Is Geoffrey Chaucer an actual character on this infamous journey to Canterbury? This is a thought that seems to be somewhat over looked when most read Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. As the writer of the Tales, Chaucer took the opportunity to invent a character to represent him. However, does this "narrator" truly represent what Chaucer is trying to get a cross? Or is he a ploy to gain the attention of the readers without stirring a controversy? This question can be answered in numerous ways, but the text seems to support the idea that Chaucer, as witty and clever as he was, uses him as both.

To most readers, it would make sense that Chaucer expresses his own views by being the narrator of his stories, but this is not entirely true. During the time period of which The Canterbury Tales takes place, it was not a wise thing to do to write works that mock the church, or what the average person believes. Thus, it is highly possible that Chaucer used the narrator to "tone down" his thoughts, but still cause the readers mind to turn. Meanwhile, Chaucer still has the ability to create a character that is "above" the other pilgrims who looks down at them in a satiri

cal way, without causing too much of a conflict with the beliefs of those who will most likely be reading it. "It was his pose to regard himself with a mild mockery." (Nevill Coghill)

These lines in no way say that Chaucer is accepting the decisions of the monk, but simply agrees that he should not spend his days studying in the monastery when there are new things to be learned outside of it, which no one has attempted to do before.

Poring over books in cloisters?" (Lines 188-190 The General Prologue)

The description of the narrator is another example of a witty self-parody in Chaucer's work. "The poet himself appears in person as a plump simpleton,"(Nevill Coghill). Chaucer has the Host describe him as a slight and meek character, certainly not a flattering description. This shows that Chaucer wishes to remain in the "shadows." He does not want to be noticed and would rather sit back and watch as the others bury and embarrass themselves without even noticing it. In that respect, Chaucer shows that while the reader is getting entertainment out of it, so is the narrator, Chaucer himself. The Host says to the narrator:

"You look as if you were trying to find a hare,

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Approximate Word count = 1516
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)