Andrew Spacey from Sheffield, UK on October 31, 2012:

Thank you for this. Always great to see articles on Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, the start of English
literature proper. Fascinating characters masterfully sketched by Chaucer and brought back to life in this hub. A very
useful text for those wanting to know just a little bit more - votes!
smga22 from Dhaka, Bangladesh on July 06, 2012:

Very useful information.

dawn88 on May 25, 2012:

Which best describes the order Chaucer uses to present his characters in his Tales?

-from highest on the moral and social scale to lowest on the moral and social scale

-from lowest on the moral and social scale to highest on the moral and social scale

-from oldest and most worldly to youngest and least worldly

-from chivalric to religious to secular

Holle Abee (author) from Georgia on May 02, 2012:

Thanks, sayus!

sayus2884 from Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines on April 10, 2012:

nice hub and it's interesting ,too. i didn't know there were these many characters.

Holle Abee (author) from Georgia on April 02, 2012:

louromano, thanks for commenting!

Lady, nice to see another Canterbury Tales fan here. The tales open such a window into the lives of people living in
the middle ages, which I find fascinating. I appreciate your feedback!

Holle Abee (author) from Georgia on April 02, 2012:

mljd, I guess you can take the teacher out of teaching (by retirement), but you can never take the teaching out of the
teacher! lol

Holle Abee (author) from Georgia on April 02, 2012:

Stella, I love "The Miller's Tale," too! Chaucer was a hoot!

Flickr, thanks for reading!

ladysonoma on April 02, 2012:

It's very true. I, too, am a huge fan of the Canterbury Tales, but reading Middle English is much like learning a new
language. With practice, as I tell people, it does get easier. My snooty mother, who taught at Oxford, exposed me to
this kind of literature early on. I can definitely tell you what a shock it was to me to see that my friends could not
even get through Don Quixote, as a teenager. I could not believe that I was the only one struck with many fits of
giggles! Still, my friends were quite bright, I think. It's just a matter of exposure, of presenting minds with challenging
and intelligent material, I think.

louromano on March 16, 2012:

Thanks for sharing info.

mljdgulley354 on February 04, 2012:

Love the character reviews. Good job you are definitely a teacher.

Flickr on February 04, 2012:

love it thanks for sharing.

StellaSee from California on January 08, 2012:

As an English major, Canterbury Tales : The Miller's Tale had to be one of my favorite works I read in my survey of
British Lit class. I didn't think Middle English lit could be so funny! Thanks for sharing~ :D

Holle Abee (author) from Georgia on December 07, 2011:

firdousi0, you're right - you really should read the Canterbury Tales!

Fassee Ullah from Pakistan on December 06, 2011:

I have not read Canterbury Tales. But now I have to.

Holle Abee (author) from Georgia on November 15, 2011:

Deb, I really enjoyed teaching, and the Canterbury Tales was one of my favorite units. Thanks!

Saba, I appreciate that!

saba on November 15, 2011:

excellent

Elder DeBorrah K Ogans on November 03, 2011:

Habee, Excellent Literature Review of the Cantebury Tales characters! You are not only a great chef but a marvelous
teacher! Thank you for sharing, Peace & Blessings!

Holle Abee (author) from Georgia on October 25, 2011:

Hi, Suzette. Nice to see another teacher here!

Gerg, thanks for reading!

Gregory S Williams from California on October 25, 2011:

Excellent primer on this subject, habee!

Best, G

Suzette Walker from Taos, NM on October 23, 2011:

Excellent hub! I am also a teacher and have taught this only a few times, but what a great introduction for students
or anyone to read. The Tales are a fun part of literature to teach,as you can have so much fun with it. Voted up!

Holle Abee (author) from Georgia on October 08, 2011:

Clover, thanks for being the first commenter!

Louise Fiolek from Calgary, AB, Canada on October 07, 2011:

Hi Habee, ah this takes me back to my school days learning English Literature. Great hub!