Question

In "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales, the narrator provides many details about the other pilgrims going to Canterbury, but he says little about himself. The reader is left to infer the narrator's character from what most impresses the narrator as worthy of reporting, what the narrator accepts as true—that is, how discerning he is—and from what little he says directly to the reader about himself and his manner of storytelling. Write an essay in which you explain the nature of the narrator's personality, supporting your ideas with evidence from the text.

a) The narrator's personality is discerning, as evidenced by his observations of the other pilgrims.
b) The narrator's humility is apparent in his limited self-description.
c) The narrator presents himself as an objective and unbiased storyteller.
d) The narrator emphasizes the diversity of the pilgrims, indicating a keen awareness of human nature.

Answer 1

The narrator of The Canterbury Tales shows a discerning, humble, and objective personality, as well as awareness of the pilgrims' diversity, through careful observations and minimal self-description, all conveyed in a first-person narrative style.

Step-by-step explanation:

In The Prologue of The Canterbury Tales, the narrator's personality is intertwined with his mode of storytelling. Options a), b), c), and d) each present different facets of the narrator that can be supported by the text. In particular:

• The narrator's discerning nature is manifested in the detailed observations and descriptions of the other pilgrims. These observations illustrate how the narrator carefully notes the quirks and features that define each person on the pilgrimage.
• His humility is implied through his reluctance to speak about himself, suggesting that he prefers focusing on others rather than on self-promotion.
• The narrator's attempt to appear as an objective and unbiased storyteller can be inferred from the way he allows characters to speak for themselves through their actions and words, without imposing his own judgements.
• Lastly, the narrator's awareness of the diversity among the pilgrims illustrates his understanding of the complex tapestry of human nature, as he provides a wide array of character portraits each with their own unique story.

Furthermore, the first-person narration used by the narrator adds a personal touch while also allowing for the possibility of bias, which readers must discern. This mode of storytelling is evident in other works, such as Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi, where the first-person narration adds depth to the characterization.