Canterbury Tales Flashcards
squire
Tunic embroidered with red and white flowers, a “ladies man”, 20 yrs old.
parson
A poor man made rich by God’s work
summoner
Red face covered in carbuncles, drank until he was hazy, smelled of garlic and onions
prioress/nun
wide forehead and concerned with manners
manciple
frugal man, outwits his masters
friar
keeps gifts in his pocket for pretty girls, knew barmaids and tavern keepers well.
wife of bath
had five husbands, attractive, red stockings, slightly deaf
monk
fat, bells on his saddle, hunter, wore a gold pin and a fur lined coat
doctor
Wore blood red and blue striped garment, had a love of gold, sly dealings with apothecaries
the pardoner
waxy, yellow hair that “hung like rat tails”, bulging eyes, sold fake relics
miller
large, strong fellow, red beard, black nostrils, loud, told dirty stories
knight
a perfect gentleman, modest, stained tunic
yeoman
wore a green hood, head like a nut
plowman
the parson’s brother, a farmer, honest worker
man of law
gave the impression of being busier than he really was, wore a multi-colored coat
franklin
had a white beard, red face, loved expensive food and wine
reeve
old, thin, cranky, mean to his workers, stole from his master
merchant
wore a motley tunic, had a forked beard, Flemish beaver cap
skipper
accomplished sailor, not a nice man, wore a daggar on a lanyard
cleric
thin, spends more on books than food, thin horse
chivalric romance
a non-scholarly narrative in metrical verses; a tale of love, adventure, knightly conflict, and pageantry
myth
a retelling of a classic myth
Breton Lais
set in the Brittany region of France; tales, Celtic in origin, of magic, fairies, folklore, and courtly love
beast fable
animal characters with human qualities, clever tale that preaches a moral lesson
prose-allegory
non poetic tale in which people and things represent abstract qualities
mock-heroic
ridicule, by imitation, of chivalric literature and heroic characters
jokes
humorous incidents that ridicule people
fabliau
story based on clever tricks involving infidelity
sermon
an oratory teaching of a Christian message
exemplum
a sermon that illustrates a known moral lesson
Saint’s legend
tale of inspirational acts or martyrdom
Miracle of the Virgin
tale in which the virgin Mary miraculously aids a follower in a time of need
moral tale
tale to inspire moral conduct to the reader
