Three Estates.
Three Estates. In The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, the main characters fall into one of three basic estates, or social classes.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=LKECPb98Yfo
- Nobility/Ruling Class – Knight and Squire.
- Clergy – Monk, Friar, Prioress, Parson, Summoner, Pardoner.
- Middle Class – Merchant, Doctor, Student, Wife of Bath.
- Peasants – Miller, Plowman, Skipper.
- Physical Characteristics, Clothing, and Accessories.
- Words, Experiences, and Personality Traits.
The three Medieval estates were the Clergy (those who prayed), the Nobility (those who fought) and lastly the Peasantry (those who labored).
the new middle class
Who is the cook in the Canterbury Tales? The Cook is a professional, a member of the new middle class. He is likely someone who worked his way through his trade like a weaver or a carpenter.
working class man
The Skipper (or Shipman) in The Canterbury Tales stands out as a character because he is a straight-forward, working class man who lacks the hypocrisy of many other characters who have more wealth and status.
How many classes were divided in Canterbury Tales What are they?
During the 1340s, the bubonic plague decimated England’s population. During medieval times and in Canterbury tales, the social classes are royalty, nobility, clergy, merchants, and skilled artisans, and peasantry.
Who is middle class in Canterbury Tales?
And Chaucer’s interest in middle class characters, such as a cook, carpenter, miller, lawyer, merchant, clerk, physician reflects the rise of the middle class in the fourteenth century (Collin 1).
The wealthiest class with the most respect is royalty, which is followed by the noble. Both royalty and noble had a few things in common, one being clothes made from fine materials with bright colors and fancy food covered in seasonings that were devoured by the rich and served by the poor (The Middle Ages, 2018).
The Wife of Bath’s tale compliments her prologue because it supports the theme of the dominance of men by women- what she strove for with all her husbands. Unlike the other storytellers, she does not represent a social class, however, she represents all the women in the middle Ages and power over husbands.
What three major groups are represented in the prologue to The Canterbury Tales?
The pilgrims represent a diverse cross section of fourteenth-century English society. Medieval social theory divided society into three broad classes, called “estates”: the military, the clergy, and the laity.
The First Estate was the Church and members of its religious hierarchy. The five characters in The Canterbury Tales who fall into this class include the Prioress, Monk, Friar, Parson, and Pardoner.
What class is the clerk in Canterbury Tales?
Answer and Explanation: In The Canterbury Tales, the Clerk was a part of the laity. He would be considered middle class even though he didn’t have any money because he was educated and well mannered.
The medieval society was organized on the basis of the ‘Three Estates Model’. It was divided into three social orders: the First Estate comprising those who ruled or fought, the Second Estate were those who prayed, and the Third Estate comprised those who worked.
What’s higher than a peasant?
Above peasants were knights whose job it was to be the police force of the manor.
the Knight
In The Canterbury Tales, the Knight has the highest social rank amongst the pilgrims, and he is introduced first by the narrator. He is also the first person to tell his story.
Who was in the lower class in The Canterbury Tales?
In conclusion, all the characters in The Canterbury Tales fall in one of the three social classes: nobility, clergy, and peasants, implying that England was structured during the feudal and medieval periods. The peasants belonged to the lowest class and lived under poor conditions.
What is the Wife of Bath’s name?
Alisoun
Alisoun, the Wife of Bath, is one of very few women pilgrims in Geoffrey Chaucer’s unfinished collection of poems, The Canterbury Tales, and the only secular female voice (the others being a nun and the Prioress), but she is arguably the most memorable and voluble speaker.
Is the Wife of Bath deaf?
The Wife of Bath’s deafness is one of her most prominent characteristics. Not only is it the first thing which Chaucer describes about her in the General Prologue, but the whole of the Wife’s own prologue builds toward and ultimately concludes with the Wife’s story of how she was struck deaf by her husband Jankyn.
What are 3 themes found in The Canterbury Tales?
The Canterbury Tales Themes
- Social Class. One present theme throughout The Canterbury Tales is the importance of social status during Chaucer’s time.
- Deceit. Deceit is a reoccurring theme in The Tales involving the Miller, the Merchant, and the Pardoner.
- Religion.
- Social Satire.
- Courtly Love.
- The Significance of Company.
Who are the 32 in Canterbury Tales?
The Pilgrims
- The Narrator. The narrator makes it quite clear that he is also a character in his book.
- The Knight. The first pilgrim Chaucer describes in the General Prologue, and the teller of the first tale.
- The Wife of Bath.
- The Pardoner.
- The Miller.
- The Prioress.
- The Monk.
- The Friar.
What are the major themes of The Canterbury Tales?
- Social Satire.
- Competition.
- Courtly Love and Sexual Desire.
- Friendship and Company.
- Church Corruption.
- Writing and Authorship.