ety. The Knight serves as a fi gurehead, coming fi rst,
followed by his retinue, small though it may be. The
ecclesiastic personages come next, followed by the
“middle class” in various degrees. Where the rank
becomes less clear, the pilgrims are then grouped in
terms of social interaction. For instance, the Summoner
and the Pardoner are riding together, and are described
together. Only some pilgrims are described in terms of
their physical appearance, but in these cases, the
description is crucial to the character’s development.
The Pardoner, for example, is rendered more effemi-
nate by his physical appearance, while the Clerk’s
scholarly arrogance is conveyed effectively through cir-
cumstance, not looks.
The collection of portraits therefore begins with the
highest ranked pilgrim, the Knight. The Narrator
deems him a “worthy man” (l. 43) who loved chivalry
and justice and protected Christianity against heathens.
The Crusades took him to many foreign places, such as
Prussia, Lithuania, Turkey, Spain, and Morocco. The
Knight is one of the few ideal pilgrims; he is “a verray,
parfi t gentil knight” (l. 72)—true, perfect, and noble.
The Knight’s retinue includes his son, the Squire, and
his servant, the Yeoman. Unlike his father, the Squire
is the epitome of a courtly lover. He is handsome and
well dressed and rides along singing and playing the
fl ute. He is more interested in poetry and love than in
war; nevertheless, he is “curteis [.. .] lowely, and
servysable” [courteous, humble, and attentive] (l. 99).
The Yeoman, a forester dressed in green and carrying a
bow, follows the Squire.
The Narrator next turns his attention to the Prioress,
whom he describes in terms more applicable to a
romance heroine than a nun. Her smile is “symple and
coy” (l. 119). Her “nose tretys [well formed], hir eyen
greye as glas/ hir mouth ful small, and therto softe and
reed” (ll. 152–153). She dresses elegantly, has excel-
lent manners, and is named “madame Eglentyne” (l.
121). The naive Narrator reports details about the Pri-
oress that are seemingly incongruous with a religious
life. Instead of having sympathy for poor, suffering
humans, for example, she reserves all of her compas-
sion for “a mous/ kaught in a trappe” (ll. 44–45), and
while people starve, she feeds her lapdogs white bread
and milk. The Prioress clearly belongs to the gentry, as
indicated by her name, attire, and education. She
speaks French, wears a wimple of fi ne quality, and car-
ries a rosary made of coral with a gold brooch attached.
With the Prioress rides her retinue, including another
nun and three priests. Although none of these Pilgrims
is described, two of them—the Second Nun and the
Nun’s Priest—will tell tales.
The Monk rides after the Prioress. He loves to ride
and hunt, and avoids prayer and manual labor: “What
sholde he studie and make hymselven wood [mad],/
upon a book in a cloystre alwey to poure/ or swynken
with his handes, and laboure,/ as Austyn [Augustine]
bit? How shal the world be served?” (ll. 184–187).
Though the Narrator is clearly impressed by this
“manly man” (l. 167), his naive revelations allow the
audience to condemn the Monk as a false cleric. A
medieval reader would understand that a monk should
remain in his cloister, studying and praying, should
accept labor cheerfully, should follow the Rule of his
order—and most certainly should ask how God (not
the world) should be served.
Similarly, the Friar impresses the Narrator. The Friar,
who follows the Monk, is “wantowne and merye” (l.
208), well dressed, well spoken, and clearly from the
gentry class. According to the Narrator, the Friar is also
generous: “he haade maad ful many a marriage/ of
yonge wommen at his owne cost” (ll. 212–213), though
once again the audience should catch the implication
the Narrator seemingly misses—that the Friar has dal-
lied with these women and now must fi nd husbands for
them. The Narrator’s cheerful admiration of the Friar’s
popularity belies the cleric’s falseness: “ful wel beloved
and famulier was he/ with frankeleyns over al in his
contree/ and eek with worthy wommen of the toun/ for
he hadde power of confessioun” (ll. 215–218). By not-
ing his power of confession, the Narrator inadvertently
reveals the nature of the Friar’s popularity—he is will-
ing to trade absolution for money or other favors.
The stylish Merchant, who has a forked beard and
wears motley and beaver, rides after the Friar. Though
praised by the Narrator for his astute business sense, it
becomes clear that the Merchant is really a usurer. The
Clerk follows, a poor student who is extremely thin
and wears threadbare clothing because he spends all of
his money on books. Though the narrator believes theGENERAL PROLOGUE TO THE CANTERBURY TALES 205