Table of Contents
The Merchant, The Clerk, and The Franklin
As Chaucer moves through the middle classes of the pilgrimage, he introduces a series of sharply contrasting figures. We first meet the Merchant, a pompous, profit-obsessed man who rides high upon his horse wearing a multicolored coat and a distinct forked beard.
In total contrast to the wealthy Merchant is the Clerk of Oxford. He is a desperately poor, highly virtuous philosophy student. He is so devoted to his studies that his horse is as skinny as a rake. Exam questions frequently target his library: he owns 20 books bound in black and red(Asked in Exam), which were all devoted to Aristotle and philosophy(Asked in Exam). His moral virtue is summed up in one of Chaucer's most famous lines: “And gladly would he learn and gladly teach.”
Riding near the Clerk and the highly successful Man of Law is the Franklin (a wealthy, freeborn landowner). He is a man of pure sensual pleasure. With a beard as white as a daisy and a sanguine (cheerful/ruddy) temperament, he loves a morning drink of wine and keeping a lavish table. Chaucer famously declares that "He was Epicurus’s own son", meaning he lived for physical pleasure and hospitality. Socially prominent, he served as a knight of the shire, a sheriff, and a county auditor, carrying a dagger and a silk purse at his belt.
The Guildsmen, The Cook, and The Shipman
Representing the rising urban middle class are the Five Guildsmen: a Haberdasher, a Carpenter, a Weaver, a Dyer, and a Tapestry-Maker. They are all clothed in the same distinct livery (uniform) of a wealthy religious fraternity. Chaucer notes that their wives are highly socially ambitious, demanding to be called “Madam” and expecting their cloaks to be carried like royalty.
They bring along their own private chef, Roger the Cook. While he makes incredible food, Chaucer undercuts his culinary skill by pointing out a highly unappetizing detail: the Cook has a crusty, weeping sore on his shin. Finally, we meet the Shipman, a rough, highly skilled, but slightly rogue sailor who steals wine from the merchants he transports and routinely throws his enemies overboard.
The Physician: Medicine and Greed
The Physician is presented as a man of immense learning but questionable spiritual morals. To demonstrate his education, Chaucer lists the massive curriculum of ancient and medieval authorities the Doctor has studied. He knew the ancient Greeks (Hippocrates, Galen, Dioscorides, Rufus), the great Islamic scholars (Rhazes, Avicenna, Averroes, Haly), and early medieval figures (Constantine, Bernard, Gaddesden, Gilbert, John of Damascus).
However, despite his brilliant medical mind, the Physician's true love is gold. He has a secret financial arrangement with the local apothecaries to prescribe drugs people don't really need. Ultimately, Chaucer notes that the Physician valued wealth far more than spirituality, rarely ever reading the Bible.
The Wife of Bath: Boldness and Experience
Perhaps the most famous and unforgettable character in the entire poem is the bold, loudly dressed, gap-toothed Wife of Bath. She is an incredibly experienced, unapologetic woman who loved life immensely. Chaucer introduces her with a slight physical flaw: “She was somewhat deaf, and that was a pity”(Asked in Exam).
Despite this, “She was a worthy woman all her life”(Asked in Exam). Her defining characteristic, and the central focus of her upcoming tale, is her absolute mastery of marriage and men. She proudly declares that she had had five husbands at the church door(Asked in Exam), not counting other lovers in her youth. She is the ultimate medieval feminist figure, aggressively demanding sovereignty and control over her own life and marriages.
Match the List Checkpoint
Clerk of Oxford
The impoverished but highly virtuous student who values his 20 books of philosophy over worldly wealth.
Epicurus
The ancient Greek philosopher of pleasure, to whom the food-loving Franklin is compared as a "son."
The Physician
A highly educated professional who knows Hippocrates and Avicenna, but loves gold more than the Bible.
Wife of Bath
The bold, somewhat deaf, incredibly experienced woman who has survived five marriages.
Active Recall: Check Your Mastery
- Q: The Clerk of Oxford's 20 books (bound in black and red) were devoted to the teachings of which ancient philosopher?
A: Aristotle. - Q: What is the exact number of husbands the Wife of Bath married "at the church door"?
A: Five husbands. - Q: "And gladly would he learn and gladly teach." To which character does this famous line apply?
A: The Clerk of Oxford. - Q: Why are the wives of the Five Guildsmen so insistent on being called "Madam"?
A: They are socially ambitious and want the respect and titles typically reserved for the higher aristocracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Wife of Bath marry at the "church door"?
In medieval England, the actual exchanging of vows and rings did not happen inside the church at the altar; it took place openly at the front door of the church (the church porch) so the entire community could witness the legal and financial contract of the marriage. Afterwards, the couple would go inside for the nuptial mass. Her standing there five times proves her marriages were entirely legal and public.
Who was Epicurus and why is the Franklin called his son?
Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher who taught that the highest goal in life is the pursuit of happiness and pleasure (specifically the absence of pain). In the Middle Ages, "Epicurean" became a shorthand for a hedonist—someone who loves fine food, wine, and comfort. The Franklin keeps his house stocked with meat, pies, and wine, making him a true "son" of this philosophy.
Why does Chaucer mention the Cook's sore?
It is a classic example of Chaucer's dark, physical realism and irony. Roger the Cook is a master of making Blancmange (a thick, creamy, white stew). By immediately mentioning the weeping, crusty, pus-filled sore on his shin, Chaucer deliberately disgusts the reader, ruining the appetite and warning against eating the Cook's famous dish.
Why are the Clerk's books "black and red"?
Before the printing press, books were handwritten manuscripts. The standard academic style of the era was to write the main text in black ink, while using red ink (rubrication) for the titles, chapter headings, and important notes. This detail proves the Clerk owns genuine, high-quality, expensive academic texts, despite being entirely broke himself.
