Page 95 - DENG405_BRITISH_POETRY

British Poetry

Notes side are we on? Deceivers will be deceived: bad people should not expect good things, the Reeve
tells us as his moral. But this simplistic justice doesn’t play out so simply within his tale: and the
subversion and complication of ideas of justice will only continue through the Tales as a whole.

10.2 The Cook’s Tale

10.2.1 The Cook’s Prologue

Roger of Ware, the Cook, claps the Reeve on the back “for joye”. Delighted with the way Symkyn the
miller had received his comeuppance in the tale, the Cook then promises a tale of his own, despite the
fact that he is only a “povre man” (a poor man). The Host answers, granting Roger the next tale. But
he adds “looke that it be good”, and comments on Roger’s tendency to draw the gravy out of unsold
pies, and resell pies that have already been reheated twice in his shop, full of flies.
The Host’s conclusion incites Roger the Cook to tell a story “in game” (in jest, in fun).. Roger agrees,
and, reminding Harry Bailly (the Host) not to be angry, particularly because his tale is about a
“hostileer” (pub-owner, like the Host himself), he begins his tale.

Self Assessment

Short Answer Type Questions:
1. How does the Miller, Symkyn, parallel the Miller on the pilgrimage?
2. How is Symkyn paid back by the clerics for his cheating?
3. What was the reaction of the other pilgrims to the tale told by the Miller?
4. What qualities does the Reeve say characterize old men?
5. How does the infant in the cradle function in this story?

10.2.2 The Cook’s Tale Text

Once an apprentice lived in “our city” (perhaps “Ware” in Hertfordshire – the town the Cook is from)
and his craft was selling food. He was a short man, with a dark complexion and black hair–and he
was an excellent dancer: so good, that people called him “Perkin Reveller” (to “revel” is to dance and
have a good time).
He loved the tavern better than his shop, and, whenever there was a procession in Cheapside, he
would run out of the shop to enjoy himself and dance, forgetting about work. He often stole from
his master, with whom he lived until he had finished his apprenticeship. However, one day, his
master sent for him, and quoting the proverb “It is better to take the rotten apple out of the bag than
to have it rot all the other apples”, decided to get rid of him.
Now this jolly apprentice had his leave, and could riot all night if he so pleased–and eventually, he
found board with a companion of his own sort: who loved dice, and reveling, and pleasure. This
companion had a wife who, for the sake of appearances only, kept a shop–and had sex for a living.
Thus–abruptly–ends the Cook’s Tale.

Analysis

Thus ends the first fragment of the Canterbury Tales with a tale that breaks off before it has really gets
anywhere - and the real question is whether the tale is deliberately left unfinished by Chaucer, whether
he intended to return to it, or whether we have just lost some of the manuscript. There are no definite
answers, unfortunately, and critics have argued for all three positions.

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