canterbury tales prologue essay

The Canterbury Tales

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The Canterbury Tales

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue–“Chaucer’s Tales”

“The Monk’s Tale”–“The Pardoner’s Tale”

“The Wife of Bath’s Tale”–“Chaucer’s Retractions”

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Prologue–“Chaucer’s Tales” Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue summary.

The Canterbury Tales begins by evoking the spring:

When in April the sweet showers fall/And pierce the drought of March to the root, and all/The veins are bathed in liquor of such power/As brings about the engendering of the flower... (3).

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In the fertile spring , when flowers begin to show and birds sing, the people of England start thinking of going on religious pilgrimages—especially to Canterbury Cathedral, the site of St. Thomas Becket’s healing shrine.

Our narrator says he once set out on just this journey, starting from an inn in London called the Tabard. There, he met 29 other pilgrims, and they all got along so well, they decided to travel together. He introduces these characters one by one in the subsequent tales.

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Home / Poetry / Geoffrey Chaucer Prologue to the Canterbury Tales Summary in English

Geoffrey Chaucer Prologue to the Canterbury Tales Summary in English

Geoffrey Chaucer Prologue to the Canterbury Tales Summary in English

Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” provides a summary of a diverse group of pilgrims travelling to Canterbury Cathedral. The story is narrated by the Host. It offers detailed descriptions of each pilgrim, their social status, personality, and occupation. The prologue being a microcosm of mediaeval English society, satirises its flaws and virtues. Notable characters in the book include the Knight, the Wife of Bath, the Pardoner, and the Miller. Chaucer’s portrayal of these pilgrims reflects his keen observational skills. The prologue shows Chaucer’s social commentary, wit, and narrative skills.

Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” opens with a general introduction. The poem describes a rich and detailed portrait of a diverse group of pilgrims gathered at the Tabard Inn in Southwark. The narrator suggests they pass the time on their journey to Canterbury by telling tales. The pilgrims agree to the suggestion and the Host proposes a storytelling contest, with the best tale earning a free meal upon their return.

The prologue introduces each pilgrim with meticulous descriptions. The narrator provides insight into their appearance, behaviour, and social standing. Chaucer’s characters represent a cross-section of mediaeval English society. He describes various professions and social classes. The Knight is chivalrous, the Wife of Bath is worldly, the Pardoner is corrupt, the Miller is cunning, and many more. Through these characters, Chaucer offers a satirical commentary on the strengths and weaknesses of the society he lived in.

The Knight is a paragon of nobility. He contrasts with the morally questionable characters like the Pardoner and the Summoner. The Wife of Bath is a lively and opinionated woman. She challenges traditional gender roles. Likewise, the Prioress strives for elegance and gentility. In this way, each pilgrim becomes a distinct personality. These characters show the mediaeval life that Chaucer weaves.

The General Prologue is also a portrayal of larger society beyond the individual portraits. The poet highlights tensions and dynamics among different classes. Chaucer criticises the corruption within the Church, the hypocrisy of some religious figures, and the complexities of human nature. The pilgrims’ diverse backgrounds create a vibrant social mosaic. All in all these characters emphasise the universality of human experiences.

The General Prologue not only sets the stage for the ensuing tales but also establishes Chaucer’s narrative style. The poem is characterised by realism, humour, and keen observation. The framework of the pilgrimage provides a unique context for storytelling. It allows Chaucer to explore various themes and genres through the diverse voices of his characters.

In summary, the General Prologue to “The Canterbury Tales” is a detailed introduction to Chaucer’s narrative masterpiece. Chaucer creates a compelling snapshot of mediaeval English society through vivid character sketches and social commentary. The book lays the foundation for the captivating tales that the poet narrates in the other book “The Canterbury Tales”.

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Harvard's geoffrey chaucer website, text and translations.

  • The General Prologue
  • The Knight's Tale
  • The Miller's Tale
  • The Reeve's Tale
  • The Cook's Tale
  • The Man of Law's Tale
  • The Wife of Bath's Tale
  • The Friar's Tale
  • The Summoner's Tale
  • The Clerk's Tale
  • The Merchant's Tale
  • The Squire's Tale
  • The Franklin's Tale
  • The Physician's Tale
  • The Pardoner's Tale
  • The Shipman's Tale
  • The Shipman-Prioress Link
  • The Prioress' Tale
  • The Tale of Sir Thopas
  • The Tale of Melibee  (You can also view a Modern English translation )
  • The Monk's Tale
  • The Tale of the Nun's Priest
  • The Second Nun's Tale
  • The Tale of the Canon's Yeoman
  • The Manciple's Tale
  • The Parson's Tale
  • Chaucer's Retraction
  • Synopses and Prolegomena
  • 1.1 General Prologue
  • 1.2 The Knight's Tale
  • 1.3 The Miller's Prologue and Tale
  • 1.4 The Reeve's Prologue and Tale
  • 1.5 The Cook's Prologue and Tale
  • 2.1 The Man of Law's Introduction, Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue
  • 3.1 The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
  • 3.2 The Friar's Prologue and Tale
  • 3.3 The Summoner's Prologue and Tale
  • 4.1 The Clerk's Prologue, Tale, and Envoy
  • 4.2 The Merchant's Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue
  • 5.1 The Squire's Introduction and Tale
  • 5.2 The Franklin's Prologue and Tale
  • 6.1 The Physician's Tale
  • 6.2 The Pardoner's Prologue, Introduction, and Tale
  • 7.1 The Shipman's Tale
  • 7.2 The Shipman-Prioress Link
  • 7.3 The Prioress' Prologue and Tale
  • 7.4 The Prologue and Tale of Sir Thopas, and the Host's Interruption
  • 7.5 The Tale of Melibee
  • 7.6 The Monk's Prologue and Tale
  • 7.7 The Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue of the Nun's Priest
  • 8.1 The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale
  • 8.2 The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale
  • 9.1 The Manciple's Prologue and Tale
  • 10.1 The Parson's Prologue and Tale
  • 10.2 Chaucer's Retraction

The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer

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The Canterbury Tales Essays

The portrayal of the class structure in the pilgrims’ portraits of the ellesmere manuscript nivedita nimmagadda college, the canterbury tales.

The poems in the Ellesmere manuscript facsimile of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales are accompanied by a portrait of the storyteller. Based on the miniatures’ attire, accessories, and horse trappings, the pilgrims can be classified into...

The Misogyny and Complexities within a Merchant's Tale Anonymous College

Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is an anthology of tales told by characters within the greater work. While taking a pilgrimage, the characters within the anthology begin to competitively tell stories as a way to pass the time. Many of...

Amorous Language in Ichot aburde in a bour ase beryl so bryht and The Miller’s Tale Eve Mandel College

In Ichot aburde in a bour ase beryl so bryht and The Miller’s Tale, both authors use figurative language to convey their belief that women serve to please and nurture men. As demonstrated by the jewels, birds, sweets, and medicine they’re...

Gendered power structures: Representation of female authorial figures in Chaucer’s works Isabel Sebode 12th Grade

Composed in a time of severe patriarchy and a society based on a strict social hierarchy, it is anticipated that medieval literature mirrors society’s judgement of a woman’s worth, in that representation of female authority is inextricably linked...

"Love" in the Courtly Tradition Anonymous

In the "Franklin's Tale," Geoffrey Chaucer satirically paints a picture of a marriage steeped in the tradition of courtly love. As Dorigen and Arveragus' relationship reveals, a couple's preoccupation with fulfilling the ritualistic practices...

On Cuckoldry: Women, Silence, and Subjectivity in the Merchant's Tale and the Manciple's Tale Eddie Borey

The Wife of Bath's extraordinary prologue gives the reader a dose of what is sometimes missing in early male-written literature: glimpses of female subjectivity. Women in medieval literature are often silent and passive, to the extent that...

Vision, Truth, and Genre in the Merchant's Tale Eddie Borey

In the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which gives them greater powers of perception but also causes their expulsion from Paradise. The story creates a link between clear vision and the ability to...

In Private: the Promise in The Franklin's Tale Eddie Borey

In the Franklin's Tale, Dorigen's hasty (and unserious) promise precipitates a crisis when Aurelius completes a task that Dorigen felt certain was impossible. Aurelius faces a similar problem when, consumed by his inordinate passion, he...

Feminism or Anti-Feminism: Images of Women in Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath" Annie White

Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale" is a medieval legend that paints a portrait of strong women finding love and themselves in the direst of situations. It is presented to the modern day reader as an early tale of feminism showcasing...

The Characters Define the Setting for the Tales Shira Muething

The characters introduced in the General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales each represent a stereotype of a kind of person that Chaucer would have been familiar with in 14th Century England. Each character is unique, yet embodies many physical and...

Playing With Plastic: An Exploration of Biblical Deconstruction in the Wife of Bath Lesley Pallathumadom

The Bible is an infinitely plastic text. The Wife of Bath illustrates this plasticity by, in effect, reworking Scripture and molding it to fit her specific argument. In an exploration of both the Prologue to the Wife of Baths Tale and the Tale...

The Pardoner's Sin in The Canterbury Tales Theoderek Wayne

Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Pardoner's Tale," a relatively straightforward satirical and anti-capitalist view of the church, contrasts motifs of sin with the salvational properties of religion to draw out the complex self-loathing of the emasculated...

Chaucer's Prioress: Image Versus Idea Roger Glandorf

Chaucer's excessively overt satire of the Prioress in the General Prologue is undeniable. With so much emphasis drawn to her misplaced ideals, the words scream of something terribly amiss. A cursory examination reveals a woman severely out of...

Knight's Tale: Idealism of the Aristocrats Roger Glandorf

Despite its glorified accounts of the chivalrous lives of gentlemen, the Knights Tale proves to be more than a tragically romantic saga with a happy ending. For beneath this guise lies an exploration into the trifling world of the days...

The Pardoner as Con Artist Thomas Stevenson

The Pardoner of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is representative of the darker side of the corrupt church of the Middle Ages. A pardoner was a church official who had the authority to forgive those who had sinned by selling pardons and indulgences to...

The Presentation of Masculinity in 'The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale' David Taylor

The Wife of Bath, with the energy of her vernacular and the voraciousness of her sexual appetite, is one of the most vividly developed characters of 'The Canterbury Tales'. At 856 lines her prologue, or 'preambulacioun' as the Summoner calls it,...

A Taming By a Shrew?: Levels of Satire in Chaucer's Wife of Bath Alex Hoffer

The Wife of Bath, a pilgrim in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, holds strong views on many topics, such as sex, marriage, men, and the Bible. She speaks her mind clearly and at length, but she is also a manipulative, subtle, and untrustworthy...

Equality and Power: Marriage in The Franklin's Tale and The Wife of Bath's Tale Natasha Rosow

In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the Franklin's Tale and the Wife of Bath's Tale represent marriage in different ways. The most striking contrast is the role of power in relationships in the two stories, and for the two tellers. The Franklin...

The Illusion of Sovereignty in the Wife of Bath's Tale Phil Maloney

Long before enlightened women of the 1960's enthusiastically shed their bras, in an age when anti-feminist and misogynistic attitudes prevailed, lived Geoffrey Chaucer. Whether Chaucer was indeed a feminist living long before his time, or whether...

The Role of Islam in The Man of Law's Tale Bryan Young

The Man of Law's Tale is in many ways marks a new beginning in the middle of the Canterbury Tales, a break from the bawdy and secular tales that precede it. While Chaucer could have made it a more straightforward recentering of the tales on a...

The Commodification of Custance: A Feminist Reading of Chaucer's Man of Law's Tale Anonymous

In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, each tale's genre is an integral component of its respective meaning. The task of interpreting the meaning of a tale from its genre, however, is complicated by Chaucer's frequent deviation from a genre's...

Chaucer's Subtle Critique of the Scholar in The Canterbury Tales A. Neuman

Early in Chaucer's General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, the narrator makes clear how his fellow pilgrims are to be introduced: "Me thinketh it accordant to reosoun / To telle you al the condicioun / Of eech of hem, so as it seemed me, / And...

Chaucer's Pardoner: A Critique of Capitalism A. Neuman

In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales there is one pilgrim whose overriding character trait seems to be hypocrisy itself: the Pardoner, basking in sin and, at the same time, preaching violently to the masses against precisely his immoral behavior. Indeed,...

Nice Guys Finish Last - Examining the Obedience of Husbands in The Canterbury Tales Virginia Byrne

âTo love, honor and obeyâ? is a common part of the modern marriage vow. It is taken for granted that both partners will strive toward an equal union, in which neither is completely dominant or completely submissive to the other. While this may...

canterbury tales prologue essay

  • The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer

  • Literature Notes
  • The Squire's Prologue and Tale
  • About The Canterbury Tales
  • Character List
  • Summary and Analysis
  • The Prologue
  • The Knight's Tale
  • The Miller's Prologue and Tale
  • The Reeve's Prologue and Tale
  • The Cook's Prologue and Tale
  • The Man of Law's Prologue and Tale
  • The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
  • The Friar's Prologue and Tale
  • The Summoner's Prologue and Tale
  • The Clerk's Prologue and Tale
  • The Merchant's Prologue and Tale
  • The Franklin's Prologue and Tale
  • The Physician's Tale
  • The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale
  • The Shipman's Tale
  • The Prioress' Prologue And Tale
  • Chaucer's Tale of Sir Topas
  • The Tale of Melibee
  • The Monk's Tale
  • The Nun's Priest's Tale
  • The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale
  • The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale
  • The Manciple's Prologue and Tale
  • The Parson's Prologue and Tale
  • Chaucer's Retraction
  • Character Analysis
  • Harry Bailey, the Host
  • The Wife of Bath
  • The Pardoner
  • Character Map
  • Geoffrey Chaucer Biography
  • Critical Essays
  • The Sovereignty of Marriage versus the Wife's Obedience
  • The Old Man and the Young Wife
  • The Trickster Tricked
  • Full Glossary for The Canterbury Tales
  • Essay Questions
  • Practice Projects
  • Cite this Literature Note

Summary and Analysis The Squire's Prologue and Tale

At the completion of  The Merchant's Tale,  someone — the host, we assume — suggests that, because the squire knows about love, he give another tale about love. The Squire agrees but asks to be excused if he says anything amiss.

A noble king, Cambuskan, has two sons and a beautiful daughter named Canace (or Canacee). On the twentieth anniversary of Cambuskan's reign, the king orders a splendid and lavish celebration. In the midst of the feast, an unknown knight appears and announces that he has come to the celebration bearing gifts from his own sovereign lord, the king of Araby. One of these gifts, which the king gives to his daughter, is a magical ring that enables the wearer to speak the language of any living thing, be it bird, animal, or bush.

The next morning, Canace hears the pathetic cry of a lady falcon, and through the power of the magical ring she is wearing, she discovers that the falcon's grief is the result of having been wooed and won and then abandoned by a handsome young falcon (tercelet). The jilted lady falcon, in her remorse, has wandered over the earth. She is so weak, in fact, that she faints in the tree, and Canace catches her and nurses her back to health.

The Squire plans to tell other stories involving the victories of his family and the magic gifts, but the Franklin interrupts.

We will never know why Chaucer left The Squire's Tale unfinished. It can be noted that the description of Cambuskan echoes Chaucer's description of the Squire in The Prologue and that the Squire's flowery recitation, despite its moments of beauty, is very often rather silly and too elaborate.

Everything about The Squire's Tale, before the Franklin interrupts, resembles countless similar stories found in Oriental literature. The tale aptly fits the character of the Squire, who has been to strange lands and perhaps heard of many strange magical events.

Tartary, Surray the name of the kingdom in southeastern Russia near the Chinese border, today it is known as Tartary.

Cambuskan F.N. Robinson points out that the name was chosen so as to resemble Genghis ("Cambyus" or Chingis) Khan ("skan").

Aristotle, Alhazen (Alocen), Witelo (Vitulon) learned men — a philosopher, an astronomer, and a mathematician, respectively — who wrote of the powers of mirrors.

Telephus the Mysian king who was wounded by Achilles but also used the magic of Achilles' sword to heal himself.

Aldiran a star in the constellation Leo.

Jason, Paris, Lamech Jason deserted Medea to marry a princess; Paris stole Helen from Menelaus, causing the Trojan war; and Lamech married two women at the same time.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — The Canterbury Tales — An Analysis Of Humor In The Canterbury Tales

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An Analysis of Humor in The Canterbury Tales

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Published: Feb 8, 2022

Words: 1186 | Pages: 3 | 6 min read

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  • Chaucer, Geoffrey. Interlinear Translations of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, sites.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/teachslf/tr-index.htm.

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Related Essays on The Canterbury Tales

The Wife of Bath is often considered an early feminist, but by reading her prologue and tale one can easily see that this is not true. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, the Wife of Bath believes that a wife ought [...]

The Pardoner's Tale, a part of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, is a compelling narrative that delves into the complexities of human nature, morality, and greed. Through the character of the Pardoner, Chaucer explores [...]

The Pardoner's Tale, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, is a moral tale that explores the concept of morality and its implications on human behavior. The story is part of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, a collection of [...]

During the time Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales, men viewed women as the lesser of the two sexes. In writing about the wife of Bath, Chaucer draws upon much of the antifeminist sentiment of the time to satirize the idea that [...]

The Miller and Reeve's Tales of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, while being intricately crafted examples of the French genre fabliaux, differ significantly in both progression, resolution, as well as the tales' overall connotation [...]

The Man of Law's Tale is in many ways marks a new beginning in the middle of the Canterbury Tales, a break from the bawdy and secular tales that precede it. While Chaucer could have made it a more straightforward recentering of [...]

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canterbury tales prologue essay

The Canterbury Tales: Essay Topics & Samples

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In this article, you will find catchy and effective essay topics, essential tips, and useful examples. Are you ready to compose an outstanding paper on Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales ? Take a look at our advice then.

Essay Topics

Essay sample.

  • The Canterbury Tales – a glance to Medieval England. Explain how Geoffrey Chaucer presents the social system of Medieval England through the characters’ description. What classes does he introduce in the book? Elaborate on the drawbacks of society by providing examples from the text.
  • The women’s role in The Canterbury Tales . How does the author portray the women in the book? Investigate the personality of the Wife of Bath . How does she look like, and what does she symbolize? Also, analyze her tale. What is the fundamental idea of the story? How does the Wife of Bath raise the issue of women’s desires?
  • The church corruption. Analyze the religious representatives in the book. How do the Monk, the Pardoner, the Summoner, and the Friar’s look like? What clothes and accessories do they have? Elaborate on their lifestyles. How do these characters reflect on the ecclesiastical brunch problems?
  • From light humor to harsh satire. How does Geoffery Chaucer mock the flaws of the social classes through humor and satire ? How do you think is such blatant ridicule of certain characters reasonable? Support your claims with examples and quotes from the book.
  • The significance of the Knight. Analyze the character of the Knight . How does he behave? What does his clothing tell about him? Compare the Knight to the other characters. To make the contrast more visible, draw a parallel line between the Knight and the Miller . Support your statements with the quotes from the text.
  • The Pardoner’s Tale and its relevance in the modern world. Briefly introduce the main characters of the story and their intentions. Why does a greedy nature drive them to commit cruel things? Compare the medieval times with the contemporary world. Is the Pardoner’s Tale still relatable? To make your essay even more dynamic, provide quotes from the text and real-life examples.
  • Finding common ground. Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales impress with the vast diversity of archetypes presented in the book. Explain how all the pilgrims manage to find common ground despite all their differences. What is the Narrator’s and the Host’s role in establishing a connection between the travelers?
  • Deceit as the core motif of the book. In The Canterbury Tales , the theme of lie and dishonesty appears in the prologue and numerous pilgrim’s tales. Why do the characters lie about their statuses? Explain how the travelers’ dishonesty characterizes the medieval society.
  • The Miller’s Tale crudity. Analyze the Miller’s story full of rude and dirty jokes. What is the core idea of the tale? How does The Miller’s Tale reflect his personality? Provide appropriate quotes from the text to highlight Miller’s arrogance.
  • The uniqueness of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Explore the distinctive features of the book. Comment on its unusual structure. What literary devices does Chaucer use to connect all the stories into one piece of writing? Explore the significance of the prologue in The Tales .

Even when you have a good idea, composing a good The Canterbury Tales essay can become a struggle. There are too many characters and stories in the book, so getting confused becomes extremely easy. Besides, the paper’s format and reasoning can be tricky to figure out.

Below, you’ll discover the essay samples about Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales that can help you write your own:

  • “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer The Canterbury Tales is one of the most well-known collections of tales. The narrator tells a story of pilgrims who are on their way to Canterbury. In the present essay, the creation of characters is explained. The author identifies the instances of irony and humor and discusses exciting words.
  • “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer The Wide of Bath’s Tale is one of the best know stories from The Canterbury Tales . Besides an engaging plot, it provides insight into the role of women in that time through the tale. The essay discusses the main characters, the usage of irony, and the setting of the story.
  • “The Wife of Bath” and Chaucer’s Antifeminism Essay From The Canterbury Tales , it might seem that Chaucer is a feminist. His stories often portrayed men as immoral creatures. The present essay aims to answer whether Chaucer strived to highlight the topic of feminism in his works.
  • Human Issues in Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ Canterbury Tales is the reflection of people’s daily life in the Kingdom of England in the 14th century. Surprisingly, the majority of topics discussed by Geoffrey Chaucer are still relevant nowadays. What are these issues? Why do we discuss them in the 21st century? Find out in this essay!
  • Marriage According to Geoffrey Chaucer and Jane Austen Marriage has always been a hotly debated topic. Therefore, many writers discuss this issue in their works. But what Geoffrey Chaucer’s and Jane Austen’s perspectives on marriage are? Read this essay to compare and contrast the opinions of two of the most outstanding English writers.
  • The Canterbury Tales: The Knight’s Tale Analysis What was The Knight’s Tale about? Are there any symbols, hidden context, or undiscovered questions? What’s the moral of this story? Find the answers to these questions in this paper!
  • Social Life in Canterbury Tales vs. Pride & Prejudice: Compare & Contrast Essay How do Geoffrey Chaucer and Jane Austen describe social life in their works? The author of this essay considers its aspects in The Canterbury Tales and Pride & Prejudice . Read it and find out some valuable insights.
  • Social Satire in The Canterbury Tales Wondering how Chaucer ridicules the flaws of society so masterfully? He applies satire for this purpose! Describing social problems in a satirical way, the author highlights the importance of their quick resolution. Check out this essay to analyze social satire in The Canterbury Tales in detail.
  • Character Analysis of the Knight from The Canterbury Tales The Knight is one of the central figures in The Canterbury Tales. Therefore, a clear understanding of his personality is vital for the comprehension of the entire book. Read this essay to get an in-depth analysis of the Knight.
  • Analysis of “The Miller’s Tale” from Canterbury Tales Among a wide variety of stories included in The Canterbury Tales , The Miller’s Tale turns out to be one of the spiciest ones. Why would Chaucer have such a story in his book? Search for an answer in the essay! Get a detailed analysis of The Miller’s Tale here .
  • A Criticism of the Church in Canterbury Tales Religion has always been a controversial topic. If we talk about its role in 14th century England, the church becomes another intriguing issue to discuss. Examine this essay to find out about the weak sides of the church in Chaucer’s time.
  • The Symbolism of Clothes in Canterbury Tales The way you dress up can reflect your personality. This is the case in The Canterbury Tales as well. Chaucer puts an emphasis on everyone’s clothing in the book. That’s why the author of the essay investigates the symbolic meaning of each character’s clothes. Check it out to gain some insights!
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Canterbury Tales Study Guide

Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is an outstanding piece of literature that consists of fascinating stories about Pilgrims’ adventures. The book hides a lot of secrets behind its plot and famous prologue. Do you want to explore them? Take a look at our Canterbury Tales study guide! You will discover the...

The Canterbury Tales Summary & Analysis — Essential Stories

The Canterbury Tales is a unique piece of literature written in Middle English by the famous writer Geoffrey Chaucer. It is a collection of 24 separate stories united in a single book. Below, you’ll see Canterbury Tales’ summary and analysis. The Canterbury Tales Summary In April, when nature is awakening...

The Canterbury Tales’ Characters: Chaucer’s Pilgrims Retold

The diversity of characters in The Canterbury Tales plays a crucial role in the book’s entire concept. Are you searching for The Canterbury Tales characters’ analysis? Do you want to learn more about the prologue characters? Explore our article and find The Canterbury Tales character chart and the answers to...

The Canterbury Tales’ Themes: Estates Satire & Deceit

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is an outstanding piece of English literature. It impresses readers with a wide range of themes that play a crucial role in understanding the book’s entire concept. Are you looking for the analysis of The Canterbury Tales themes? Explore the following article and dive...

Symbols in The Canterbury Tales: Clothes & Language

Do you know what helps to investigate the piece of literature deeper? What reveals the hidden context and highlights the author’s key ideas? These are the symbols! And The Canterbury Tales include a lot of them. Explore our article and find everything about them. Clothing The readers get to know...

Barn Burning Study Guide

Welcome to Faulkner’s Barn Burning study guide! Here, you will find relevant information regarding this iconic short story. You will learn about the plot, genre, characters, as well as themes and symbols of Barn Burning by Faulkner. All of that will allow you to understand the story’s meaning on a...

Barn Burning: Essay Topics & Samples

If you are looking for fresh Barn Burning topics, prompts, and essay examples, then you are in the right place. Here you will find plenty of excellent writing ideas and a list of samples that will help you get started on the right note. Keep reading to get inspired to write an...

Barn Burning: Symbols

In William Faulkner’s Barn Burning, symbolism helps the reader to understand deeper emotions and relationships in the story. In this article, we will focus on two of the most prominent symbols: fire and blood. Fire Fire is a key symbol in Barn Burning. It is also prevalent in Faulkner’s works and world...

Barn Burning: Themes

Barn Burning is considered one of William Faulkner’s best works. In this short story, he traces traumatic events experienced by a young boy, Sartoris. Barn Burning centers around his family and father Abner, a poverty-stricken tenant farmer in the South. Because of Abner’s anger and resentment, Sarty is trapped between...

Barn Burning: Characters

This article focuses on William Faulkner’s use of characters in the short story Barn Burning. Learning about them will help you understand this work to the full extent. Sartoris Snopes and his father Abner are the two main characters in Barn Burning, but there are also plenty of secondary ones...

Barn Burning: Summary & Analysis

Welcome to our summary of Barn Burning! William Faulkner’s short story Barn Burning is one of his lesser-known works. However, it deserves your attention because of its masterful plot and connection to The Snopes Trilogy. Initially, William Faulkner intended to use the story as the opening chapter of The Hamlet. He rejected this...

Pride & Prejudice Study Guide

What happens when marriage is the only option to get settled in life? How do pride and prejudice complicate our lives? Jane Austen answers these questions in her famous novel. There, Victorian England culture and society are shown through the characters with different backgrounds and personalities. Pride & Prejudice Study...

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  1. The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales

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  2. (DOC) the prologue of canterbury tales

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  3. THE CANTERBURY TALES: PROLOGUE [ESSAY EXAM & DISCUSSION ACTIVITIES]

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  4. Canterbury Tales Prologue

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  5. 📚 Literature Essay on the Canterbury Tales Prologue as an Introduction

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  6. Plan and purpose of the prologue to the Canterbury tales

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  2. Prologue to the Canterbury Tales as a Portrait Gallery

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  5. Prologue to the Canterbury tales

  6. The Friar's Tale (The Canterbury Tales) by Geoffrey Chaucer| @easy_english6

COMMENTS

  1. The Canterbury Tales: The General Prologue Summary & Analysis

    Summary. Analysis. The General Prologue opens with a description of April showers and the return of spring. "Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote / The droghte of March hath perced to the roote," he begins, and writes about the burgeoning flowers and singing birds. The sun has gone through the second half of the zodiacal sign Aires, the ...

  2. The Canterbury Tales General Prologue: Part 1 Summary & Analysis

    A summary of General Prologue: Part 1 in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of The Canterbury Tales and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.

  3. The Prologue

    Chaucer's original plan, to have each pilgrim tell two stories on the way to Canterbury and two more on the way back, was never completed; we have tales only on the way to Canterbury. In The Prologue are portraits of all levels of English life. The order of the portraits is important because it provides a clue as to the social standing of the ...

  4. 1.1 General Prologue

    1.1 General Prologue. The Middle English text is from Larry D. Benson., Gen. ed., The Riverside Chaucer, Houghton-Mifflin Company; used with permission of the publisher. 1 Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote. When April with its sweet-smelling showers. 2 The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,

  5. The Canterbury Tales General Prologue Summary and Analysis

    Study Guide for The Canterbury Tales. The Canterbury Tales is the last of Geoffrey Chaucer's works, and he only finished 24 of an initially planned 100 tales. The Canterbury Tales study guide contains a biography of Geoffrey Chaucer, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

  6. The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

    'The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue' is an interesting work of art by Geoffrey Chaucer, popularly known as the father of English poetry. It serves as a framework for the poem and depicts the life of Renaissance England. Chaucer modeled this after Boccaccio's Decameron but added more insight to the work by his genuine humor and humanism.

  7. The Canterbury Tales Prologue English Literature Essay

    The Canterbury Tales Prologue English Literature Essay. In The Canterbury Tales: The Prologue by: Geoffrey Chaucer; translated by Nevill Coghill, Chaucer sets the tone and setting of the story to a specific period during the medieval times. Chaucer uses two forms of characterization to reveal many characters associated in The Prologue which are ...

  8. The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

    The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue. By Geoffrey Chaucer. Here bygynneth the Book of the tales of Caunterbury. Whan that Aprille with his shour e s soot e, The droghte of March hath perc e d to the root e, And bath e d every veyne in swich licóur. Of which vertú engendr e d is the flour;

  9. General Prologue

    The General Prologue is the first part of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. It introduces the frame story, in which a group of pilgrims travelling to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury agree to take part in a storytelling competition, and describes the pilgrims themselves. The Prologue is arguably the most familiar section of The ...

  10. The Canterbury Tales Prologue-"Chaucer's Tales" Summary & Analysis

    Essay Topics. Tools. Discussion Questions. Prologue-"Chaucer's Tales" Chapter Summaries & Analyses. Prologue Summary. The Canterbury Tales begins by evoking the spring: When in April the sweet showers fall/And pierce the drought of March to the root, and all/The veins are bathed in liquor of such power/As brings about the engendering of ...

  11. Geoffrey Chaucer Prologue to the Canterbury Tales Summary in English

    In summary, the General Prologue to "The Canterbury Tales" is a detailed introduction to Chaucer's narrative masterpiece. Chaucer creates a compelling snapshot of mediaeval English society through vivid character sketches and social commentary. The book lays the foundation for the captivating tales that the poet narrates in the other book ...

  12. General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales Essay Topics

    The General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales is key in that it introduces the context of the rest of the work and helps ease students into Chaucer's language and style. The essay topics in this ...

  13. The Canterbury Tales: Mini Essays

    The Pardoner is the most controversial of all the pilgrims for four reasons: his work, his sin (greed), his unrepentant pride, and his sexuality. The Pardoner's job—giving people written absolution from sin—was a dubious profession in medieval Europe. As he reveals in his Prologue, the Pardoner is well aware that he himself is covetous ...

  14. The Canterbury Tales Critical Essays

    The Canterbury Tales is thought to give an accurate view of the way women were regarded in medieval England. Using the General Prologue, the tales themselves, and the dialogue among the pilgrims ...

  15. Text and Translations

    The Canterbury Tales. Synopses and Prolegomena; Text and Translations. 1.1 General Prologue; 1.2 The Knight's Tale; 1.3 The Miller's Prologue and Tale; 1.4 The Reeve's Prologue and Tale; 1.5 The Cook's Prologue and Tale; 2.1 The Man of Law's Introduction, Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue; 3.1 The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale; 3.2 The Friar's ...

  16. The Canterbury Tales Essay Questions

    Study Guide for The Canterbury Tales. The Canterbury Tales is the last of Geoffrey Chaucer's works, and he only finished 24 of an initially planned 100 tales. The Canterbury Tales study guide contains a biography of Geoffrey Chaucer, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

  17. The Canterbury Tales Essays

    The Canterbury Tales essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by studen... Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. ... The characters introduced in the General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales each represent a stereotype of a kind of person that Chaucer would have been familiar with in 14th Century England ...

  18. The Canterbury Tales: Suggested Essay Topics

    Suggested Essay Topics. 1. Compare the Miller's Tale with either the Reeve's Tale or the Summoner's Tale. What are the different characteristics that make each tale a fabliau? Consider comic timing, plot intricacy, and the cast of characters within the tale. 2. Is the Wife of Bath meant to contradict the misogynist (woman-hating) ideas of ...

  19. The Squire's Prologue and Tale

    The Squire agrees but asks to be excused if he says anything amiss. A noble king, Cambuskan, has two sons and a beautiful daughter named Canace (or Canacee). On the twentieth anniversary of Cambuskan's reign, the king orders a splendid and lavish celebration. In the midst of the feast, an unknown knight appears and announces that he has come to ...

  20. An Analysis of Humor in The Canterbury Tales

    Written by Chaucer in the 14th century, The Canterbury Tales is an incredibly cogent piece that analyzes Middle Age English society. From the hypocritical... read full [Essay Sample] for free. ... Chaucer's Optimal Hero Essay. In The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer uses the character traits of the clergy to exemplify the ...

  21. The Canterbury Tales: Essay Topics & Samples

    The Canterbury Tales is one of the most well-known collections of tales. The narrator tells a story of pilgrims who are on their way to Canterbury. In the present essay, the creation of characters is explained. The author identifies the instances of irony and humor and discusses exciting words. "The Wife of Bath's Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer.

  22. The Canterbury Tales: A+ Student Essay: Courtly Love

    Courtly love was one of the most pervasive themes in the literature of Chaucer's time. According to this conception of love, romance is an ennobling force that can raise the male lover—usually a knight—to heights of bravery in the service of his lady. The beloved, in turn, is the epitome of feminine perfection and often difficult, if not ...

  23. The Canterbury Tales: Questions & Answers

    The Canterbury Tales is written in Middle English, an early form of Modern English. Used from the Norman Conquest (1066) through the late 1400s, Middle English grew out of Old English, Germanic, and French languages. While we can recognize many Middle English words because of their similarities to Modern English, other words are uncommon or out ...