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Unit 9: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales (Non-detailed Study): Discussion and Analysis-I

The Clerk follows the Merchant. A student of Oxford university, he would rather have twenty Notes
books by Aristotle than rich clothes or musical instruments, and thus is dressed in a threadbare
short coat. He only has a little gold, which he tends to spend on books and learning, and takes huge
care and attention of his studies. He never speaks a word more than is needed, and that is short,
quick and full of sentence (the Middle-English word for ‘meaningfulness’ is a close relation of
‘sententiousness’).
The Man of Law (referred to here as ‘A Sergeant of the Lawe’) is a judicious and dignified man, or,
at least, he seems so because of his wise words. He is a judge in the court of assizes, by letter of
appointment from the king, and because of his high standing receives many grants. He can draw
up a legal document, the narrator tells us, and no-one can find a flaw in his legal writings. Yet,
despite all this money and social worth, the Man of Law rides only in a homely, multi-coloured
coat.
A Franklin travels with the Man of Law. He has a beard as white as a daisy, and of the sanguine
humour (dominated by his blood). The Franklin is a big eater, loving a piece of bread dipped in
wine, and is described (though not literally!) as Epicurus’ son: the Franklin lives for culinary delight.
His house is always full of meat pie, fish and meat, so much so that it ‘snewed in his hous of mete
and drynke’. He changes his meats and drinks according to what foods are in season.
A Haberdasher and a Carpenter, a Weaver, a Dyer and a Tapycer (weaver of tapestries) are next
described, all of them clothed in the same distinctive guildsman’s dress. Note that none of these
pilgrims, in the end, actually tell a tale.
A Cook had been brought along to boil the chicken up with marrow bones and spices, but this
particular Cook knows a draught of ale very well indeed, according to the narrator. The Cook could
roast and simmer and boil and fry, make stews and hashes and bake a pie well, but it was a great
pity that, on his shin, he has an ulcer.
A Shipman from Dartmouth is next-tanned brown from the hot summer sun, riding upon a carthorse,
and wearing a gown of coarse woolen cloth which reaches to his knees. The Shipman had, many
times, drawn a secret draught of wine on board ship, while the merchant was asleep. The Shipman
has weathered many storms, and knows his trade: he knows the locations of all the harbors from
Gotland to Cape Finistere. His shape is called ‘the Maudelayne’.
A Doctor of Medicine is the next pilgrim described, clad in red and blue, and no-one in the world
can match him in speaking about medicine and surgery. He knows the cause of every illness, what
humor engenders them, and how to cure them. He is a perfect practitioner of medicine, and he has
apothecaries ready to send him drugs and mixtures. He is well-read in the standard medical
authorities, from the Greeks right through to Chaucer’s contemporary Gilbertus Anglicus. The
Doctor, however, has not studied the Bible.
The Wife of Bath was ‘somdel deef’ (a little deaf, as her tale will later expand upon) and that was a
shame. The Wife of Bath is so adept at making cloth that she surpasses even the cloth-making
capitals of Chaucer’s world, Ypres and Ghent, and she wears coverchiefs (linen coverings for the
head) which must (the narrator assumes) have ‘weyeden ten pound’. She had had five husbands
through the church door, and had been at Jerusalem, Rome and Boulogne on pilgrimage. She is also
described as ‘Gat-tothed’ (traditionally denoting lasciviousness), and as keeping good company,
she knows all the answers about love: ‘for she koude of that art the olde daunce’ (she knew the
whole dance as far as love is concerned!).
A good religious man, A Parson of a Town, is next described, who, although poor in goods, is rich
in holy thought and work. He’s a learned man, who truly preaches Christ’s gospel, and devoutly
teaches his parishioners. He travels across his big parish to visit all of his parishioners, on his feet,
carrying a staff in his hand. He is a noble example to his parishioners (‘his sheep’, as they are

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