Canterbury Tales Narrator Quotes

At nyght was come into that hostelrye
Wei nyne and twenty in a compaignye,
Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle
In felaweshipe; and pilgrimes were they alle,
That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The scene is set here by the Narrator, also called Chaucer, who is staying at the Tabart Inn in Southwark. There he meets twenty-nine travelers on the same journey to Canterbury. They are a diverse group, coming from all walks of life. He speaks of the fellowship that they all share, including himself in this.

And I seyde his opinion was good;
What sholde he studie and make hymselven wood,
Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure,
Or swynken with his handes, and laboure
As Austyn bit? How shal the world be served?
Lat Austyn have his swynk to him reserved!

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Narrator (Chaucer) is being ironic and sarcastic when he says he agrees with the Monk that hunting and sport are preferable to performing his religious duties. Why should the Monk study and make himself crazy, pore over books in the cloister, or labor and work with his hands, writer and man of books Chaucer asks in a passage dripping with irony.

Everich, for the wisdom that he kan,
Was shaply for to been an alderman.
For catel hadde they ynogh and rente.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Narrator Chaucer is referring to the five tradesmen – haberdasher, carpenter, weaver, dyer and tapestry maker. He says that each of them is suitable to be an alderman, an important town leadership position, because they have the necessary wisdom. But then he goes on to say that it is their wealth and possessions that really qualifies them for that role. Chaucer is being ironic here.

A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon ys.
He waitede after no pompe and reverence,
Ne maked him a spiced conscience;
But Cristes loore and his apostles twelve
He taughte, but first he folwed it hymselve.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Narrator believes there there is no better priest anywhere than the Parson. Leading a humble life without pomp or ceremony, he practices what he preaches. First he follows the teaching of Christ and the apostles, and then teaches it to others.

For this ye knowen al so wel as I:
Whoso shal telle a tale after a man,
He moote reherce, as ny as evere he kan
Everich a word, if it be in his charge,
Al speke he never so rudeliche or large;
Or ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe,
Or feyne thyng, or fynde wordes newe.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Narrator Chaucer says that the storytellers must tell their tale truthfully and honestly and as they remember it. And he warns of rude stories to come, foreshadowing some of the bawdy and lewd tales that make up the collection of 24 stories from the group of pilgrims.

The Millere is a cherl, ye knowe wel this;
So was the Reve eek and othere mo,
And harlotrie they tolden bothe two.
Avyseth yow, and put me out of blame;
And eek men shal nat maken ernest of game.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Miller’s Prologue. The Narrator Chaucer provides a health warning about the Miller’s and the Reeve’s tales for people who might be offended by their bawdy stories. They are both churls, he says, meaning medieval peasants of low social status. So don’t blame me and don’t take a joke too seriously, the Narrator adds.

Ye archewyves, stondeth at defense,
Syn ye be strong as is a greet camaille;
Ne suffreth nat that men yow doon offense.
And sklendre wyves, fieble as in bataille,
Beth egre as is a tygre yond in Ynde;
Ay clappeth as a mille, I yow consaille.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Clerk’s Tale. Chaucer’s Envoy gives this health warning for wives after the misfortunes of submissive Griselda in the Clerk’s Tale. Be ready to do battle for you are as strong as a great camel, he urges arch-wives, using a colorful simile. And he tells slender wives who are feeble in battle to be fierce like an Indian tiger and wag their tongues like a windmill, using two more expressive similes.

Ne dreed hem nat; doth hem no reverence,
For though thyn housbonde armed be in maille,
The arwes of thy crabbed eloquence
Shal perce his brest and eek his aventaille.
In jalousie I rede eek thou hym bynde,
And thou shalt make hym couche as doth a quaille.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Clerk’s Tale. Following the Clerk’s Tale the "Envoy de Chaucer" advises wives to neither fear husbands nor do them reverence. For though their husbands may be armed in mail, the arrows of their shrewish eloquence will pierce his breast, he says. And he advocates wives use jealousy as a weapon to make their man cower like a quail. There is nice use of metaphor and simile in this passage, a passage worthy of the Wife of Bath!

If thou be fair, ther folk been in presence,
Shewe thou thy visage and thyn apparaille;
If thou be foul, be fre of thy dispence;
To gete thee freendes ay do thy travaille;
Be ay of chiere as light as leef on lynde,
And lat hym care, and wepe, and wrynge, and waille!

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Clerk’s Tale. Chaucer’s Envoy gives his final piece of advice after the Clerk’s Tale. He tells the beautiful wives to show their faces and clothes in the presence of other folk. And the ugly wives he advocates to spend lavishly, work hard to gain friends and be light as a leaf on a tree. And let the husband worry, weep, wring his hands and wail, he adds!

Thow lookest as thou woldest fynde an hare,
For ever upon the ground I se thee stare.
Approche neer, and looke up murily;
Now war yow, sires, and lat this man have place.
He in the waast is shape as wel as I;
This were a popet in an arm t’embrace
For any womman, smal and fair of face.
He semeth elvyssh by his contenaunce,
For unto no wight dooth he daliaunce.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Prologue to Sir Thopas. The Host Harry Bailly describes Chaucer the Pilgrim. He is small, fair of face, stares a lot at the ground and doesn’t gossip with anyone. The Host calls Chaucer to him to invite him tell his tale.

His heer, his berd was lyk saffroun,
That to his girdel raughte adoun;
His shoon of cordewane.
Of Brugges were his hosen broun,
His robe was of syklatoun,
That coste many a jane.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Tale of Sir Thopas. The tale is a satirical depiction of the chivalrous knight, focusing more on his looks, appearance and what he wears, than on his valor or prowess in battle. Here we are told about his saffron hair and beard, leather shoes, brown stockings from Bruges, and expensive silk robe woven with gold.

Ful many a mayde, bright in bour,
They moorne for hym paramour,
Whan hem were bet to slepe;
But he was chaast and no lechour,
And sweete as is the brembul flour
That bereth the rede hepe.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Tale of Sir Thopas. Many young maids while in their bed-chamber passionately dream of Sir Thopas, when it would be better for them to sleep. But he remains chaste and is no lecher, being as sweet as the dog rose that bears the red hip (simile), we learn. Chaucer is using parody here to mock traditional romance stories of the time.

For in that contree was ther noon
That to him durste ride or goon,
Neither wyf ne childe;
Til that ther cam a greet geaunt,
His name was sire Olifaunt,
A perilous man of dede.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Tale of Sir Thopas. When Sir Thopas rides into fairyland, he meets a three-headed giant named Sir Elephant. But Sir Thopas has forgotten his armor, and he can’t do battle with him. So instead he arranges to meet the giant the next day and rides home to fetch his armor and prepare himself.

And for he was a knyght auntrous,
He nolde slepen in noon hous,
But liggen in his hoode;
His brighte helm was his wonger,
And by hym baiteth his dextrer
Of herbes fyne and goode.
Hymself drank water of the well,
As dide the knyght sire Percyvell
So worly under wede,
Til on a day – .

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Tale of Sir Thopas. Chaucer continues to describe how the adventurous knight would sleep outdoors, his helmet for his pillow, his war-horse grazing beside him. This is as far as Chaucer gets in his story before it is interrupted by the Host, who can’t listen to any more of it.

"Namoore of this, for Goddes dignitee,"
Quod oure Hooste, "for thou makest me
So wery of thy verray lewednesse
That, also wisly God my soule blesse,
Myne eres aken of thy drasty speche.
Now swich a rym the devel I biteche!
This may wel be rym dogerel," quod he.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Tale of Sir Thopas. No more of this, the Host says, commanding Chaucer to halt his tale. The host rages that his ears ache from Chaucer’s worthless speech and this may well be doggerel verse. He definitely doesn’t appear to be impressed with Chaucer’s send-up of knights and chivalry.
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