English 12 The Canterbury Tales Final Test Review (SOL 12.1-3, 12.

5-7) The narrator met 29 pilgrims at the Tabbard In. Everyone was at the Tabbard because they were making a pilgrimage to Canterbury. They were going to see the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket. The Knight has been in many battles. He was true and gentle. The squire was the son of the Knight, in his twenties, agile, strong, and happy-go-lucky. The Yeoman was the Squire's servant. He was a woodsman, a Robin Hood type character. The Prioress/Nun spoke French, was dainty and pleasant, and the picture of medieval beauty. The Monk was bald and fat. He had a preference for fine clothes and luxuries. He didn't like hard work, but he did like to ride. The Friar takes bribes for easy penance. He knows the taverns and barmaids better than he does the lepers and beggars. He is rather aristocratic, and he lisps. The Merchant has a forked beard and a motley coat. He is careful with money, a good negotiator, and always tells his opinions about business. The Clerk was an Oxford student who didn't say much, didn't have a job, and just loved learning for the sake of learning. The Cook was a master of the trade, had a sore on one knee, and was physically a rather The Parson was truly Christ-like; patient, giving, holy and virtuous, and didn't believe in pomp or The Plowman is Parson's brother. He was an honest worker who paid his taxes on time. The Miller had a football-player build. He had a red beard, a wart on his nose, and a filthy mouth. He cheated customers and in his spare time played the bagpipes. The Summoner had a red face full of sores. He ate onions and drank too much. He would take bribes. he had a garland of flowers on his head and held a cake like a shield. The Pardoner sang in a strong voice, had long, yellow hair, bulging eyes, was baby-faced and carried a bunch of false relics to sell. The hosts name was Harry Bailly. He was manly, good-natured, and happy. The Wife of Bath was large and somewhat deaf, had a red complexion, wore a wide hat and spurs and had been married several times. The host proposes a storytelling game to the pilgrims. The pilgrims agree agree to place themselves in the hosts hands What is the Pardoner's purpose is to make money, but is supposed to be concerned with saving souls. The rioters agreed to hunt down death in the Pardoners Tale. They met an old man as they began their journey who had to roam the earth until he had found someone who would trade youth for age.

The old man send the rioters up a road to an oak tree. The rioters found 8 bushels of gold. They have to bring the treasure home at night because they were afraid someone would think they had stolen it. One youth was sent to town to buy food and drink. The two other youths plan to stab the younger one when he returned from town. The one who went to town planned to poison the other two. All three of the rioters died. The knight raped a young maiden and was sentenced to death. The Queen saved him, under the condition that he would come back in one year's time and tell her the one thing women wanted above all else. He met an old woman who told him the answer to the queen's question and under the condition that he would grant her next request if it would be in his power to do so. The answer to the question is that women want control over their husbands. The woman asked the knight to marry her. The knight kept his word and married her, but he was miserable the woman told him that he could have her old and faithful or young and perhaps not so faithful. The knight let her choose. Chaucer was considered the first true British writer because he was one of the first writers to publish his work in English Chaucer had a keen insight on British society because he worked for many years in the British government The Pardoner, the summoner, the friar, and the monk are all examples of Chaucers view of the Catholic Church during that period. This view is one of contempt. Part II 1. "No empty-handed man can lure a bird," said the Wife of Bath. She means that if a man wants to marry a woman, he better have money and property. 2. All women want mastery over their husbands and lovers, according to the queen and the old woman. 3. The game that the host proposals to the pilgrims is a storytelling contest to pass the time on the trip to Canterbury. 4. The Wife's fifth husband beat her. She stayed with him because she truly loved him. 5. The irony with the sin of which the Pardoner preaches against (avarice) is that he is guilty of it himself. 6. The old woman promised the knight both beauty and fidelity in the Wife of Baths tale because he submitted her and let her decide what is best. 7. The significance of people taking pilgrimages in April, rather than another time of year, is that the spring is a better time to travel and it is around Easter. 8. The knight and the parson are the pilgrims that Chaucer idealizes, because they are the ones who are honest and truly good people. 9. The moral that Chaucer wants us to draw from The Pardoners Tale is that greed is evil to the point of being deadly.