General Prologue

"Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote

The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,

And bathed every veyne in swich licour

Of which vertu engendred is the flour;"

What is it with poets and their use of seasons? It seems like everything I read talks about the changing of the seasons. I think Chaucer uses it to describe how spring symbolizes rebirth and the beginning of new things. I don't understand why he spent so much time explaining the season though. I mean in just the four lines that I quoted which are the first four lines of the poem, you are able to tell that he is talking about springtime. The narrator then starts describing each of the characters that take place in the story...

The Knight- a "worthy man" who the narrator feels is the most noble out of all the pilgrims. The knight is described as being loyal, honest, and well mannered. The knight has fought in the crusades and has always been honored which is perhaps why the narrator thinks so highly of him. The knight is perhaps my favorite character because he is seems to be what every woman wants in a man. He posseses every "good" quality and lacks in bad qualities.

Prioress- or "madame eglantine" has very good table manners and can speak fluent french. Although she is said to have an enormous forehead, she is still beautiful. She is not of royalty, but she does her best to act like it which is why she is so classy. She loves animals so much that the narrator says she would cry if she saw a mouse caught in a trap. She wears a brooch with the inscription 'Amor vincit omnia' which means love conquers all. The prioress at first glance seems kind of fake to me. The fact that she is so preoccupied with acting like a lady seems a bit fishy to me

Monk- Likes to follow old traditions rather than new ones. He is a handsome man who loves to hunt and has lots of horses. The monk is fat which in that time meant he is wealthy. The fatter the man the better fed he was therefore meaning he had money to buy himself good food.

Friar- Often accepts bribes. Makes a living off of begging. The Firar is very happy and sociable and is very popular throughout the country. He convinced people that if you donate money to friars, it is a form of repentance. This guy really irritates me. The fact that he tricks people into donating money to him is so dishonest and frustrating to me. I really don't like the Friar.

Merchant- Although he is in debt, he is clever about it and does not let anybody know that he is in debt. He often borrows money from others and talks a lot. He has a forked beard and dresses in motly clothes. The narrator states 'I noot how men hym calle' meaning he does not know his name. I don't like when people borrow money from others. However, I do respect him for not letting on that he is in debt. I would much rather someone hide their problems than wear them on their shoulders so everybody else can hear about them.

Clerk- A thin man who loves to read and studies at Oxford. He is a philosophy student. HE does not dress well because he would rather have books than nice clothes. He is often very quite and doesn't speak more then is needed. Although I am nothing like the clerk in anyway, I really like him. HE is not too loud or does not waste his money on clothes, but rather spends them in a way to where he can better himself

The Man of Law- A successful lawyer who works for the King. He has very wise words so he comes off as a dignified man. The legal document he prepares are flawless which has made him a very wealthy man. Even though he has money, he still has a homely looking coat. I like this about The Man of Law. It's kind of like simon cowell from american idol. He is a multi-millionaire but he wears that same damn ugly shirt every show!!