he Canterbury Tales
author · Geoffrey Chaucer
type of work · Poetry (two tales are in prose: the Tale of Melibee and the Parson’s Tale)
genres · Narrative collection of poems; character portraits; parody; estates satire; romance; fabliau
language · Middle English
time and place written · Around 1386–1395, England
date of first publication · Sometime in the early fifteenth century
publisher · Originally circulated in hand-copied manuscripts
narrator · The primary narrator is an anonymous, naïve member of the
pilgrimage, who is not described. The other pilgrims narrate most of the
tales.
point of view · In the General Prologue, the narrator speaks in the first
person, describing each of the pilgrims as they appeared to him. Though
narrated by different pilgrims, each of the tales is told from an
omniscient third-person point of view, providing the reader with the
thoughts as well as actions of the characters.
tone · The Canterbury Tales incorporates an impressive range of
attitudes toward life and literature. The tales are by turns satirical,
elevated, pious, earthy, bawdy, and comical. The reader should not
accept the naïve narrator’s point of view as Chaucer’s.
tense · Past
setting (time) · The late fourteenth century, after 1381
setting (place) · The Tabard Inn; the road to Canterbury
protagonists · Each individual tale has protagonists, but Chaucer’s plan
is to make none of his storytellers superior to others; it is an equal
company. In the Knight’s Tale, the protagonists are Palamon and Arcite;
in the Miller’s Tale, Nicholas and Alisoun; in the Wife of Bath’s Tale, the
errant knight and the loathsome hag; in the Nun’s Priest’s Tale, the
rooster Chanticleer.
major conflict · The struggles between characters, manifested in the
links between tales, mostly involve clashes between social classes,
differing tastes, and competing professions. There are also clashes
between the sexes, and there is resistance to the Host’s somewhat
tyrannical leadership.
rising action · As he sets off on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, the narrator
encounters a group of other pilgrims and joins them. That night, the
Host of the tavern where the pilgrims are staying presents them with a
storytelling challenge and appoints himself judge of the competition and
leader of the company.
climax · Not applicable (collection of tales)
falling action · After twenty-three tales have been told, the Parson
delivers a long sermon. Chaucer then makes a retraction, asking to be
forgiven for his sins, including having written The Canterbury Tales.
themes · The pervasiveness of courtly love, the importance of company,
the corruption of the church
motifs · Romance, fabliaux
symbols · Springtime, clothing, physiognomy
foreshadowing · Not applicable (collection of tales)
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