Getting to Know the Characters of the Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales is a book made up of tales told by a variety of characters. The story begins in Southwark, England at the Tabard Inn, where a group of 30 people (including the narrator) from varied professions has one thing in common: they are all pilgrims, making their way to the shrine of the martyr Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. The Host of the tavern makes a deal with the pilgrims: he will accompany them to Canterbury, and each pilgrim will tell two stories on the way to the shrine, and two on the way back. The Host will then choose the best storyteller, and the winner will receive a free meal from the tavern, at the expense of the other pilgrims. The General Prologue, which introduces each character, the dialogue in between the tales, and the specific tales that the pilgrims choose to tell reveal each one's character.

The first pilgrim to tell a tale is the brave Knight. In the General Prologue, he described by the narrator as "[having] loved chivalry, truth, and honor, generosity and courtesy, from the time of his first horseback rides," (2). The Knight has an extensive military career, which includes having fought in the Crusades and "fifteen large battles, in addition to the three times he had defended [Christian] faith in lists in Algeria, and each time he had killed his opponent," (2). Another quality that the narrator mentions is the Knight's meek and gentle manner. The Knight's clothing is also described; he is one of the few pilgrims that is not dressed in rich clothing, as he has just recently returned from an expedition.

Throughout the novel, there are a few instances in which the Knight's interactions with other characters reveal facts about him. For example, after the Monk concludes his tragic story about the demise of several noble and historic characters, and the Nun's Priest is about to begin his tale, the Knight interjects. He says "Stop, no more of this... You have said entirely enough, and even more, for a little sadness is quite sufficient for most people... I say it is extremely painful to hear about the sudden fall... of men who have great wealth and luxury," (151). Another example of this is found after the Pardoner tells his tale. The Pardoner begins to quarrel with the Host and the Knight interrupts and calls for the two to reconcile. He also asks for the next story to be lighthearted and says, "Let's laugh and play as we did before," (326). Ironically, this shows that although a major factor of the his life is centered on war, being the romantic and gentle Knight that he is, he does not choose to allow any conflicts or unhappiness in his daily life. Lastly, it is shown that both the Host and narrator are obvious in holding the Knight in high esteem.

After the Nun's Priest, the eleventh pilgrim to tell a tale is the Wife of Bath. She is one of two female storytellers