Final answer:
In 'The Canterbury Tales,' Chaucer uses the pilgrimage primarily as a narrative frame to present character studies and social commentary through their stories.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the description of a pilgrimage is used primarily as a frame to provide a set of character studies and tales. Chaucer uses the pilgrimage, a journey to a holy shrine or religious place, as a narrative device to gather a diverse group of people together and give them a reason to tell stories to each other. This literary technique allows him to explore a wide range of social classes and personalities, as each pilgrim represents different facets of society. The pilgrimage setting gives Chaucer the opportunity to provide a vivid social commentary and examine the human condition through various moral and satirical tales.