What is the main idea of the poem THE PROLOGUE TO CANTERBURY TALES by Chaucer?

The General Prologue was probably written early in the composition of the Canterbury Tales, and offers an interesting comparison point to many of the individual tales itself.It serves as an introduction to many of the colorful characters. We must, therefore, view the General Prologue with some hesitation as a comparison point to the tales themselves: it offers useful or enlightening suggestions, but they are no means a complete, reliable guide to the tales and what they mean.