The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales MERCHANT, FRIAR, CLERK, FIVE GUILDSMEN, COOK, SAILOR, & DOCTOR

The Merchant  Lines 280-294 The Merchant  Wears latest fashions  Hides secret of being in debt

The Friar  Lines 212-279 The Friar  Unlike monks, friars went into the world as beggars to preach, help 

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the poor, cure the sick. One duty was to hear confessions and absolve/forgive with a penance. This friar gives light penance b/c people pay him; he’s more interested in making $ than saving souls Seems like a lady’s man “neck whiter than a lily-flower” suggests he is cowardly OR loose/immoral Goes to bars, stays away from sick & poor, goes where there’s a profit. Lines 259-264 imply he sleeps w/widows Clothes are rich (ironic) Note: the poet/narrator seems to disapprove of this corruption in Church

The Clerk  Lines 295-318 An Oxford Cleric  Starving student image  Both cleric and his horse are poor and gaunt  Spends his $ on expensive books

The Five Guildsmen  Lines 371-388 The Haberdasher, Dyer,    

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Carpenter, Weaver & Carpet-Maker All belong to a guild-fraternity Guilds were organizations of trades-people who taught their trade to apprentices Powerful economic force, with controlling quality & price of goods they sold Upwardly mobile Narrator seems to make fun of their social climbing & social pretensions

The Pilgrims  Lines 389-397 The Cook  Excellent cook, but has an open sore on his knee

(humor & disgust in this)

The Pilgrims  Lines 398-420 The Skipper (Shipman/Sailor) =  

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Pirate Very tan from all the years of sailing He has seen every bay and river in England He is a bit of a rascal Known for stealing wine from the ship’s captain Wore a thick, rough cough and a dagger about his waist.

The Pilgrims  Lines 421-454 The Doctor  Dr.s during this time believed the 12 signs of the

zodiac affected different parts of the body & the body contained 4 kinds of humors which dictated a person’s temperament and physical make up.  He profits from people’s illnesses by prescribing drugs that don’t work & sharing profits w/ the apothecaries (pharmacists), thus he’s well-dressed & has plenty of $