British Class Structure1066 AD

Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales“The General Prologue”

as seen in

Click on the knightto advance slides

Source for text: Wikipedia & SparkNotes

Framework• Chaucer planned a “framework narrative” with

120 tales.• Two tales were to be told by each pilgrim on the

way to Canterbury and two on the return trip.• Before his death, Chaucer only completed 22

tales and left 2 fragments.

What were the classes in Chaucer’s time in Britain?

RulingClergy

Middle

Trade

Peasant

Click on the classes above to advance the slides!

Ruling Class• Knight– An honorable warrior who fought for Christianity

against the heathen.• Squire– The knight’s son; a lusty youth.

The Knight’s Prologue & Tale

• Two prisoners in a battle between Thebes and Athens, Arcite and Palamon, duel for the love of Emily, a maiden of Athens.

• The story introduces typical ideas of knighthood: courtly love, chivalry, and ethical dilemmas.

• The Miller’s Tale, a bawdy and comedic tale, is a direct antithesis to the Knight’s Tale.

Clergy Class

• Monk– A fat, bald, lover of hunting and luxury who rejects

work or study.• Prioress– Worldly superior of a nunnery, accompanied by

another nun and three priests.• Summoner– A lecherous cleric who permits parishioners’

licentious behavior – for a price.

Clergy Class

• Friar– A merry monk who is an accomplished beggar for

his own gain.• Parson– A poor, diligent cleric who aids parishioners with

his own funds.• Pardoner– The Summoner’s companion who sells allegedly

holy relics and pardons from Rome.

Middle Class

• MerchantA pompous businessman who talks honestly while actually

practicing illegal moneylending.• Franklin– A wealthy landholder and civic leader fond of excellent

food.• Reeve– The crafty manager of a lord’s property.

• Oxford Student/Clerk– The threadbare scholar who prefers philosophy to riches

Middle Class

• Doctor– A learned practitioner with a love for gold.

• Wife of Bath– A vivid, gap-toothed widow who has enjoyed

many pilgrimages and five marriages.• Sergeant-at-Law– One of a select group of lawyers

The Wife of Bath’s Prologue & Tale

• These give insight into women’s roles in Chaucer’s times

• This tale is included in the “marriage group,” which includes tales from the Clerk, Merchant, and Franklin.

• The Wife of Bath has been married five times and justifies each one.

• Her tale deals with a young knight in King Arthur’s court who commits a crime.

Trade Class

• Cook– The private cook for the Parish Guild members.

• Guildsmen– Wealthy tradesmen; members of the same parish

guild. Includes the Habersdasher, Carpenter, Weaver, Dyer, and Tapestry Maker.

• Manciple– A shrewd kitchen supervisor.

Peasant Class

• Miller– A wealthy, broad, and brawny tradesman; talkative

and bawdy.• Skipper/Shipman– An accomplished sailor and drinker.

• Yeoman– Servant to the Squire.

• Host– The commanding, genial innkeeper who proposes

that each pilgrim tell stories

The Miller’s Prologue & Tale• The Miller is drunk and interrupts the Monk, who is about

to give the next tale.• John, a carpenter, has taken a young wife, Alison, and is

also renting a room to a student, Nicholas. • Alison is unfaithful to her husband and Nicholas tricks the

foolish carpenter into believing that the second flood is coming. John spends the night in a tub, waiting for the flood to come, leaving Alison and Nicholas alone.

• Absalon, a parish clerk, is also in love with Alison. He begs Alison for a kiss and this is when all the mayhem ensues!