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ThePilgrimsTheNarrator-Thenarratormakesitquiteclearthatheisalsoacharacterinhisbook.AlthoughheiscalledChaucer,weshouldbewaryofacceptinghiswordsandopinionsasChaucer’sown.IntheGeneralPrologue,thenarratorpresentshimselfasagregariousandnaïvecharacter.Lateron,theHostaccuseshimofbeingsilentandsullen.Becausethenarratorwritesdownhisimpressionsofthepilgrimsfrommemory,whomhedoesanddoesnotlike,andwhathechoosesandchoosesnottorememberaboutthecharacters,tellsusasmuchaboutthenarrator’sownprejudicesasitdoesaboutthecharactersthemselves.TheKnight-ThefirstpilgrimChaucerdescribesintheGeneralPrologue,andthetellerofthefirsttale.TheKnightrepresentstheidealofamedievalChristianman-at-arms.Hehasparticipatedinnolessthanfifteenofthegreatcrusadesofhisera.Brave,experienced,andprudent,thenarratorgreatlyadmireshim.Readanin-depthanalysisofTheKnight.TheWifeofBath-BathisanEnglishtownontheAvonRiver,notthenameofthiswoman’shusband.Thoughsheisaseamstressbyoccupation,sheseemstobeaprofessionalwife.Shehasbeenmarriedfivetimesandhadmanyotheraffairsinheryouth,makingherwellpracticedintheartoflove.Shepresentsherselfassomeonewholovesmarriageandsex,but,fromwhatweseeofher,shealsotakespleasureinrichattire,talking,andarguing.Sheisdeafinoneearandhasagapbetweenherfrontteeth,whichwasconsideredattractiveinChaucer’stime.ShehastraveledonpilgrimagestoJerusalemthreetimesandelsewhereinEuropeaswell.Readanin-depthanalysisofTheWifeofBath.ThePardoner-Pardonersgrantedpapalindulgences—reprievesfrompenanceinexchangeforcharitabledonationstotheChurch.Manypardoners,includingthisone,collectedprofitsforthemselves.Infact,Chaucer’sPardonerexcelsinfraud,carryingabagfulloffakerelics—forexample,heclaimstohavetheveiloftheVirginMary.ThePardonerhaslong,greasy,yellowhairandisbeardless.ThesecharacteristicswereassociatedwithshiftinessandgenderambiguityinChaucer’stime.ThePardoneralsohasagiftforsingingandpreachingwheneverhefindshimselfinsideachurch.Readanin-depthanalysisofThePardoner.TheMiller-Stoutandbrawny,theMillerhasawartonhisnoseandabigmouth,bothliterallyandfiguratively.HethreatenstheHost’snotionofproprietywhenhedrunkenlyinsistsontellingthesecondtale.Indeed,theMillerseemstoenjoyoverturningallconventions:heruinstheHost’scarefullyplannedstorytellingorder;heripsdoorsoffhinges;andhetellsatalethatissomewhatblasphemous,ridiculingreligiousclerks,scholarlyclerks,carpenters,andwomen.ThePrioress-Describedasmodestandquiet,thisPrioress(anunwhoisheadofherconvent)aspirestohaveexquisitetaste.Hertablemannersaredainty,sheknowsFrench(thoughnottheFrenchofthecourt),shedresseswell,andsheischaritableandcompassionate.TheMonk-MostmonksoftheMiddleAgeslivedinmonasteriesaccordingtotheRuleofSaintBenedict,whichdemandedthattheydevotetheirlivesto“workandprayer.”ThisMonkcareslittlefortheRule;hisdevotionistohuntingandeating.Heislarge,loud,andwellcladinhuntingbootsandfurs.TheFriar-Roamingpriestswithnotiestoamonastery,friarswereagreatobjectofcriticisminChaucer’stime.Alwaysreadytobefriendyoungwomenorrichmenwhomightneedhisservices,thefriaractivelyadministersthesacramentsinhistown,especiallythoseofmarriageandconfession.However,Chaucer’sworldlyFriarhastakentoacceptingbribes.TheSummoner-TheSummonerbringspersonsaccusedofviolatingChurchlawtoecclesiasticalcourt.ThisSummonerisalecherousmanwhosefaceisscarredbyleprosy.Hegetsdrunkfrequently,isirritable,andisnotparticularlyqualifiedforhisposition.HespoutsthefewwordsofLatinheknowsinanattempttosoundeducated.TheHost-Theleaderofthegroup,theHostislarge,loud,andmerry,althoughhepossessesaquicktemper.Hemediatesamongthepilgrimsandfacilitatestheflowofthetales.Histitleof“host”maybeapun,suggestingbothaninnkeeperandtheEucharist,orHolyHost.TheParson-Theonlydevoutchurchmaninthecompany,theParsonlivesinpoverty,butisrichinholythoughtsanddeeds.Thepastorofasizabletown,hepreachestheGospelandmakessuretopracticewhathepreaches.HeiseverythingthattheMonk,theFriar,andthePardonerarenot.TheSquire-TheKnight’ssonandapprentice.TheSquireiscurly-haired,youthfullyhandsome,andlovesdancingandcourting.TheClerk-TheClerkisapoorstudentofphilosophy.Havingspenthismoneyonbooksandlearningratherthanonfineclothes,heisthreadbareandwan.Hespeakslittle,butwhenhedoes,hiswordsarewiseandfullofmoralvirtue.TheManofLaw-Asuccessfullawyercommissionedbytheking.HeupholdsjusticeinmatterslargeandsmallandknowseverystatuteofEngland’slawbyheart.TheManciple-Amanciplewasinchargeofgettingprovisionsforacollegeorcourt.Despitehislackofeducation,thisMancipleissmarterthanthethirtylawyershefeeds.TheMerchant-TheMerchanttradesinfursandothercloths,mostlyfromFlanders.HeispartofapowerfulandwealthyclassinChaucer’ssociety.TheShipman-Brown-skinnedfromyearsofsailing,theShipmanhasseeneverybayandriverinEngland,andexoticportsinSpainandCarthageaswell.Heisabitofarascal,knownforstealingwinewhiletheship’scaptainsleeps.ThePhysician-ThePhysicianisoneofthebestinhisprofession,forheknowsthecauseofeverymaladyandcancuremostofthem.ThoughthePhysiciankeepshimselfinperfectphysicalhealth,thenarratorcallsintoquestionthePhysician’sspiritualhealth:herarelyconsultstheBibleandhasanunhealthy