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Assignment No: 01
Name: Abdul Muhaiman
Registration No: Fa23-ben-001
Subject: Classical Poetry
Teacher: Ma’am Namra
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Q1. Explain the representation of Chaucer’s age in the Prologue to Canterbury tales with
quotations.
Answer
In the Prologue to ‘The Canterbury Tales’, Geoffrey Chaucer gives a detailed and colorful view
of life in 14th-century England. He does this by introducing a group of pilgrims who are
traveling to Canterbury. Each pilgrim has a different background, job, and personality, and
through these characters, Chaucer paints a picture of the society of his time. The characters
represent various social classes and professions, and Chaucer uses them to both praise and
criticize different aspects of medieval life.
1. Diverse Social Classes and Professions
Chaucer’s Prologue introduces people from all walks of life, from nobles and knights to
merchants and peasants. This wide range of characters gives us a clear idea of the social structure
of medieval England.
The Knight:
The Knight is the first character Chaucer introduces, and he is shown as a model of the noble
class. He is brave, honorable, and humble, representing the ideals of chivalry, which means a
code of conduct that included bravery, loyalty, and respect for women.
“A knight there was, and that a worthy man,
That from the time that he first began
To riden out, he loved chivalry,
Truth and honor, freedom and courtesy.”
The Knight has fought in many battles and is respected by all. He represents the old-fashioned
values of the nobility, where knights were expected to be honorable and humble. Chaucer seems
to respect him greatly, suggesting that the Knight represents a more positive side of society.
The Merchant:
The Merchant is a member of the new middle class that was growing in Chaucer’s time. He is
dressed in nice clothes and is very focused on business and making money.
“In motley, and high on horse he sat,
Upon his head a Flemish beaver hat;
His boots were fastened neatly and elegantly.”
The Merchant is proud of his knowledge of trade and money, showing that merchants were
becoming important in society. This reflects the rise of commerce and trade in the 14th century,
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where people were starting to gain wealth through business rather than just inheriting it. The
Merchant represents the shift towards a society that valued money and trade more.
The Wife of Bath:
The Wife of Bath is a strong, independent woman who stands out among the pilgrims. She is
wealthy, thanks to her skill as a cloth-maker and the money she inherited from her five husbands.
“She was a worthy woman all her life:
Husbands at the church door she had five,
Withouten other company in youth.”
The Wife of Bath represents a new kind of woman who is not afraid to speak her mind or live
her life as she wishes. She is confident and knows how to manage her own affairs. In a time
when women were often expected to be submissive, the Wife of Bath challenges those
expectations. She represents a different side of medieval society, where some women were
starting to gain more freedom and independence.
2. Critique of the Church
One of Chaucer’s main themes in the Prologue is the corruption and hypocrisy he sees in the
Church. Many of the religious characters, like the Pardoner and the Friar, use their positions for
personal gain instead of serving God and helping others.
The Pardoner:
The Pardoner is a religious figure who sells indulgences, which were supposed to forgive
people’s sins. However, Chaucer shows that the Pardoner is dishonest and only cares about
making money.
“For in his bag he had a pillow-case
Which that he said was Our True Lady's veil...
And thus with feigned flattery and japes,
He made the parson and the people his apes.”
The Pardoner tricks people into buying fake relics, claiming that they are holy objects.
Chaucer’s description of the Pardoner exposes the way some church officials used religion to
cheat people. This reflects the growing dissatisfaction with the Church’s behavior during
Chaucer’s time, when many people felt that the Church had become too focused on money and
power.
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The Friar:
Friars were supposed to live simple, humble lives, helping the poor and preaching. But
Chaucer’s Friar is more interested in living comfortably and spending time with rich people.
“He knew the taverns well in every town
And every good host and each barmaid too,
Better than begging lepers, these he knew.”
Instead of spending time with the poor and sick, the Friar prefers to drink and socialize in
taverns. This shows how some religious figures ignored their duties and cared more about
enjoying life. Chaucer uses the Friar to criticize the way some members of the Church lived in
luxury instead of following the ideals of their faith.
3. The Changing Society
The Prologue also highlights how society was changing in the 14th century, as the traditional
feudal system began to shift and new economic and social groups emerged.
The Plowman:
The Plowman is an example of the honest, hardworking peasants who made up the backbone of
medieval society. Chaucer describes him as someone who works hard and lives a good, simple
life.
“He was an honest worker, good and true,
Living in peace and perfect charity.”
The Plowman represents the traditional values of hard work and faith. He contrasts with the
more selfish and corrupt characters, showing that Chaucer still respects the simple goodness of
ordinary people. This reflects a society where common folk were essential to the community,
even as other parts of society were changing.
The Miller:
The Miller, on the other hand, represents the more rough-and-tumble side of the working class.
He’s described as big and strong, but also dishonest in his business dealings:
“He was a chunky fellow, broad of build,
And would heave any door off hinge and post,
Or take a run and break it with his head.”
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The Miller’s behavior shows a different side of the lower classes, where some people were
more focused on looking out for themselves. He cheats customers by overcharging them, which
shows a shift in values toward self-interest and profit.
4. Different Personalities and Human Nature
Chaucer gives each of his characters a unique personality, showing the diversity of human
behavior and attitudes in his time. He portrays people who are both virtuous and flawed, giving
us a balanced view of society.
The Prioress:
The Prioress is a nun, but she is more interested in her appearance and manners than in her
religious duties:
“She was so charitable and so piteous
She would weep if she saw a mouse
Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bleeding.”
The Prioress’s focus on being refined and delicate makes her seem more like a lady of the
court than a devoted religious leader. This shows that some religious figures were more
concerned with worldly things than with spirituality.
The Clerk:
The Clerk is a student who values learning above everything else. He doesn’t care about wealth
or material things and spends all his money on books:
“And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach.”
The Clerk’s dedication to study and knowledge contrasts with the materialism of other
characters, like the Merchant. He represents the respect for education and wisdom that existed
alongside the focus on wealth.
5. Chaucer’s Use of Humor and Irony
Throughout the Prologue, Chaucer uses humor and irony to point out the contradictions in
people’s behavior. He often describes people in a way that makes their flaws seem obvious
without directly criticizing them.
The Summoner:
The Summoner’s job is to bring people to church court if they have committed a sin. However,
he himself is described as being very immoral and easily bribed:
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“And drinking strong red wine till all was hazy,
Then he would speak and cry as if he were crazy.”
Chaucer uses the Summoner to show that those in power can be just as flawed as anyone else.
This use of irony helps Chaucer make his point in a way that is both funny and critical.
In short Chaucer’s Prologue gives us a detailed and lively picture of 14th-century England. By
introducing a wide range of characters, he shows the complexities of medieval life, including the
roles of different social classes, the flaws in the Church, and the ways that society was changing.
He uses humor, irony, and vivid descriptions to create a snapshot of his time, making the
characters and their stories come alive for the reader.
THE END
