Study Guide to The Prologue and Background material.

Nun

Everything about this character is fake.

Pardoner

This sells fake relics such as pigs' bones to poor country people.

Parson

This character is identified as a shepherd, just as Christ was

Friar

This character is better acquainted with the bars and barmaids than with the sick and poor.

Summoner

This character scares children, either because of the carbuncles all over his face or because of his job

Knight

This pilgrim is mentioned first because of the character's rank

Monk

This character's clothing is expensive and inappropriate to the vow of poverty he took.

Squire

This character's accomplishments aren't those that prepare one to be a knight.

Wife of Bath

This character has been on three previous pilgrimages looking for a husband

Plowman

This character does whatever work God gives him to do.

Parson

This character argues that "if gold rusts, what will iron do?

Nun

This character speaks really bad French

Monk

This character likes to hunt.

Friar

This character is such an expert beggar that he gets money from a poor widow.

Monk

This character prefers to pick and choose which religious rules to obey.

Knight

This character doesn't change his/her clothes before the pilgrimage

Friar

This character has his pockets filled with stuff for pretty girls

Pardoner

This character's favorite part of church is the "Offertory.