Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors
used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
Springtime
The Canterbury Tales opens in April,
at the height of spring. The birds are chirping, the flowers blossoming,
and people long in their hearts to go on pilgrimages, which combine
travel, vacation, and spiritual renewal. The springtime symbolizes
rebirth and fresh beginnings, and is thus appropriate for the beginning
of Chaucer’s text. Springtime also evokes erotic love, as evidenced
by the moment when Palamon first sees Emelye gathering fresh flowers
to make garlands in honor of May. The Squire, too, participates
in this symbolism. His devotion to courtly love is compared to the freshness of the month
of May.
Clothing
In the General Prologue, the description of garments,
in addition to the narrator’s own shaky recollections, helps to
define each character. In a sense, the clothes symbolize what lies
beneath the surface of each personality. The Physician’s love of
wealth reveals itself most clearly to us in the rich silk and fur
of his gown. The Squire’s youthful vanity is symbolized by the excessive
floral brocade on his tunic. The Merchant’s forked beard could symbolize
his duplicity, at which Chaucer only hints.
Physiognomy
Physiognomy was a science that judged a person’s temperament
and character based on his or her anatomy. Physiognomy plays a significant role
in Chaucer’s descriptions of the pilgrims in the General Prologue.
The most exaggerated facial features are those of the peasants.
The Miller represents the stereotypical peasant physiognomy most
clearly: round and ruddy, with a wart on his nose, the Miller appears
rough and therefore suited to rough, simple work. The Pardoner’s
glaring eyes and limp hair illustrate his fraudulence.
