The Parson

- Parish priest

   - Unlike prioress and monk, he lives by holy word

- Not a high position in society

- He is a shepherd and his parish is his sheep (dedication)

- Represents the sins of a priest

- Meant to be uneducated, however he is incredibly intelligent

- Doesn't care about his appearance

- Holds a staph, similar to a shepherd

    - Shepherd symbolism (his parish = his flock)

    - Alike Jesus, or moses

- Does not own a horse (walks on foot)

   - Abstaining from wealth (horse a symbol of money)

- Like the knight as he is an idealised figure

- Wouldn't neglect those less fortunate (unlike the friar)

- Chaucer the pilgrim speaks highly of him

- Pias, courteous, and gentle

- 'A shiten shepherde' = doesn't wash often 

The Wife of Bath

- Fat, fair, and likes the colour red (romance)
- Gaps between her teeth suggest morality
- Her horse suggest she has wealth
- Well travelled, means wealth
- Married 5 times
- Cloth making is her trade
    - 'She passed hem of Ypres and Gaunt' 
- Similar to friar, monk and prioress
    - How does she fit in, with her religious beliefs?
- Un-holy to be married more than once, banned in church
- Knows the dance of love, why should she know this?
- Been on many other pilgrimages
    - First at the alter when in mass
    - Would suggest she is religious
    - Seen as a sinner in the eyes of the church
- Divorce was illegal (couldn't happen)
    - What has happened to her previous husbands? 
    - Dead?
    - Suspicious deaths, she might be marrying for money
- Why was she married so much? (epitome of a female sinner)
- How did she have so much money?
- Why has she been on so many pilgrimages previously?
- If she was a commoner how did she get fat and acquire a horse?

Doctor of Phisik

- Doctor of physics and astronomy, but knows biology and can treat people

- Like the Friar so exploits people

     - 'Loves Gold'

- Spends money he gains from healing people on clothes, food and jewellery

- Favourite remedy is to give people gold to drink

     - Shows off his wealth

     - Gives patients urine not gold

- Doesn't follow bible, interested in alchemy 

     - Why is he going on a pilgrimage?

- Hid during black death instead of treating people

     - Selfish ('He kepte that he wan')

- Increasing his social class by buying lavish items

- Chaucer the pilgrim says that he is a worthy man ('He was a verray, parfit praktisour')

The Shipman

- Owns a cart-horse
- Working horse, rough and not well kept
- Bad at riding his horse, more of a sea man
    - Doesn't spend much time on land
- Wears a robe of rough cloth (not very wealthy)
- Carry's a knife and says that he could use it instantly (why does he need this? The five guildsmen also carry one)
- Pirate?
- Steals win from the ship, dubious
- Master of his trade (like the cook)
- Knows all the coasts of England, Spain and Denmark
- His tan is like the knights armour, showing where he has been, tan means you are a worker
- Throw people overboard if they got into a fight
- Likes to have control, gets into fights
- His boat is named (St. Mary Magdelene)

The Five Guildsmen & The Cook

- Always dressed in a smart uniform
- Not individually wealthy, came together to become a wealthy group
- All have similar incomes
- Wealthy, own silver and brass knives
    - Possibly have another source of income (unknown)
- Appear only in a group 
- Rich enough to employ a cook
- The cook had a pussy boil on his knee
- The Guildsmen have a higher social class than the average person
- Their wives are to blame for what they have done wrong
- The wives are understanding of their husband
- Similar to prioress and squire = spend money on clothes and think about their appearances
- Indivisible unit, are only talked about together
- Their individual personalities, skills and avocations are not revealed

The Franklin

- Free tenant of the crown (didn't have to pay tax or rent, was incredibly wealthy)

- Knight of the shire (member of the parliament) 

- Part of the emerging middle class (not born into nobility) 

- White beard might suggest he is old (age = respect?)

- Oldest member of the pilgrimage

- He survived the black death, grew old, could lead to respect 

- He drank wine at breakfast, wealthy, could afford what ever he wants

- He can supposedly what ever he wants, and he enjoys this freedom

- Figure of authority, alike the knight and squire

- Suggested to be like St. Julian (patron saint of hospitality)

- Doesn't have an ulterior motive by going on the pilgrimage

- Chaucer could be personifying himself through The Franklin

The Sergeant of Law

- Likened to the merchant, the middle class rising
- Elite class of lawyers
- Possibly could have worked in Saint Paul's Cathedral 
- Given lots of ostentatious and lavish clothing by royalty 
      - Normally dressed formally
      - In red = powerful
- He was withdrawn and cautious - Why?
- A lot of people couldn't afford to keep such glamorous horses and livestock
- Un-trust worthy, or dubious because he isn't wearing his best clothes
- Chaucer's rhyming couplets and iambic pentameter really highlight the sergeant of the law's authority