Our series on Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales continued with David on Tuesday 28 January 2025.

As well as meeting more of the party of 29 travelling to Canterbury in the latter part of the 14th Century, our analysis of the party and the descriptions provided by Chaucer came in for close examination. Why are only some of the characters named? What is the difference between those that are named and those that are not named? Was Chaucer trying to ignore some of the pilgrims?

David led us through an analysis of the party, and commented on why some of the party have really long introductions, and others in the party are grouped together and described in just a few lines.

Chaucer definitely had a level of discomfort with members of the clergy and religious orders, and this creeps through his cynical introduction of those characters.

Our work on what many consider to be the start of English literature will continue on Monday 03 February 2025 at 2:00pm.