Skipper In The Canterbury Tales
Skipper
Although being a pirate is not an honorable job, the Skipper is very good at what he does. His skills are unrivaled by many, proving that he has been doing this for a long time. He is very tan, showing how often he is in the sun doing strenuous work. He has proven this in countless battles and it is conveyed through the skills he possesses. Because he is a pirate, he has a mentality that is usually associated with a pirate, rude, disrespectful, and dangerous. It can be assumed that he has wealth, however he does not flaunt it in his image. This could be because he does not want other pirates to take his prizes. He carries a dagger at his side, always ready for a fight. This also shows his strength and dangerousness. Since he is a pirate, he has …show more content…
travelled to many places and has seen many cultures. While he was at these places, he most likely pillaged the areas and took prisoners. A clear indication of his character is seen in how he treats his prisoners. Chaucer mentions how when the Skipper takes prisoners he makes them walk the plank. This shows how merciless the Skipper is. He is a remorseless human being, and Chaucer is keep to point out all his flaws.
It is clear to the reader that Chaucer has little respect for the commoners like the Skipper, and this is evident due to his many sarcastic remarks about the disgraceful acts the skipper partakes in. The Skipper, being a pirate does not follow a code of honor, but acts on greedy impulses. Chaucer looks down on this behavior of the commoner and exposes his nefarious deeds in life. He is keen to point out what he dislikes of the class. Thievery no matter the circumstance is frowned upon. Although this is not representative of this entire class, Chaucer makes it known that he does not approve of this individual and people like him. He frowns upon their way of life. Chaucer makes note of how the Skipper shows no mercy to his prisoners. This is another characteristic of this class that Chaucer does not like. However, Chaucer still gives credit to the Skipper. He talks of the character’s victories and mastery of this skill set. This can also be said of the common folk, the hardworking men and women that strive to master their skills and crafts. Although Chaucer makes negative statements about this pilgrim he is keen to separate the Skipper from his own class.
Through the description of the Skipper, Chaucer implies that humans should lead a morally sound life.
Chaucer makes what he dislikes known, and by doing this gives an example of what not to follow, as a human being. Morality plays a major role in this society, and Chaucer proves this in his writing. He judges the bad decisions and acknowledges the Skipper’s mastery of skill. Another thing that Chaucer shows the audience is that you can tell more about someone from who they are on the inside, than who they project themselves to be on the outside. From his appearance, the Skipper appears to be a modest man, only wearing a simple tunic and carrying a dagger around his side. However, through his actions the audience knows that this is not the truth about the Skipper. In actuality, he is a dangerous, evil man who has no regards to the feelings of others. He takes what he wants and leaves nothing behind. Through this character, Chaucer teaches the audience about how they should not act, and he also tells what really matters is a person’s actions instead of their appearance. Chaucer gives his audience a set of standards of how they should live their life, so that people may add to society rather than take away from
it.
Miller
While being strong of body, the Miller proves that his is no match for the strength of the mind. While having physical strength, he is described as a very ugly man. His red hair, bulging muscles and beard are overshadowed by his lack of wit. His outward ugliness reflects his personality or who he is as a person. He always tries to be the center of attention, sharing crude stories, playing the obnoxious bagpipes, and always seeking a fight. He is a braggart, and is always looking for an opportunity to prove his strength and show off his supposed superiority. Each of these activities adds to his unattractiveness and annoying nature. His loud mouth and need to prove himself is constantly getting him into sticky situations, and for this reasons he has become brutish. The Miller also partakes in the disgraceful act thievery, he steals grain without a second thought. He even has the couth to check if the grain he is stealing is of good enough quality. Again, this shows his poor personality. From the description of the Miller, it is clear that he is not a person that one would want to be friends with. Just like the Skipper, Chaucer expresses his contempt for the ethicless commoner and all like him. The Miller is another example Chaucer uses to express how not to act. Chaucer describes the Miller as a man with great strength, but also describes his outward ugliness. He does this to represent the rotten inside of this commoner. For Chaucer, the outside is a reflection of the inside. The knottiness of the Miller’s body, reflects his twisted personality. Like the Skipper, the Miller steals from others for his own personal gain. This has become a similar topic in the commoners represented in the Canterbury tales, Chaucer uses this theme as a lesson for his audience. In his time period stealing was a disgraceful act that is wrong no matter the reason. Chaucer also writes about the Miller’s obnoxious and rambunctious personality traits. Similarly, these negative traits are also the antithesis of how a human should act. It is evident that Chaucer thinks pilgrims like the Miller are braggarts, and Chaucer does not like braggarts. He values humility, which the Miller and many other commoners do not posses. From his writing one understands that humility and pleasantry are desired traits, and Chaucer makes it known that the commoners lack these desired traits. Chaucer uses his authority to teach the reader how how they should lead their lives. However, even though Chaucer judges the misjudgements of the Miller, he does not miss the only “strength” the Miller has. While Chaucer is quick to judge he does give each commoner credit for each of their specialization. Because of this it is evident that he separates these traits of the common class from their misjudgements. This is the working class that partakes in the guilds that strive for the mastery of a craft. Chaucer is keen on representing this in all the descriptions of the common class. Despite their singular positive trait Chaucer uses the visual of the characters to represent who they are as people, the more unattractive the more inferior chaucer makes them. The Miller who has a hairy growth is described to repel the reader physically in the attempt to repel them personally too. By doing this Chaucer creates an ethical pathway for the reader to follow and lead themselves down.
Parson
This is one of the very few pilgrims on the journey that Chaucer regards as a good and faithful person. It is clear from the lack of physical details that Chaucer finds no flaws in this character. Unlike many of the other members of the church, the Parson has good intentions. He is certainly not in it for the money, as one of the first things Chaucer mentions is that he is poor. Rather he is doing this for the wellbeing of others. He is a devout follower of God and he truly wants to bring God to as many people as he can. He is always willing to visit anyone in need, “yet he neglected not in rain or thunder, in sickness or in grief, to pay a call on the remotest, whether big or small..” And he is not judgemental, “Never contemptuous to sinful men, never disdainful…” In Chaucer’s eyes the Parson is a perfect human. He does not judge based on class or money, he is willing to and wants to help everyone. In the description of the Parson, he is compared to a shepherd. He watches over his sheep to make sure that they do not stray. Unlike many other members of the church who leave the herd to fend for themselves, the Parson stays with them. He knows that if the leader is corrupt, then the herd will also be corrupt. By using this conceit of a shepherd, Chaucer is comparing the parson to Jesus Christ. The Parson is a noble man, who Chaucer keeps in high regard. From the description Chaucer gives of the Parson, it is clear to readers that he is one of a kind in his class. The Church is a very corrupt place, yet he is one of the only ones who is not. The Parson is not hypocritical, unlike all his fellow clergy. He is a hands on person, choosing to work with his parishioners and guide them along their path. The quote said by the Parson, “That if gold rust, what then will iron do? For if a priest be foul in whom we trust, no wonder that a common man should rust…”, epitomizes Chaucer’s opinion on this class and how different the Parson is. The majority of this class is corrupt, and therefore they are corrupting their followers. However, the Parson is one of the only true leaders, and therefore he will lead his followers on the right path. The Parson understands that the Church is a corrupt place and he tries to change that by actually caring about his followers and wanting the best for them. It is clear that Chaucer thinks very highly of this pilgrim, and he thinks that more people in the church should act like the Parson. He uses the Parson as an example of how everyone else should act. The clergy have an important job. They are tasked with taking care of their parishioners, and leading them on the right path. However, many of the Church leaders do not do that. They would rather hold mass for the rich people, so they can get more money. The Parson is the complete opposite. He is a poor man, who stays by his parishioners side. He is always making sure they stay on the right path. Chaucer uses the description of the Parson to show how others should act. Through the detailed description of the Parson, Chaucer implies that humanity could benefit from having more pilgrims like the Parson. Chaucer makes it very clear that he thinks highly of the Parson. He is a pious man who is always willing to help other people. The stark difference between the Parson and other members of the church is that the Parson is not corrupt. He is not in this job for the sake of the money. He is in it for the sake of redeeming his people and bringing them closer to God. This quote said by the Parson epitomizes his virtues and the difference between him and the others, “That if gold rust, what then will iron do? For if a priest be foul in whom we trust, no wonder that a common man should rust…” Chaucer uses this quote to explore how the church is corrupt, and if there are corrupt leaders and teachers, then there will be corrupt followers. This is one of the biggest takeaways from the description of the Parson. Humanity will suffer if not for people like him. Humanity needs people like the Parson to guide them to the right place. Chaucer’s high praises of this man make it known that he is vital to the salvation of humanity. In order for humanity to stay on the right path, people like the Parson are needed to guide humans in the right direction.
Although being a pirate is not an honorable job, the Skipper is very good at what he does. His skills are unrivaled by many, proving that he has been doing this for a long time. He is very tan, showing how often he is in the sun doing strenuous work. He has proven this in countless battles and it is conveyed through the skills he possesses. Because he is a pirate, he has a mentality that is usually associated with a pirate, rude, disrespectful, and dangerous. It can be assumed that he has wealth, however he does not flaunt it in his image. This could be because he does not want other pirates to take his prizes. He carries a dagger at his side, always ready for a fight. This also shows his strength and dangerousness. Since he is a pirate, he has …show more content…
travelled to many places and has seen many cultures. While he was at these places, he most likely pillaged the areas and took prisoners. A clear indication of his character is seen in how he treats his prisoners. Chaucer mentions how when the Skipper takes prisoners he makes them walk the plank. This shows how merciless the Skipper is. He is a remorseless human being, and Chaucer is keep to point out all his flaws.
It is clear to the reader that Chaucer has little respect for the commoners like the Skipper, and this is evident due to his many sarcastic remarks about the disgraceful acts the skipper partakes in. The Skipper, being a pirate does not follow a code of honor, but acts on greedy impulses. Chaucer looks down on this behavior of the commoner and exposes his nefarious deeds in life. He is keen to point out what he dislikes of the class. Thievery no matter the circumstance is frowned upon. Although this is not representative of this entire class, Chaucer makes it known that he does not approve of this individual and people like him. He frowns upon their way of life. Chaucer makes note of how the Skipper shows no mercy to his prisoners. This is another characteristic of this class that Chaucer does not like. However, Chaucer still gives credit to the Skipper. He talks of the character’s victories and mastery of this skill set. This can also be said of the common folk, the hardworking men and women that strive to master their skills and crafts. Although Chaucer makes negative statements about this pilgrim he is keen to separate the Skipper from his own class.
Through the description of the Skipper, Chaucer implies that humans should lead a morally sound life.
Chaucer makes what he dislikes known, and by doing this gives an example of what not to follow, as a human being. Morality plays a major role in this society, and Chaucer proves this in his writing. He judges the bad decisions and acknowledges the Skipper’s mastery of skill. Another thing that Chaucer shows the audience is that you can tell more about someone from who they are on the inside, than who they project themselves to be on the outside. From his appearance, the Skipper appears to be a modest man, only wearing a simple tunic and carrying a dagger around his side. However, through his actions the audience knows that this is not the truth about the Skipper. In actuality, he is a dangerous, evil man who has no regards to the feelings of others. He takes what he wants and leaves nothing behind. Through this character, Chaucer teaches the audience about how they should not act, and he also tells what really matters is a person’s actions instead of their appearance. Chaucer gives his audience a set of standards of how they should live their life, so that people may add to society rather than take away from
it.
Miller
While being strong of body, the Miller proves that his is no match for the strength of the mind. While having physical strength, he is described as a very ugly man. His red hair, bulging muscles and beard are overshadowed by his lack of wit. His outward ugliness reflects his personality or who he is as a person. He always tries to be the center of attention, sharing crude stories, playing the obnoxious bagpipes, and always seeking a fight. He is a braggart, and is always looking for an opportunity to prove his strength and show off his supposed superiority. Each of these activities adds to his unattractiveness and annoying nature. His loud mouth and need to prove himself is constantly getting him into sticky situations, and for this reasons he has become brutish. The Miller also partakes in the disgraceful act thievery, he steals grain without a second thought. He even has the couth to check if the grain he is stealing is of good enough quality. Again, this shows his poor personality. From the description of the Miller, it is clear that he is not a person that one would want to be friends with. Just like the Skipper, Chaucer expresses his contempt for the ethicless commoner and all like him. The Miller is another example Chaucer uses to express how not to act. Chaucer describes the Miller as a man with great strength, but also describes his outward ugliness. He does this to represent the rotten inside of this commoner. For Chaucer, the outside is a reflection of the inside. The knottiness of the Miller’s body, reflects his twisted personality. Like the Skipper, the Miller steals from others for his own personal gain. This has become a similar topic in the commoners represented in the Canterbury tales, Chaucer uses this theme as a lesson for his audience. In his time period stealing was a disgraceful act that is wrong no matter the reason. Chaucer also writes about the Miller’s obnoxious and rambunctious personality traits. Similarly, these negative traits are also the antithesis of how a human should act. It is evident that Chaucer thinks pilgrims like the Miller are braggarts, and Chaucer does not like braggarts. He values humility, which the Miller and many other commoners do not posses. From his writing one understands that humility and pleasantry are desired traits, and Chaucer makes it known that the commoners lack these desired traits. Chaucer uses his authority to teach the reader how how they should lead their lives. However, even though Chaucer judges the misjudgements of the Miller, he does not miss the only “strength” the Miller has. While Chaucer is quick to judge he does give each commoner credit for each of their specialization. Because of this it is evident that he separates these traits of the common class from their misjudgements. This is the working class that partakes in the guilds that strive for the mastery of a craft. Chaucer is keen on representing this in all the descriptions of the common class. Despite their singular positive trait Chaucer uses the visual of the characters to represent who they are as people, the more unattractive the more inferior chaucer makes them. The Miller who has a hairy growth is described to repel the reader physically in the attempt to repel them personally too. By doing this Chaucer creates an ethical pathway for the reader to follow and lead themselves down.
Parson
This is one of the very few pilgrims on the journey that Chaucer regards as a good and faithful person. It is clear from the lack of physical details that Chaucer finds no flaws in this character. Unlike many of the other members of the church, the Parson has good intentions. He is certainly not in it for the money, as one of the first things Chaucer mentions is that he is poor. Rather he is doing this for the wellbeing of others. He is a devout follower of God and he truly wants to bring God to as many people as he can. He is always willing to visit anyone in need, “yet he neglected not in rain or thunder, in sickness or in grief, to pay a call on the remotest, whether big or small..” And he is not judgemental, “Never contemptuous to sinful men, never disdainful…” In Chaucer’s eyes the Parson is a perfect human. He does not judge based on class or money, he is willing to and wants to help everyone. In the description of the Parson, he is compared to a shepherd. He watches over his sheep to make sure that they do not stray. Unlike many other members of the church who leave the herd to fend for themselves, the Parson stays with them. He knows that if the leader is corrupt, then the herd will also be corrupt. By using this conceit of a shepherd, Chaucer is comparing the parson to Jesus Christ. The Parson is a noble man, who Chaucer keeps in high regard. From the description Chaucer gives of the Parson, it is clear to readers that he is one of a kind in his class. The Church is a very corrupt place, yet he is one of the only ones who is not. The Parson is not hypocritical, unlike all his fellow clergy. He is a hands on person, choosing to work with his parishioners and guide them along their path. The quote said by the Parson, “That if gold rust, what then will iron do? For if a priest be foul in whom we trust, no wonder that a common man should rust…”, epitomizes Chaucer’s opinion on this class and how different the Parson is. The majority of this class is corrupt, and therefore they are corrupting their followers. However, the Parson is one of the only true leaders, and therefore he will lead his followers on the right path. The Parson understands that the Church is a corrupt place and he tries to change that by actually caring about his followers and wanting the best for them. It is clear that Chaucer thinks very highly of this pilgrim, and he thinks that more people in the church should act like the Parson. He uses the Parson as an example of how everyone else should act. The clergy have an important job. They are tasked with taking care of their parishioners, and leading them on the right path. However, many of the Church leaders do not do that. They would rather hold mass for the rich people, so they can get more money. The Parson is the complete opposite. He is a poor man, who stays by his parishioners side. He is always making sure they stay on the right path. Chaucer uses the description of the Parson to show how others should act. Through the detailed description of the Parson, Chaucer implies that humanity could benefit from having more pilgrims like the Parson. Chaucer makes it very clear that he thinks highly of the Parson. He is a pious man who is always willing to help other people. The stark difference between the Parson and other members of the church is that the Parson is not corrupt. He is not in this job for the sake of the money. He is in it for the sake of redeeming his people and bringing them closer to God. This quote said by the Parson epitomizes his virtues and the difference between him and the others, “That if gold rust, what then will iron do? For if a priest be foul in whom we trust, no wonder that a common man should rust…” Chaucer uses this quote to explore how the church is corrupt, and if there are corrupt leaders and teachers, then there will be corrupt followers. This is one of the biggest takeaways from the description of the Parson. Humanity will suffer if not for people like him. Humanity needs people like the Parson to guide them to the right place. Chaucer’s high praises of this man make it known that he is vital to the salvation of humanity. In order for humanity to stay on the right path, people like the Parson are needed to guide humans in the right direction.