"General Prologue" (adapted from a guide by Richard Kroll)

1. What is the general purpose of such a prologue?

2. What or who are we presented with, and in what order?

3. The pilgrims represent a variety of human types. How would you group them?

4. Who presents the tale? Is the relation between `poet' and `narrator' the same or different from that in Beowulf?

5. What does the setting do for the rest of the tales?

(a) What is the putative purpose or motive for the journey?

6. With respect to the narrator, what is he like? (lines 19-42; 717-48)

(a) How does he tend to see the other pilgrims?

(b) How is each description ordered? What details does the narrator tend to notice?

7. What is the relationship of the Host to the journey; to the pilgrims?

8. Which pilgrims are the most appealing figures? Which the least? Why?

9. "The Miller's Tale"

(a) How is Nicolas described? (What is the meaning of "hende" [91]?)

(b) How is the wife described (125ff.)? In what order are things presented, and what happens to the nature of the description as it proceeds?

(c) In what terms does “hende Nicolas” woo the wife?

(d) How does the wife swear to fulfil Nicolas' desire?

(e) How is Absalon described?

(f) Why are Alison and John only named at 256-61?

10. The Trick:

(a) What is the Carpenter's explanation for Nicolas' curious state? (341f.)

(b) Is there any irony in the advice given to John at 422?

(c) Where and how do secrets keep coming into the language and action?

(d) What is the moral of the tale's end? Or is it just a sophomoric joke?

 

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