The General Prologue is the key to The Canterbury tales that narrates about the gathering of a group of people in an inn that intend to go on a pilgrimage to Canterbury (England) next morning. In the General Prologue, the narrator of The Canterbury Tales, who is one of the intended pilgrims, provides more or less accurate depictions of the members of the group and describes why and how The Canterbury Tales is told. If we trust the General Prologue, Chaucer determined that each pilgrim should tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two tales on the way back. The host of the inn offers to be and is appointed as judge of the tales as they are told and is supposed to determine the best hence winning tale. As mentioned before, The Canterbury Tales was never finished.
The Knight's tale is about two young knights that strive for Emily, who is the sister of queen Hippolyta who is married to duke Theseus, lord and governour of Athens. The story contains many aspects of knighthood, including discussions on love, courtly manners, brotherhood and loyalty. Several fights and battles are fought and even foreign kings are brought in to emphasize the epical meaning and shape of the last battle. Finally, death is the end of every worldly sore.
The travellers have just listened to the Knight's tale and agree on the high standing of the Knight's tale. The Miller offers to tell the next tale and is convinced that he will beat the Knight. The Host suggests that the Miller should wait as he is quite drunk. The Miller replies that he insists on telling his tale about a carpenter. The Reeve, who is a carpenter by trade, urges the Miller not to make jokes about carpenters. The Miller replies he has no intention to insult carpenters in general. Chaucer warns the reader for the Miller's rude language.
The Miller's tale is about an old carpenter who has a young wife and is duped by the suitor of his wife. The suitor is eventually duped by another suitor.
The Wife of Bath presents herself as the authority on marriage and marital life. She comments on the social and legal position of women in marriage and daily life. She claims she has her knowledge from experience, not from scriptural authority. Rather than rejecting scriptural authority, she appeals to logic thus rejecting too strict interpretations of scriptural rules and commandments.
The Knight interrupts the Monk, who narrates about men that have fallen from grace. Instead the Knight likes to hear about men that rise in stature. The Host asks the Monk to tell another tale, however the Monk refuses at this time. The Host then asks the Nun's Priest to tell a tale.
The Nun's Priest's tale is about a rooster called Chauntecleer that lives with seven chickens and several other animals in the yard of a poor old widow.