Download Canterbury Tales Character Roles Overview

Canterbury Tales
JIGSAW – PROLOGUE CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
Your Task Today:

You will be assigned two character descriptions to read in a
small group (one group has 3 because two are short).

Your group will read the sections from the text and discuss the
meaning. Each person needs to participate in reading and
discussion.

Then, you need to work together to complete character
overviews for your two characters.

Each person in the group needs to write the group overview
in their notebook.

Your group then needs to complete a mini-poster of each
character to use when teaching the class about the
section/character.
Character Overview Format

Character:

Style of dress:

Social class:

Appearance:

Attitude toward money:

Moral character:

Personality:

How does Chaucer use satire and/or irony in this
section:
A “Sundry” Fellowship
Who are all these characters?

The Yeoman: they were originally the servants of knights. Later
they became landowners and occupied a class under gentry.

The Prioress: a nun lives in a convent and takes a vow of
poverty, obedience, and chastity. The prioress is in charge of a
convent, she is “mother superior” and is under oath to not leave
the nuns under her protection.

The Monk: a religious man who lives in a monastery or “cloister.”

The Friar: a religious man who hears people’s confessions and
absolves or forgives their sins after imposing a penance or
penalty (usually prayer). The Franciscan order of friars was
founded by Saint Francis to minister to the poorest and least
fortunate.
Who are all these characters?

The Merchant: a salesperson in medieval times. It was
illegal to charge interest on a loan during this time, but it
was done anyway. A merchant who was financially in
debt would be charged a higher interest rate, so he was
careful to hide his debt or leave home suddenly to
escape a moneylender.

The Oxford Cleric: a student who attended the university
at Oxford. Only those pledged to join the clergy could
attend university during this time.

The Lawyer: A “Sergeant at the Law” in medieval
England was a high-ranking judge who had practiced
law with distinction for at least sixteen years.
Who are all these characters?

The Franklin: a well-to-do landowner who is not a
member of the nobility.

The Guildsmen: Guilds were organizations made up of
craftsmen and tradesmen. They passed their skills on
through the generations by having apprentices. Like
unions today, there was power in grouping together.
The guilds in medieval times would control prices and
quality of goods.

The Cook: this one was supposedly based on a cook
Chaucer knew 

The Skipper: a sailor – this one is from Dartmouth, known
during this time for its piracy and brutality.
Who are all these characters?

The Doctor: different from today in that during medieval
times, people believed health stemmed from the
balance of four major “humours.” These were blood,
yellow bile, phlegm, and black bile.

The Wife of Bath: Women during medieval times were
not allowed a lot of freedoms. This included travel,
because wives who traveled were considered to be
potetially unfaithful, and their husbands “cuckholds”

The Parson: He is a priest, but he doesn’t threaten to
excommunicate parishioners who haven’t paid their
“tithes.” The people during medieval times were
required to pay one-tenth of their income to the Church.
Who are all these characters?

The Plowman: A worker who plows the fields.

The Miller: A worker who grinds grain. His fee was a
percentage of the grain he ground, based on weight.

The Manciple: A minor employee who purchased
provisions for a law firm or a college. He frequently
bought food at the market stalls.

The Reeve: A serf who was the steward or manager of a
manor. He made sure the work was done and that
everything was accounted for.
Who are all these characters?

The Summoner: A low-ranking officer who
summoned people to appear in Church court.

The Pardoner: A minor member of the church
who bought and sold “pardons” for sinners.

The Host: Owner of the Tabard Inn.
Character Assignments

Group 1: The Yeoman
and the Nun

Group 6: The Skipper and
the Doctor

Group 2: The Monk and
the Friar

Group 7: The Wife of Bath
and the Parson

Group 3: The Merchant
and the Oxford Cleric

Group 8: The Plowman
and the Reeve

Group 4: The Lawyer and
the Franklin

Group 9 The Miller and
the Manciple

Group 5: The Guildsmen,
the Cook, and the Host

Group 10: The Summoner
and the Pardoner