Canterbury Pilgrims

Geoffrey Chaucer writes about the pilgrims in his poem “Canterbury Tales” in a unique way. He satires most of them in a way that can be easily mistaken for praise if not examined closely. If you don’t believe me, here are some great examples:

The plowman is the parson’s brother. From what I have read, he is an honest, good, and true soul. The plowman helps others who are in need. He is a Christian man who loves God and Jesus to the fullest. Like the knight, the plowman is the only other guy that is praised with true honesty.

The reeve is a manager of a landowner’s estate. The first section on him is short to four lines. He is easily irritated. The man is also a first-rate carpenter. From what I read in further studies, the reeve steals from his master.

The miller is a loudmouth and a gadfly. He is broad, knotty, and short-shouldered. The miller is also so strong that he can rip a door from right off of his hinges. He has a wart in his nose and wild bread.

The manciple comes from the Inner Temple. He is illiterate but he is ironically wise. Further proof of this is the manciple is smarter than his thirty past masters.

The summoner has leprosy and a face that in completely scarred. He is also a drunkard and a lecher. Like the monk, friar, and pardoner, the summoner is heavily looked down upon. He is on a side note, an irritable person.