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nature。 I am amazed； considering his time； that he was so great an
artist without having a knowledge of the principles of art as
taught by the great masters of composition。
But； as has been already said； his distinguishing excellence is
vivid and natural description of the life and habits； not the
opinions； of the people of the fourteenth century； described
without exaggeration or effort for effect。 He paints his age as
Moliere paints the times of Louis XIV。； and Homer the heroic
periods of Grecian history。 This fidelity to nature and
inexhaustible humor and living freshness and perpetual variety are
the eternal charms of the 〃Canterbury Tales。〃 They bring before
the eye the varied professions and trades and habits and customs of
the fourteenth century。 We see how our ancestors dressed and
talked and ate； what pleasures delighted them； what animosities
moved them； what sentiments elevated them； and what follies made
them ridiculous。 The same naturalness and humor which marked 〃Don
Quixote〃 and the 〃Decameron〃 also are seen in the 〃Canterbury
Tales。〃 Chaucer freed himself from all the affectations and
extravagances and artificiality which characterized the poetry of
the Middle Ages。 With him began a new style in writing。 He and
Wyclif are the creators of English literature。 They did not create
a language； but they formed and polished it。
The various persons who figure in the 〃Canterbury Tales〃 are too
well known for me to enlarge upon。 Who can add anything to the
Prologue in which Chaucer himself describes the varied characters
and habits and appearance of the pilgrims to the shrine of Thomas
Becket at Canterbury？ There are thirty of these pilgrims including
the poet himself； embracing nearly all the professions and trades
then known； except the higher dignitaries of Church and State； who
are not supposed to mix freely in ordinary intercourse； and whom it
would be unwise to paint in their marked peculiarities。 The most
prominent person； as to social standing； is probably the knight。
He is not a nobleman； but he has fought in many battles； and has
travelled extensively。 His cassock is soiled； and his horse is
strong but not gay；a very respectable man； courteous and gallant；
a soldier corresponding to a modern colonel or captain。 His son；
the esquire； is a youth of twenty； with curled locks and
embroidered dress； shining in various colors like the flowers of
May； gay as a bird； active as a deer； and gentle as a maiden。 The
yeoman who attends them both is clad in green like a forester； with
arrows and feathers； bearing the heavy sword and buckler of his
master。 The prioress is another respectable person； coy and
simple； with dainty fingers； small mouth； and clean attire；a
refined sort of a woman for that age； ornamented with corals and
brooch； so stately as to be held in reverence； yet so sentimental
as to weep for a mouse caught in a trap： all characteristic of a
respectable； kind…hearted lady who has lived in seclusion。 A monk；
of course； in the fourteenth century was everywhere to be seen； and
a monk we have among the pilgrims； riding a 〃dainty〃 horse；
accompanied with greyhounds； loving fur trimmings on his
Benedictine habit and a fat swan to roast。 The friar； too； we
see；a mendicant； yet merry and full of dalliances； beloved by the
common women； to whom he gave easy absolution； a jolly vagabond；
who knew all the taverns； and who carried on his portly person pins
and songs and relics to sell or to give away。 And there was the
merchant； with forked beard and Flemish beaver hat and neatly
clasped boots； bragging of his gains and selling French crowns； but
on the whole a worthy man。 The Oxford clerk or scholar is one of
the company； silent and sententious； as lean as the horse on which
he rode； with threadbare coat； and books of Aristotle and his
philosophy which he valued more than gold； of which indeed he could
boast but little；a man anxious to learn； and still more to teach。
The sergeant of the law is another prominent figure； wary and wise；
discreet and dignified； bustling and busy； yet not so busy as he
seemed to be； wearing a coat of divers colors； and riding very
badly。 A franklin； or country gentleman； mixes with the company；
with a white beard and red complexion； one of Epicurus's own sons；
who held that ale and wheaten bread and fish and dainty flesh；
partridge fat； were pure felicity； evidently a man given to
hospitality；
〃His table dormant in his hall alway
Stood ready covered all the longe day。〃
He was a sheriff； also； to enforce the law； and to be present at
all the county sessions。 The doctor； of course； could not be left
out of the company；a man who knew the cause of every malady；
versed in magic as well as physic； and grounded also in astronomy；
who held that gold is the best of cordials； and knew how to keep
what he gained； not luxurious in his diet； but careful what he ate
and drank。 The village miller is not forgotten in this motley
crowd；rough； brutal； drunken； big and brawn； with a red beard and
a wart on his nose； and a mouth as wide as a furnace； a reveller
and a jangler； accustomed to take toll thrice； and given to all the
sins that then abounded。 He is the most repulsive figure in the
crowd； both vulgar and wicked。 In contrast with him is the reve；
or steward； of a lordly house；a slender； choleric man； feared by
servants and gamekeepers； yet in favor with his lord； since he
always had money to lend； although it belonged to his master； an
adroit agent and manager； who so complicated his accounts that no
auditor could unravel them or any person bring him in arrears。 He
rode a fine dappled…gray stallion； wore a long blue overcoat； and
carried a rusty sword；evidently a proud and prosperous man。 With
a monk and friar； the picture would be incomplete without a
pardoner； or seller of indulgences； with yellow hair and smooth
face； loaded with a pillow…case of relics and pieces of the true
cross； of which there were probably cartloads in every country in
Europe； and of which there was an inexhaustible supply。 This sleek
and gentle pedler of indulgences rode side by side with a repulsive
officer of the Church； with a fiery red face； of whom children were
afraid； fond of garlic and onions and strong wine； and speaking
only Latin law…terms when he was drunk； but withal a good fellow；
abating his lewdness and drunkenness。 In contrast with the
pardoner and 〃sompnour〃 we see the poor parson； full of goodness；
charity； and love；a true shepherd and no mercenary； who waited
upon no pomp and sought no worldly gains； happy only in the virtues
which he both taught and lived。 Some think that Chaucer had in
view the learned Wyclif when he described the most interesting
character of the whole group。 With him was a ploughman； his
brother； as good and pious as he； living in peace with all the
world； paying tithes cheerfully； laborious and conscientious； the
forerunner of the Puritan yeoman。
Of this motley company of pilgrims； I have already spoken of the
prioress；a woman of high position。 In contrast with her is the
wife of Bath； who has travelled extensively； even to Jerusalem and
Rome； charitable； kind…hearted； jolly； and talkative； but bold and
masculine and coarse； with a red face and red stockings； and a hat
as big as a shield； and sharp spurs on her feet； indicating that
she sat on her ambler like a man。
There are other characters which I cannot stop to mention；the
sailor； browned by the seas and sun； and full of stolen Bordeaux
wine； the haberdasher； the carpenter； the weaver； the dyer； the
tapestry…worker； the cook； to boil the chickens and the marrow…
bones； and bake the pies and tarts；mostly people from the middle
and lower ranks of society； whose clothes are gaudy； manners rough；
and language coarse。 But all classes and trades and professions
seem to be represented； except nobles； bishops； and abbots；
dignitaries whom； perhaps； Chaucer is reluctant to describe and
caricature。
To beguile the time on the journey to Canterbury； all these various
pilgrims are required to tell some story peculiar to their separate
walks of life； and it is these stories which afford the best
description we have of the manners and customs of the fourteenth
century； as well as of its leading sentiments and ideas。
The knight was required to tell his story first； and it naturally
was one of love and adventure。 Although the scene of it was laid
in ancient Greece； it delineates the institution of chivalry and
the manners and sentiments it produced。 No writer of that age；
except perhaps Froissart； paints the connection of chivalry with
the graces of the soul and the moral beauty which poetry associates
with the female sex as Chaucer does。 The aristocratic woman of
chivalry； while delighting in martial sports； and hence masculine
and haughty； is also condescendin