Vogel
“The Prologue” Questions
English IV
DO NOT WRITE ON THESE QUESTIONS! CLASS USE ONLY!
Lines 1-41
 How do you know it’s springtime? Quote the line(s) – there are
several.
 What do people do during this time of year? Answer the
question & Quote the line.
 Where do people most often go?
 Why do they go there? Be specific. Don’t just name the town.
 Where does the story take place? Town? Building?
 How many people are going? Quote the line.
 What has the narrator done with all of the people? How do you
know? Line number.
 What does the narrator intend to do before the journey begins?
KNIGHT
 What qualities does the knight possess?
 In what places has he fought?
 What is Chaucer’s opinion of him?
 Chaucer says the knight has “Fine horses.” Why are fine horses
important for a knight?
 Describe his physical appearance.
 Why is he going on the pilgrimage?
 Who rides with him?
SQUIRE
 What does the squire have in common with most young men his
age?
 Where has he served and with what “military” branch?
 What details about him show his vanity?
 What skills does he possess?
 What does Chaucer think of the squire?
 How is the squire different than his father?
 Who rides with the knight and the squire?
Vogel
“The Prologue” Questions
English IV
DO NOT WRITE ON THESE QUESTIONS! CLASS USE ONLY!
YEOMAN
 What is the yeoman’s job?
 Describe his physical appearance?
 What about his physical appearance tells Chaucer that the
yeoman is a “proper forester?”
 Do you think the yeoman talked to Chaucer? Why or why not?
NUN
 What is a prioress?
 What are the qualities/images we usually associate with a nun?
 Authors often use names to help develop a character. Chaucer
calls the nun “Madam Eglantyne.” What quality does the name
suggest?
 What is the demeanor of the nun?
 What does the nun “counterfeit” or pretend she has?
 How does she feel about animals?
 Describe her physical appearance?
 What does her pin say? Why does this seem unusual for a nun?
 Does Chaucer like her or not? Explain.
 Who travels with her?
Vogel
“The Prologue” Questions
English IV
DO NOT WRITE ON THESE QUESTIONS! CLASS USE ONLY!
MONK
 What are the qualities/images we usually associate with a
monk?
 What is the monk’s sport?
 What does the monk have in his stable?
 What does the monk do for a living?
 Why does the monk ignore the Rule of “good St. Benet or St.
Maur”?
 What does this say about the kind of monk the monk is?
 What does the monk enjoy most in life?
 What does Chaucer say about the monk’s horse? Why would
this be unusual for a monk?
 How do the monk’s beliefs about the monastic life differ with
the church’s beliefs? Describe the monk’s horse.
 What “text” does the monk ignore?
 What literary device is the narrator using in lines 187-192?
 Describe his physical appearance.
 What is a palfrey?
 What type of personality do you think the monk might exhibit?
Explain.
FRIAR
 What is a friar?
 What does a friar agree to do?
 What kinds of people does the friar associate with?
 What is the friar licensed to do? Why is this important?
 What do those who are confessing give to the friar?
 What does he give them in return?
 How does the friar know if someone is worthy of absolution?

Vogel
“The Prologue” Questions
English IV
DO NOT WRITE ON THESE QUESTIONS! CLASS USE ONLY!
Friar (Continued)
 What does the friar keep in his tippet? Things that make you
go….
 What kind of person has a white neck that’s “strong enough to
butt a bruiser down”?
 Who does the friar not associate with? Why should he associate
with these people instead of those he does associate with?
 Reread lines 259-263. Where does the friar get his $$? What
does this say about the kind of person he is?
 Describe what the friar is wearing. Is this fitting for a friar?
Explain.
 What is the friar’s name?