Topic > The Canterbury Tales: The Likes and Dislikes of Many

In The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer, it is clear that Geoffrey Chaucer has some likes and dislikes for the pilgrims in this story. No one is sure if Chaucer disliked the characters, but he certainly considered some of them horrible. Chaucer describes most of his characters with so much detail, so much so that it would be strange to have such a simple character. An example is the Ploughman. It's not that Chaucer doesn't like it, but he doesn't like it. Most of the time, Chaucer shows his dislike in writing about how evil they are. The same goes for the pilgrims he likes. An example is the Friar for the lovely details. Detail is the key to deciding who Chaucer likes or not. An example of a pilgrim he doesn't like is the Miller because he is a cheat. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay First of all, Miller is an old man, who is not described well in this story. In fact, he is described as having a "wart right on the tip of his nose." Chaucer is clearly letting people know that this man is not one to trifle with or even look at. For example, "broad, gnarled, and short-shouldered... his beard, like that of any sow or fox, was red... his nostrils were as black as they were broad." In the 14th century it was known that if you were ugly on the outside, you were ugly on the inside. Think of Beowulf, Grendel is the horrible beast. Another point in my case is the choice of vocabulary words used to describe the Miller. There are words like dirty, brawler and buffoon. These are not nice words to say to a nice person. Secondly, the Farmer is certainly a hard working man. In fact, he is a faithful man who loves God. The reason Chaucer is not interested in him is because he is not likable. It's too simple. There is no description of the Plowman, only his character or personality. The Plowman is a basic good man who leaves no mark on the other pilgrims and Chaucer. In every story there is a hero and a villain, especially in the 14th century, but in the case of the Plowman he is definitely not evil, but he is not a hero, he is in the middle. The Farmer is not a hero because he does not stand out in any aspect, especially in physical characteristics, because he has none. Again, Chaucer doesn't like this character, but this character is nobody's favorite. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Last but not least, the Friar looks very joyful and happy. Right from the start anyone can already tell that the use of vocabulary is undeniably sweet and gentle. Chaucer uses words like cheerful, festive, noble, courteous, and intimate to describe how nice this friar is. These are the words you get at your funeral, but this man is very much alive. A friar is a member of religious groups that live on donations. Every good story has a guy with a very unique background. Chaucer describes the Friar as a maid of honor, implying that all men want to be him. Another reason why Chaucer likes the friar is religion. Chaucer obviously does not love evil people and loves good, as is the Friar. Chaucer is most likely a religious man as most people were Catholic in the 14th century. Chaucer took a liking to the perfect boy with a strange background.