Tales of Canterbury

Stories can be vague and dull if the wrong person is telling it. Stories can grasp micro details that make a reader or listener feel as though they are in that very moment sharing the same breath as the person telling it. That’s why stories are important because details can make stories more important, realistic and just more enjoyable.

In the general Prologue of the Tales of Canterbury, they have 29 people who are becoming pilgrims to travel to Canterbury. Each person has a different background and has different ways at looking at things. The narrator has each person tell two stories on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back. Each story is going to be different and will be told different from the next person who speaks. The Knight and the Merchant will share stories probably very different from each other but nevertheless enjoyable to listen to. Chaucer introduces everyone from the most respected to the peasants based on the social ladder in Medieval England.

The descriptions he used to describe the journey was the crisp sharp air as the seasons change from winter to spring. The flowers peaked from under the snow as if they were shy to show themselves to the world. He described the air as being flavorful and it reminded me of the way pine would smell if you’re camping while the trees looked down on you and surrounded your every move. The cold crisp air would dance on your cheeks while they slowly become numb to the touch. Although they all ranked differently in cast iron social ladders, they all shared the same numbing feeling in their limbs as they headed on the same journey.