Canterbury Tales: The Prologue

Canterbury Tales: The Prologuenameinstitution
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The Shipman, also known as the skipper is introduced in the first chapter of the Canterbury tales together with other travelers. In the poem, Chaucer portrays a clear picture of the skipper through describing him using his horse clothing and skin. He states that ‘‘He rode upon a rouncy (hack), as he couth, all in a gown of falding (coarse cloth) to the knee. A dagger hanging by a lace had he around his neck under his arm down; the hot summer had made his hueall brown, and certainly, he was a good fellow.”(Chaucer, 2016)
According to the narrator’s description of the skipper, it is evident that he is a harsh working-class man who is different from the other pilgrims. A skipper is a dangerous man who always carries a dagger while the other pilgrims are highly educated, and the narrator associates them with church groups. The skipper is also called the shipman because he does an excellent job in ensuring that his ship is floating during harsh weather conditions.
Chaucer also uses different names of people to portray their profession for example; the wife of the bath to signify a skilled wife who was married five times and had several affairs when she was young. Another character in the poem is Knight. According to the author, Knight is a dedicated person to Christianity. He has participated in more than fifteen crusades during his era.
It is evident that the people in the skipper’s occupation are not ex…