The Canterbury Tales

The author

24 stories

Geoffrey Chaucer

The character's hierarchy

Nobility

Middle class

Peasentes

clergy

Knight and Squire

Merchant, Doctor, Student, Wife of Bath.

the Nun, Second Nun, Nun's Priest, Monk, Friar, Parson, Pardoner, Summoner, Canon, and Clerk

Miller, Plowman, Skipper.

frame narrative

the narrator

Chaucer Chaucer
he is also a character in his book.

The knight's tale

poetry

The Miller’s Tale

The Reeve’s Tale

Middle English

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 Knight

  • ideal of a medieval Christian man-at-arms.
    • Brave, experienced, and prudent, the narrator greatly admires him.

The Squire: The Knight’s son and apprentice.

reflection of the changing social dynamics in Chaucer's time, Alisoun, Worldly Wisdom, lively and bold woman, married five times, expert on the subject of love and marriage, confident and assertive, feminine charms to manipulate men and get what she wants, challenges the authority of men, particularly in the context of marriage