Who's Who?
This noble warrior is experienced in battle, values chivalry, honor, generosity, and courtesy, and is described as a truly noble gentleman.
The Knight
He carries a powerful bow, a sheaf of arrows, a sword, a small shield, and a dagger. He is also skilled in woodcraft.
The Yeoman
This character works in law, knows legal cases and statutes, and has a reputation for being extremely knowledgeable.
The Serjeant at the Law
This religious character loves hunting and expensive possessions even though older religious rules emphasize a more restricted monastic lifestyle.
This London inn is where the pilgrims gather, eat, drink, and prepare to begin their journey.
The Tabard
This young man is about twenty, is the Knight's son, loves music and courtly romance, and is skilled at riding, dancing, writing, and jousting.
The Squire
She is concerned with refined manners, speaks a version of French, owns small dogs that receive expensive food, and wears a brooch associated with love.
The Prioress
This wealthy landowner loves food, drink, hospitality, and pleasure. His home is famous for its abundance.
The Franklin
This religious character hears confessions and gives penance especially easily when he expects to receive a generous payment.
The Friar
This character welcomes the pilgrims, organizes the storytelling contest, and proposes that the journey include stories for entertainment.
The Host
This Oxford student is thin and poorly dressed because he spends the little money he has on books and learning.
The Oxford Cleric
He rejects the strict older rules of monastic life, loves hunting, keeps fine horses and greyhounds, and enjoys expensive clothing.
The Monk
These five guild members—Haberdasher, Dyer, Carpenter, Weaver, and Carpet-maker—are prosperous citizens who appear suitable for civic leadership.
The Guildsmen: Haberdasher, Dyer, Carpenter, Weaver, and Carpet-maker
Chaucer presents this character as genuinely practicing the religious principles he teaches: he serves his parishioners, lives simply, and leads by example.
The Parson
This person is both the author of the work and one of the pilgrims traveling with the group.
Chaucer
This woman has been married five times, is an expert cloth-maker, has traveled widely on pilgrimages, and is outspoken about her experience.
The Wife of Bath
He is an expert in medicine and surgery and understands astronomy, but Chaucer notes that his study of the Bible is limited.
The Physician
This character purchases provisions for his masters and is so skilled at getting favorable deals that he is able to become wealthy himself.
The Manicple
This character is supposed to represent religious authority, yet his behavior suggests that money and profit matter more to him than genuine spiritual service.
The Pardoner
The pilgrims are traveling toward this religious destination, where they intend to visit the shrine of Thomas Becket.
Canterbury
This religious official is extremely interested in money, has a talent for persuasion, and carries supposed religious relics that he uses to profit from others.
The Pardoner
He has a red beard, enormous physical strength, wins wrestling contests, and works at a mill.
The Miller
This estate manager is extremely efficient and wealthy, and his careful management makes him more prosperous than people might expect from his position.
The Reeve
This character is presented as highly respectable and concerned with profit, yet the narrator hints that his financial situation is not quite as secure as his appearance suggests.
The Merchant
The pilgrimage brings nobles, clergy, professionals, merchants, craftsmen, and laborers together. What larger purpose does this variety serve?
It creates a cross-section of medieval society, allowing Chaucer to compare different occupations, classes, personalities, and forms of behavior.