The Canterbury Tales Literary Elements

poetry; fiction

The overarching narrative of the text is set in England during the middle ages. The Pilgrims travel to Canterbury in the month of April.

There are two "narrators" of the text, the first of which is Geoffrey Chaucer himself, who helps frame the numerous tales to come. The Host is the secondary narrator, who facilitates the tale-telling while providing commentary of his own.

ironic, irreverent, playful, socially conscious

Due to the number of characters in the text, there is no discernible protagonist or antagonist. However, some characters receive a relatively kind portrayal – like the Knight and the Parson – while others are clearly criticized for their hypocrisy and corruption – like the Friar and the Monk.

The central conflict of The Canterbury Tales is a social one: people from a wide array of social, political, and religious backgrounds are vying for the approval of their companions while trying to uphold reputations that may only be a farce.

Given that it is a collection of stories, there is no singular climax in The Canterbury Tales. However, there are a number of interruptive moments throughout the text that heighten the tension among the characters, such as when the Miller interrupts to the Host to change the order of the tale-telling.

The descriptions provided of the characters in the General Prologue foreshadow the kind of tale they will tell, as well as the relationship between their outward appearance and their inner character.

The Knight is a character who speaks with notable understatement, given his commitment to chivalry and propriety. By contrast, someone like the Miller is crass, rude, and straightforward.

The text makes numerous allusions to Medieval English social, political, and religious strife, namely the corruption of the clergy.

Important imagery in the text includes springtime, appearance, apparel, and varying degrees of violent behavior.

It is comically paradoxical that the pilgrim Geoffrey Chaucer tells what is clearly the worst tale of them all – the Tale of Sir Thopas.

The Parson serves as a parallel to many of the other religious figures in the text. He is the only honest and devout man among the other corrupt, self-serving members of the clergy.

A character's outfit is often presented as a metonymical representation of their person, whether that be an earnest portrayal or an ironic one.

The General Prologue personifies April's showers as a man who impregnates March, a personified woman, giving birth to children, or a personified spring.