BS English language and literature

The Tempest Quotations

✍️"You taught me language, and my profit on 't/Is I know how to curse./The red plague rid you/ For learning me your language!"
-By Caliban to Prospero and Miranda

✍️"There be some sports are painful, and their labour
Delight in them sets off. Some kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone, and most poor matters
Point to rich ends. This my mean task
Would be as heavy to me as odious, but
The mistress which I serve quickens what’s dead
And makes my labours pleasures"
- By Ferdinand to Miranda

✍️"Me, poor man, my library/Was dukedom large enough."
- Prospero, Act 1, Scene 2

✍️ "Sitting on a bank,/Weeping again the King my father's wrack,/This music crept by me upon the waters,/Allaying both their fury and my passion/With its sweet air."
- Ferdinand, Act 1, Scene 2

✍️"There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple./If the ill spirit have so fair a house,/Good things will strive to dwell with't."
- Miranda, Act 1, Scene 2

✍️"Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,/Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not."
-Caliban, Act 3, Scene 2

✍️"O wonder!/How many goodly creatures are there here!/How beauteous mankind is! O, brave new world/That has such people in't."
- Miranda, Act 5, Scene 1

✍️"But release me from my bands/With the help of your good hands./Gentle breath of yours my sails/Must fill, or else my project fails,/Which was to please."
- Prospero, Epilogue

✍️"Look thou be true; do not give dalliance/Too much the rein. The strongest oaths are straw/To th' fire i' th' blood."
- Prospero, Act 4, Scene 1

✍️"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."

✍️"We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep"

✍️"Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell: Ding-dong
Hark! now I hear them,—Ding-dong, bell."

✍️"Awake, dear heart, awake. Thou hast slept well. Awake."

✍️"Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows"

The chronology presented by E.K. Chambers in 1930 is as follows:

Henry VI, Part 2 (1590–1591)
Henry VI, Part 3 (1590–1591)
Henry VI, Part 1 (1591–1592)
Richard III (1592–1593)
The Comedy of Errors (1592–1593)
Titus Andronicus (1593–1594)
The Taming of the Shrew (1593–1594)
The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594–1595)
Love's Labour's Lost (1594–1595)
Romeo and Juliet (1594–1595)
Richard II (1595–1596)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595–1596)
King John (1596–1597)
The Merchant of Venice (1596–1597)
Henry IV, Part 1 (1597–1598)
Henry IV, Part 2 (1597–1598)
Much Ado About Nothing (1598–1599)
Henry V (1598–1599)
Julius Caesar (1599–1600)
As You Like It (1599–1600)
Twelfth Night (1599–1600)
Hamlet (1600–1601)
The Merry Wives of Windsor (1600–1601)
Troilus and Cressida (1601–1602)
All's Well That Ends Well (1602–1603)
Measure for Measure (1604–1605)
Othello (1604–1605)
King Lear (1605–1606)
Macbeth (1605–1606)
Antony and Cleopatra (1606–1607)
Coriolanus (1607–1608)
Timon of Athens (1607–1608)
Pericles, Prince of Tyre (1608–1609)
Cymbeline (1609–1610)
The Winter's Tale (1610–1611)
The Tempest (1611–1612)
Henry VIII (1612–1613)
The Two Noble Kinsmen (1612–1613)

** Waiting For Godot : Role of Chance **

The purpose of life is something mystic, that us, humans, have always seeked, yet don’t really know how to find. What is our reason to live? The fact we can’t explain it, leads us to believe it’s because of a force greater then ours. There are lots of different names to call it. God. Fate. We don’t know what the meaning of life is, and there’s noone we can ask. This feeling can be pretty depressing in itself, and Waiting for Godot focuses on this feeling and on the way people try to find something to live for

The play basically says that our lives rely on chance entirely, and because of it, they are meaningless, and thats the reason why people rely on unknown forces guiding them through life. And the interesting part is, that even the sources, that should justify the fact that there are greater powers in the universe then we can comprehend, say that human existence has a lot to do with chance. This is clearified when a story from the bible about two thieves is mentioned. „One of the two thiefes was rescued. Thats a reasonable percentage.” (Beckett, 8) Percentage represents that chance involved in human life, and the fact that that our fate relies on chance shows that randomness is an important factor in ones life. Beckett uses this quote from the Bible to show, that even a sacred text that has been an a help for thousands of years acknowledges the existence of chance. One of the two thieves. Thats 50%. A 50% chance for salvation, and we have absolutely no control regarding this chance.

The fact that God (if he exists) stays silent, makes the chaos even bigger. The situation that God lets life work like this, makes him guilty. The people’s belief in God is explainable though, because it makes them believe that there’s a reason to live. As Pascal, a frenchphilisopher said (he was a believer by the way), there’s nothing to lose, because if it turns out God doesnt exist, then people wouldnt care for anything anyway, but if it turns out he does, at least you were on the safe side all the way. But God’s silence is the main thing that keeps the characters in hopelessness, and makes this work of art a tragedy, even though the characters act comically. Either God doesnt exist, or he just doesnt care. And this statement tells that there’s no divine involvment in life.

The world in Waiting for Godot is one without any meaning, which shows that chaos and hopelessness are the leading forces of the world. The events in the work are repetetive. Vladimir and Estragon are at the same place every day, waiting for Godot, doing the same activites over and over again to pass time. This shows the chaotic’s world effects on the characters. As Einstein says: „The sign of going mad is doing something over and over again, and expecting different results.”

We don’t know the time cycle the events transpire in. Time is a very intersting aspect in this play. It exists, but the reasons for this are not entirely clear, because the present, the past, the future, these things don’t mean anything in this world. Time is a mess. A very good symbolization of the fact that things are still happening though, are Pozzo and Lucky. They are completely different in Act I and Act II. (Pozzo is healthy/blind, Lucky is able to speak/mute). Beckett uses the change in the situation of Lucky and Pozzo to show that time, and therefore, life, is meaningless.

Humans try to be distracted from this fact. Vladimir and Estragon both try to stay cheerful in the play, and try to pass time with pointless activites. Doing this, they act comical, which adds a humorous aspect to the play. "The positive attitude of the two tramps thus amounts to a double negation: their inability to recognize the senselessness of their position" (Andres, 143-144).

Vladimir and Estragon do various things to get distracted from the endless wait. Discussing mundane topics, sleeping, and sometimes contemplating su***de. They do this because they try to ignore the fact that they are waiting for a figure, which is part of their imagination, and might never even come.

They are waiting for Godot, and they think his arrival will be a salvation to all their problems. They probably know this is only a wish that might never come true, but at least they have something to look forward to. The only other alternative is death, and although they think about it, they don’t have the courage to do it. In the end all a human can do are pointless actions, or to perish.

They do these pointless actions because they hope relief will come in a form of an outside force. Godot symbolizes this force, and although he likely doesn’t exist, he at least gives their lives a meaning.By waiting, they achieve at least a bit of meaning. Vladimir, while contemplating whether or not to help Pozzo in Act II, declares, "What are we doing here, that is the question. And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer. Yes, in this immense confusion one thing alone is clear. We are waiting for Godot to come-" (Beckett, 51)

Even though salvation is an illusion, it’s needed to be able to handle life, and that humans have to rely on „Godots” to live. It’s not clear whether Godot is real or not. This is shown by the fact that in both acts, they mistake Pozzo for Godot. That means they have never seen Godot before.The only contact they have with him is the messenger boy he sends everyday, telling them that Godot will come the next day. When Vladimir finally realises that Godot in fact will never come, great depression overcomes him. Vladimir realizes that he has no choice but to put up with the illusion, and go on. There’s no point. But there’s no other option.

"All of these characters go on, but in the old ruts, and only by retreating into patterns of thought that have already been thoroughly discredited. In the universe of this play, 'on' leads nowhere" (Webb, 41).

"Waiting for Godot" is all about how the world is based on chance, and the fact that a world based on chance can’t have a real time sequence, and is therefore pointless, which makes life pointless too. Realizing this, humans will create distractions and diversions, in the form of patterns and reliance on divine forces, to provide them a purpose to live.

In my opinion this book is a very good demonstration of the big questions every human has to face in their lifetime.

ODE TO THE INTIMATION OF IMMORTALITY
Published in 1807

Written by:
William Wordsworth.
(1770-1850 A.D)

A seminal work by William Wordsworth. The poem reflects the narrator’s sentiments for the natural world. It begins when the speaker declares that as a child, nature appeared mystical and spiritual to him. As he grew older, all the bounties and glories faded away. Although the lap of nature is still full of delightful objects, they have lost their real touch and soothing feel. Instead of enjoying the bliss of nature, the speaker is sad by the enchanting view and the creatures around him.
Eventually, his mind changes, and he begins to adore the beauty around him. He realizes that it is wrong to be sad when the earth itself is adoring the scenes, and children are delighted. He goes back and forth in his past and present. He catches a glimpse of a tree, a field, and a pansy at his feet and feels disheartened. He says that as an infant, we have a strong connection and memories of heaven. However, as soon as we grow up, we lose all our relationship with heaven. Instead, everything on the earth conspires to make us forget the place where we all belong.
As the poem continues, the speaker imagines a six-year-old child and foresees the rest of his life from the lens of that innocent child, learning from his experiences. He spends most of his time in the circle of endless imitations. He calls that child a philosopher and wonders how adulthood changes his perception of life. The speaker’s transformation from childhood to adulthood is amazing and relatable even to this day.

MAJOR THEMES:

Major Themes in ‘Ode: Intimations of Immortality’:

Within ‘Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood’ Wordsworth explores themes of youth, age, religion/spirituality, and nature. These themes are some of the most commonly tapped into within Wordsworth’s oeuvre and will be familiar to anyone who has read poems such as ‘Daffodils,’ ‘Lines Composed a Few Miles Tintern Abbey’ and ‘My heart leaps when I behold’. He starts out the poem acknowledging the passage of time and how not just the world, but his connection to it, has changed. He remembers what it used to be like when he was young but is, for some reason, unable to regain the emotions he used to have. Wordsworth brings in spirituality and religion towards the beginning of the poem as well.

Man versus Nature and childhood and adulthood are the major themes underlined in this poem. The poem reflects two things:

1) The speaker’s infinite love for the natural world

2) His worries for those who forget the purpose of their existence.

On the one hand, he recalls his life as a child, enthralled with happiness and pure emotions. However, as an adult, he forgets the place and sources of joy. Also, the pull of the materialistic world deprives him of the bounties of the natural world with resultant sorrow and despair. The speaker reflects his childhood memories and recalls how, as a child, the objects of nature were the source of eternal joy for him. However, as an adult with an occupied mind, he is unable to feel the mystical nature.

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At that point, the professor told the students to take the first balloon that they found and hand it to the person whose name was written on it. Within 5 minutes, everyone had their own balloon.
The professor said to the students: "These balloons are like happiness. We will never find it if everyone is looking for their own. But if we care about other people's happiness, we'll find ours too."🎈🎈🎈

Art of Characterization in Chaucer's Work
◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

In the universe of English poetry, Chaucer flourishes the fantastic colours of his words and paints different characters of his age with minute observation. Indeed, he is a great painter who paints not with colours but with words. Undoubtedly, he has:
“The Seeing Eye, the retentive memory, the judgment to select and the ability to expound.”
His keen analysis of the minutest detail of his characters, their dresses, looks and manners enable him to present his characters lifelike and not mere bloodless abstractions.
His poetical piece, “The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales” is a real picture gallery in which thirty portraits are hanging on the wall with all of their details and peculiarities. Rather it is a grand procession with all the life and movement, the colour and sound. Indeed,
“His characters represent English society, morally and socially, in the real and recognizable types”.
And still more representative of humanity in general. So, the characters in Chaucer's “The Prologue” are for all ages and for all lands.
Chaucer is the first great painter of character in English literature. In fact, next to Shakespeare he is the greatest in this field. In “The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales” the thirty portraits traced by Chaucer give us an excellent idea of the society at that time. Except for royalty and aristocracy, on one hand and the robbers or out casts on the other, he has painted in brief practically the whole English nation.
The thirty pilgrims, including the host, belong to the most varied professions. The Knight and the Squire presents the warlike element of the society. The learned and liberal vocations are signified by the Man of Law, the Doctor, the Oxford Clerk and the Poet himself. The Merchant and the Shipman stand for the higher commercial community while the Wife of Bath, an expert Cloth maker represents the traders and manufacturers. Agriculture is represented by the Ploughman, the Miller and the Franklin. The upper servants like Manciple and the Reeve and the lower servant like Yeoman and the Cook represent the town and Country between them. The Monk from his monastery, the Prioress from her convent, her attendant priests, the village Parson, the roaming Friar, the Pardoner and the Summoner sufficiently cover the casual categories of the religious order in those days.
To preserve the distinctions among these typical characters, Chaucer has indicated the differences in their clothes, manner of speech, habits and tendencies representing the common traits and the average characteristics of each profession. These personages, therefore, are not mere phantasms of the brain but real human beings.
These characters represent various types of contemporary society. They are no longer mere dummies or types but owing to their various peculiarities, their arguments and agreement and their likes and dislikes we recognize them as real living beings, true to the mould in which all human nature is cast.
His world is almost freak-free and his characters are perfectly lifelike. Some of them are so modern that they seem to be living today. The old Knight is an example of the chivalrous character which is found in every generation. The Squire is just the typical man of any day.
“He was as fresshe as is the monthe of May”
The Merchant has all the vanity which comes from the growing of wealth, while the Man of Law like lawyers of all times, is pilling up fees and buying land. We recognize in him the typical lawyer of our own day:
“Nowhere so bisy a man as he ther was”
And yet he seemed bisier than he was.
There are characters like the Prioress, the Monk, the Franklin, the Reeve, the Summoner, the Pardoner, and the Wife of Bath whom we do not identify at first. But none of them is really extinct. They have changed their name and profession but their chief part is an element of humanity. That is why when we accompany the Pilgrims on their way we feel quite at home and have no feeling of being among aliens.
Chaucer’s art of characterization is superb. He looks at his characters objectively and delineates each of the men and women sharply and caressingly. His impression of casualness, economy, significance and variety of every detail are examples of that supreme art which conceals art.
In fact, there is a different method of almost every pilgrim. He varies his presentation from the full length portrait to the thumb-nail sketch, but even in the brief sketches, Chaucer conveys a strong sense of individuality and depth of portraiture.
Chaucer’s method of portraying characters is a scientific manner by differentiating them by means of their obvious distinctions. It was for the first time in European literature that a writer proved himself clearly conscious of the relation between individuals and ideas. Moreover, Chaucer’s characters are consistent and instead of being static, they grow and develop in the course of the tale, like living human beings. They give their opinions on the stories that have been told and these comments reveal their dominant thoughts, their feelings and the objects of their interests.
Thus Chaucer is the master in the art of characterization.
Character List
The Pilgrims
The Narrator - The narrator makes it quite clear that he is also a character in his book. Although he is called Chaucer, we should be wary of accepting his words and opinions as Chaucer’s own. In the General Prologue, the narrator presents himself as a gregarious and naïve character. Later on, the Host accuses him of being silent and sullen. Because the narrator writes down his impressions of the pilgrims from memory, whom he does and does not like, and what he chooses and chooses not to remember about the characters, tells us as much about the narrator’s own prejudices as it does about the characters themselves.
The Knight - The first pilgrim Chaucer describes in the General Prologue, and the teller of the first tale. The Knight represents the ideal of a medieval Christian man-at-arms. He has participated in no less than fifteen of the great crusades of his era. Brave, experienced, and prudent, the narrator greatly admires him.
The Wife of Bath - Bath is an English town on the Avon River, not the name of this woman’s husband. Though she is a seamstress by occupation, she seems to be a professional wife. She has been married five times and had many other affairs in her youth, making her well practiced in the art of love. She presents herself as someone who loves marriage and s*x, but, from what we see of her, she also takes pleasure in rich attire, talking, and arguing. She is deaf in one ear and has a gap between her front teeth, which was considered attractive in Chaucer’s time. She has traveled on pilgrimages to Jerusalem three times and elsewhere in Europe as well.
The Pardoner - Pardoners granted papal indulgences—reprieves from penance in exchange for charitable donations to the Church. Many pardoners, including this one, collected profits for themselves. In fact, Chaucer’s Pardoner excels in fraud, carrying a bag full of fake relics—for example, he claims to have the veil of the Virgin Mary. The Pardoner has long, greasy, yellow hair and is beardless. These characteristics were associated with shiftiness and gender ambiguity in Chaucer’s time. The Pardoner also has a gift for singing and preaching whenever he finds himself inside a church.
The Miller - Stout and brawny, the Miller has a wart on his nose and a big mouth, both literally and figuratively. He threatens the Host’s notion of propriety when he drunkenly insists on telling the second tale. Indeed, the Miller seems to enjoy overturning all conventions: he ruins the Host’s carefully planned storytelling order; he rips doors off hinges; and he tells a tale that is somewhat blasphemous, ridiculing religious clerks, scholarly clerks, carpenters, and women.
The Prioress -Described as modest and quiet, this Prioress (a nun who is head of her convent) aspires to have exquisite taste. Her table manners are dainty, she knows French (though not the French of the court), she dresses well, and she is charitable and compassionate.
The Monk - Most monks of the Middle Ages lived in monasteries according to the Rule of Saint Benedict, which demanded that they devote their lives to “work and prayer.” This Monk cares little for the Rule; his devotion is to hunting and eating. He is large, loud, and well clad in hunting boots and furs.
The Friar - Roaming priests with no ties to a monastery, friars were a great object of criticism in Chaucer’s time. Always ready to befriend young women or rich men who might need his services, the friar actively administers the sacraments in his town, especially those of marriage and confession. However, Chaucer’s worldly Friar has taken to accepting bribes.
The Summoner - The Summoner brings persons accused of violating Church law to ecclesiastical court. This Summoner is a lecherous man whose face is scarred by leprosy. He gets drunk frequently, is irritable, and is not particularly qualified for his position. He spouts the few words of Latin he knows in an attempt to sound educated.
The Host - The leader of the group, the Host is large, loud, and merry, although he possesses a quick temper. He mediates among the pilgrims and facilitates the flow of the tales. His title of “host” may be a pun, suggesting both an innkeeper and the Eucharist, or Holy Host.
The Parson - The only devout churchman in the company, the Parson lives in poverty, but is rich in holy thoughts and deeds. The pastor of a sizable town, he preaches the Gospel and makes sure to practice what he preaches. He is everything that the Monk, the Friar, and the Pardoner are not.
The Squire - The Knight’s son and apprentice. The Squire is curly-haired, youthfully handsome, and loves dancing and courting.
The Clerk - The Clerk is a poor student of philosophy. Having spent his money on books and learning rather than on fine clothes, he is threadbare and wan. He speaks little, but when he does, his words are wise and full of moral virtue.
The Man of Law - A successful lawyer commissioned by the king. He upholds justice in matters large and small and knows every statute of England’s law by heart.
The Manciple - A manciple was in charge of getting provisions for a college or court. Despite his lack of education, this Manciple is smarter than the thirty lawyers he feeds.
The Merchant - The Merchant trades in furs and other cloths, mostly from Flanders. He is part of a powerful and wealthy class in Chaucer’s society.
The Shipman - Brown-skinned from years of sailing, the Shipman has seen every bay and river in England, and exotic ports in Spain and Carthage as well. He is a bit of a rascal, known for stealing wine while the ship’s captain sleeps.
The Physician - The Physician is one of the best in his profession, for he knows the cause of every malady and can cure most of them. Though the Physician keeps himself in perfect physical health, the narrator calls into question the Physician’s spiritual health: he rarely consults the Bible and has an unhealthy love of financial gain.
The Franklin - The word “franklin” means “free man.” In Chaucer’s society, a franklin was neither a vassal serving a lord nor a member of the nobility. This particular franklin is a connoisseur of food and wine, so much so that his table remains laid and ready for food all day.
The Reeve - A reeve was similar to a steward of a manor, and this reeve performs his job shrewdly—his lord never loses so much as a ram to the other employees, and the vassals under his command are kept in line. However, he steals from his master.
The Plowman - The Plowman is the Parson’s brother and is equally good-hearted. A member of the peasant class, he pays his tithes to the Church and leads a good Christian life.
The Guildsmen - Listed together, the five Guildsmen appear as a unit. English guilds were a combination of labor unions and social fraternities: craftsmen of similar occupations joined together to increase their bargaining power and live communally. All five Guildsmen are clad in the livery of their brotherhood.
The Cook - The Cook works for the Guildsmen. Chaucer gives little detail about him, although he mentions a crusty sore on the Cook’s leg.
The Yeoman - The servant who accompanies the Knight and the Squire. The narrator mentions that his dress and weapons suggest he may be a forester.
The Second Nun - The Second Nun is not described in the General Prologue, but she tells a saint’s life for her tale.
The Nun’s Priest - Like the Second Nun, the Nun’s Priest is not described in the General Prologue. His story of Chanticleer, however, is well crafted and suggests that he is a witty, self-effacing preacher.
Characters from the Five Tales Analyzed
The Knight’s Tale
The Knight's tale is about two young knights that strive for Emily, who is the sister of queen Hippolyta who is married to duke Theseus, lord and governour of Athens. The story contains many aspects of knighthood, including discussions on love, courtly manners, brotherhood and loyalty. Several fights and battles are fought and even foreign kings are brought in to emphasize the epical meaning and shape of the last battle. Finally, death is the end of every worldly sore.
Theseus - A great conqueror and the duke of Athens in the Knight’s Tale. The most powerful ruler in the story, he is often called upon to make the final judgment, but he listens to others’ pleas for help.
Palamon - Palamon is one of the two imprisoned Theban soldier heroes in the Knight’s Tale. Brave, strong, and sworn to everlasting friendship with his cousin Arcite, Palamon falls in love with the fair maiden Emelye, which brings him into conflict with Arcite. Though he loses the tournament against Arcite, he gets Emelye in the end.
Arcite - The sworn brother to Palamon, Arcite, imprisoned with Palamon in the tower in the Knight’s Tale, falls equally head over heels in love with Emelye. He gets released from the tower early and wins Emelye’s hand in a tournament, but then dies when a divinely fated earthquake causes his horse to throw him.
Emelye - Emelye is the sister to Hippolyta, Theseus’s domesticated Amazon queen in the Knight’s Tale. Fair-haired and glowing, we first see Emelye as Palamon does, through a window. Although she is the object of both Palamon’s and Arcite’s desire, she would rather spend her life unmarried and childless. Nevertheless, when Arcite wins the tournament, she readily pledges herself to him.
Egeus - Theseus’s father. Egeus gives Theseus the advice that helps him convince Palamon and Emelye to end their mourning of Arcite and get married.
The Miller’s Tale
Nicholas - In the Miller’s Tale, Nicholas is a poor astronomy student who boards with an elderly carpenter, John, and the carpenter’s too-young wife, Alisoun. Nicholas dupes John and sleeps with Alisoun right under John’s nose, but Absolon, the foppish parish clerk, gets Nicholas in the end.
Alisoun - Alisoun is the s*xy young woman married to the carpenter in the Miller’s Tale. She is bright and sweet like a small bird, and dresses in a tantalizing style—her clothes are embroidered inside and outside, and she laces her boots high. She willingly goes to bed with Nicholas, but she has only harsh words and obscenities for Absolon.
Absolon - The local parish clerk in the Miller’s Tale, Absolon is a little bit foolish and more than a little bit vain. He wears red stockings underneath his floor-length church gown, and his leather shoes are decorated like the fanciful stained-glass windows in a cathedral. He curls his hair, uses breath fresheners, and fancies Alisoun.
John - The dim-witted carpenter to whom Alisoun is married and with whom Nicholas boards. John is jealous and possessive of his wife. He constantly berates Nicholas for looking into God’s “pryvetee,” but when Nicholas offers John the chance to share his knowledge, John quickly accepts. He gullibly believes Nicholas’s pronouncement that a second flood is coming, which allows Nicholas to sleep with John’s wife.
The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale
The First Three Husbands - The Wife of Bath says that her first three husbands were “good” because they were rich and old. She could order them around, use s*x to get what she wanted, and trick them into believing lies.
The Fourth Husband - The Wife of Bath says comparatively little about her fourth husband. She loved him, but he was a reveler who had a mistress. She had fun singing and dancing with him, but tried her best to make him jealous. She fell in love with her fifth husband, Jankyn, while she was still married to her fourth.
Jankyn - The Wife of Bath’s fifth husband, Jankyn, was a twenty-year-old former student, with whom the Wife was madly in love. His stories of wicked wives frustrated her so much that one night she ripped a page out of his book, only to receive a deafening smack on her ear in return.
The Knight - Arthur’s young knight rapes a maiden, and, to avoid the punishment of death, he is sent by the queen on a quest to learn about submission to women. Once he does so, and shows that he has learned his lesson by letting his old ugly wife make a decision, she rewards him by becoming beautiful and submissive.
The Old Woman - The old woman supplies the young knight with the answer to his question, in exchange for his promise to do whatever she wants. When she tells him he must marry her, the knight begrudgingly agrees, and when he allows her to choose whether she would like to be beautiful and unfaithful or ugly and faithful, she rewards him by becoming both beautiful and faithful.
Arthur’s Queen - Arthur’s queen, presumably Guinevere, is interesting because she wields most of the power. When Arthur’s knight rapes a maiden, he turns the knight over to his queen allows her to decide what to do with him.
The Pardoner’s Tale
The Three Rioters - These are the three protagonists of the Pardoner’s Tale. All three indulge in and represent the vices against which the Pardoner has railed in his Prologue: Gluttony, Drunkeness, Gambling, and Swearing. These traits define the three and eventually lead to their downfall. The Rioters at first appear like personified vices, but it is their belief that a personified concept—in this case, Death—is a real person that becomes the root cause of their undoing.
The Old Man - In the Pardoner’s Tale, the three Rioters encounter a very old man whose body is completely covered except for his face. Before the old man tells the Rioters where they can find “Death,” one of the Rioters rashly demands why the old man is still alive. The old man answers that he is doomed to walk the earth for eternity. He has been interpreted as Death itself, or as Cain, punished for fratricide by walking the earth forever; or as the Wandering Jew, a man who refused to let Christ rest at his house when Christ proceeded to his crucifixion, and who was therefore doomed to roam the world, through the ages, never finding rest.
The Nun’s Priest’s Tale
Chanticleer - The heroic rooster of the Nun’s Priest’s Tale, Chanticleer has seven hen-wives and is the most handsome c**k in the barnyard. One day, he has a prophetic dream of a fox that will carry him away. Chanticleer is also a bit vain about his clear and accurate crowing voice, and he unwittingly allows a fox to flatter him out of his liberty.
Pertelote - Chanticleer’s favorite wife in the Nun’s Priest’s Tale. She is his equal in looks, manners, and talent. When Chanticleer dreams of the fox, he awakens her in the middle of the night, begging for an interpretation, but Pertelote will have none of it, calling him foolish. When the fox takes him away, she mourns him in classical Greek fashion, burning herself and wailing.
The Fox - The orange fox, interpreted by some as an allegorical figure for the devil, catches Chanticleer the rooster through flattery. Eventually, Chanticleer outwits the fox by encouraging him to boast of his deceit to his pursuers. When the fox opens his mouth, Chanticleer escapes.
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