What is the basic purpose of the General Prologue?

The purpose of the prologue is to give readers a general overview of the characters that are present, why they are present there, and what they will be doing. The narrator begins by telling us how it is the season in which people are getting ready to make a pilgrimage to Canterbury.

Also know, what does the General Prologue mean?

The General Prologue is a basic descriptive list of the twenty-nine people who become pilgrims to journey to Canterbury, each telling a story along the way. The narrator describes and lists the pilgrims skillfully, according to their rank and status.

Also Know, what is the purpose of the Canterbury Tales? "The General Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales serves two main functions: to offer context for the text to follow and to introduce all of the pilgrims. In fulfilling both of these purposes, Chaucer also inserts subtle criticism of certain characters and satirizes aspects of life in the Middle Ages.

Consequently, how does the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales begin?

The narrator opens the General Prologue with a description of the return of spring. He describes the April rains, the burgeoning flowers and leaves, and the chirping birds. Around this time of year, the narrator says, people begin to feel the desire to go on a pilgrimage.

Why did Chaucer write the prologue?

Geoffrey Chaucer writes a Prologue in order to frame his pilgrimage and introduce the three main segments of medieval society: the church, the court, and the common people.

38 Related Question Answers Found

What is the structure of the General Prologue?

Structure. The General Prologue establishes the frame for the Tales as a whole (or of the intended whole) and introduces the characters/story tellers. These are introduced in the order of their rank in accordance with the three medieval social estates (clergy, nobility, and commoners and peasantry).

What is the moral of the Knight's Tale?

"The Knight's Tale" shows what happens when the rules of two different systems – chivalry and courtly love – come into conflict with one another. Palamon and Arcite have sworn a knightly oath to be loyal to one another, but they both fall in love with the same girl.

Who is the narrator of the General Prologue?

Chaucer

What social classes did Chaucer write?

The characters in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer fall into one of the three estates, or social classes, used to categorize people in feudal and medieval England. These included members of the First Estate, or Church hierarchy, like The Prioress, Monk, Friar, Parson, and Pardoner.

What is so special about Canterbury?

Canterbury Cathedral was one of the most important centres of pilgrimage in Medieval England. While the cathedral had huge significance at both a religious and political level in medieval times, its importance as a centre of pilgrimage greatly increased after the murder of Thomas Becket there in 1170.

Where is the narrator going on his journey and why?

In the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, the narrator starts by telling the reader that pilgrims often go on trips to the martyr's shrine in April. The martyr he is referring to is Thomas Becket, the slain former Archbishop of Canterbury. Apparently, the narrator is there alone and about to begin his journey.

Where are the pilgrims traveling and for what reason?

Why are the travelers going to Canterbury? They are on a pilgrimage to visit the healing waters of Aquinas. They are on a pilgrimage to see the relics of St. Thomas Becket.

Why does the speaker join the 29 pilgrims at the inn?

Answer: The narrator in Geoffrey Chaucer's "THE CANTERBURY TALES" joins twenty-eight pilgrims in order to make the account of the incident look more real.

How many characters are in the General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales?

32 characters

Who is Madame Eglantine character?

The Prioress

Who won the Canterbury Tales?

Chaucer

Why is the knight first in the General Prologue to tell a tale?

Why is the Knight first in the General Prologue and first to tell a tale? The Knight is first to be described in the General Prologue because he is the highest on the social scale, being closest to belonging to the highest estate, the aristocracy.

Why is the prologue important in the Canterbury Tales?

The prologue to The Canterbury Tales is most important because it established the class structure of society in Medieval England. Chaucer uses the genre of estates satire. He introduces the nobility first, followed by the clergy, the merchants, tradesmen, and finally the peasants.

Why is the Reeve offended by the Miller's tale?

"The Reeve's Tale" is an attempt by the Reeve to "quite," or answer, "The Miller's Tale." The Reeve is angry because the Miller has just told a story in which a carpenter is humiliated by his wife and her lover.

What is The Canterbury Tales about short summary?

The Canterbury Tales, written in a combination of verse and prose, tells the story of some 30 pilgrims walking from Southwark to Canterbury on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St Thomas Beckett. On route, the pilgrims engage in a story telling competition to win a meal at the Tabard Inn!

Who is the narrator of The Canterbury Tales?

Chaucer the Pilgrim is the narrator of the tales, and he must give an accurate description of what is going on, even if he disagrees with the character's action. First Chaucer the Pilgrim talks about nature and the seasons. He tells us that he is joined by several people on a journey to Canterbury.

What season is described in the opening of The Canterbury Tales?

What season is described in the opening passage of The Canterbury Tales? Spring.