After dinner, the innkeeper Halle Bailey suggested that pilgrims tell two stories on their way back to Canterbury. He volunteered to be a guide and judge to see who told the best story and get a good meal for free. The writer Chaucer also joined them. Bailey is smart, elegant, generous and enthusiastic. I suggest everyone take turns telling stories as a pastime along the way. Let's talk about two on the way and two on the way back, and draw lots in order to decide. These stories include court anecdotes, knight legends, biographies of church saints, sermons to persuade the good, animal fables, fable narrative poems and so on.
29 pilgrims and innkeepers, and the poet Chaucer, the number of pilgrims is 3 1. Representing all walks of life in medieval England.
The knight and his son, the trainee knight, represent the noble class and chivalry. Knight is a man full of honor and noble virtue, who has been to Palestine and Russia. Accompanied by a servant, he is an honest man who loves labor. Then came a group of church figures, headed by a female abbot, who was more obsessed with high society than with religion. There is a nun and three priests who serve her. They are greedy, lustful and love money. Other church figures include a monk and a dervish. Buddhist monks use all means to extract money from believers. Representatives of other social classes have a cloakroom businessman. He is a formidable businessman and cunning. No one knows that he is heavily in debt. A thin scholar reveres Aristotle, whose only property is 20 books. A lawyer, familiar with all laws and legal precedents since William the Conqueror. Doctors are knowledgeable and good at astrology, and can speculate on the development of any disease. Women in city of bath have made a fortune by weaving business, representing new women, and have had five husbands. In addition, there are five craftsmen from London, including a carpenter, a weaver, a dyer and a tapestry maker. They all belong to the same prestigious mutual aid association and are good citizens. They also brought a chef, who is as skilled as a sailor who has experienced storms. A student of Oxford University will also become a monk in the church after graduation. He is full of naive illusions about his future life and is struggling fiercely between church abstinence and secular happiness. A miller who owns his own small mill is a rich farmer in the countryside and full of foul language. A grain buyer, although extremely vulgar, is very thoughtful and can take advantage of 30 jurists. A real estate agent, he has done many things. A low-ranking rural priest, only he is a true devout believer, and he sets an example in everything. In addition, there are messengers of the church court, and the church sells atonement vouchers, all of which are liars, using the ignorance of ordinary people to cheat money and so on.
So these pilgrims began to tell stories, and the story unfolded a picture of a vibrant, optimistic and happy life. The following stories are recognized as the best in The Canterbury Tales:
The story of the knight-a tragic love story about Paramount and Asetti falling in love with Amelia.
The story told by the seller of the atonement ticket-an exhortation fable about death arrival on the greedy.
The story told by the abbot's priest-an animal fable about a sly fox and a vain rooster. This is Chaucer's masterpiece. He turned an ancient fable into a realistic comedy with rich content, vivid language and elegant taste.
A story told by a businessman-a story of a family dispute between an old man and a young wife.
Stories told by free farmers-stories about loyal love and generosity.