Canterbury Tale Summaries Flashcards
Miller’s Tale
John, carpenter, and young wife Alison and Nick, a student
Tubs in rafters, Alison and Nick sleep together, Absalon begs for a kiss
Offended the Reeve, a carpenter
Reeve’s Tale
Simpkin, the miller, and the stealing mill
John and Alan sleep with his wife/daughter
Reeve is actually similar to Simpkin
Wife of Bath’s Tale
A knight had to search for what women want, rewarded for letting old lady make decisions
Sovereignty in relationship
Knight’s Tale
Palamon and Arcite let love for Emily ruin their friendship
Shipman/Sailor’s Tale
Rich man, Peter, accidentally pays Don John, a monk, to have sex with his wife
Wife gets out of consequences through sex
Friar’s Tale
Corrupt summoner that accidentally makes a pact with a demon in disguise
Summoners are bad and evil
Ironic because friar is corrupt as well
Summoner’s Tale
About a friar who takes ‘donations’ for prayers but doesn’t pray for them. Fart wheel because someone farted in the friars hand
Cleric’s Tale
Marquis tests his wife’s obedience by taking her children away
Be strong in your faith
Merchant’s Tale
An old knight is blind to his wife’s adultery.
Don’t be oblivious to your surroundings
Franklin’s Tale
A knight departs from his wife. She promises another man her hand in marriage if he gets rid of the black rocks at the cliff. He hires a magician to do so but she is conflicted.
Physician’s Tale
A knight cuts off his daughter’s head because a judge wanted to be with her so he made up a court case to give custody of her to a servant
Pardoner’s Tale
Greedy and sinful men kill each other over a sack of gold
The Pardoner is a greedy individual so it’s slightly ironic that he is telling the story
The Second Nuns Tale
A virtuous woman gets married; under threat of beheading she remained true to her faith and they failed at beheading her
Second Nun is honorable
