Key Facts
full title · The Canterbury Tales
author · Geoffrey Chaucer
type of work · Poetry (two tales are in prose: the Tale of Melibee
and the Parson's Tale)
genres · Narrative collection of poems; character portraits;
parody; estates satire; romance; fabliau
language · Middle English
time and place written · Around 1386–1395,
England
date of first publication · Sometime in the early fifteenth century
publisher · Originally circulated in hand-copied manuscripts
narrator · The primary narrator is an anonymous, naïve member
of the pilgrimage, who is not described. The other pilgrims narrate most
of the tales.
point of view · In the General Prologue, the narrator speaks in the
first person, describing each of the pilgrims as they appeared to
him. Though narrated by different pilgrims, each of the tales is
told from an omniscient third-person point of view, providing the
reader with the thoughts as well as actions of the characters.
tone · The Canterbury Tales incorporates
an impressive range of attitudes toward life and literature. The
tales are by turns satirical, elevated, pious, earthy, bawdy, and
comical. The reader should not accept the naïve narrator's point
of view as Chaucer's.
tense · Past
setting (time) · The late fourteenth century, after 1381
setting (place) · The Tabard Inn; the road to Canterbury
protagonists · Each individual tale has protagonists, but Chaucer's
plan is to make none of his storytellers superior to others; it
is an equal company. In the Knight's Tale, the protagonists are
Palamon and Arcite; in the Miller's Tale, Nicholas and Alisoun;
in the Wife of Bath's Tale, the errant knight and the loathsome
hag; in the Nun's Priest's Tale, the rooster Chanticleer.
major conflict · The struggles between characters, manifested in the
links between tales, mostly involve clashes between social classes, differing
tastes, and competing professions. There are also clashes between
the sexes, and there is resistance to the Host's somewhat tyrannical
leadership.
rising action · As he sets off on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, the narrator encounters
a group of other pilgrims and joins them. That night, the Host of
the tavern where the pilgrims are staying presents them with a storytelling
challenge and appoints himself judge of the competition and leader
of the company.
climax · Not applicable (collection of tales)
falling action · After twenty-three tales have been told, the Parson
delivers a long sermon. Chaucer then makes a retraction, asking
to be forgiven for his sins, including having written The
Canterbury Tales.
themes · The pervasiveness of courtly love, the importance of
company, the corruption of the church
motifs · Romance, fabliaux
symbols · Springtime, clothing, physiognomy
foreshadowing · Not applicable (collection of tales)
