The Canterbury Tales - General Prologue - Michael Murphy Reader-Friendly Modern Spelling Edition

Sep 21, 2026

The Canterbury Tales - General Prologue introduces Geoffrey Chaucer’s pilgrimage framework through an opening seasonal sentence linking spring’s effects to nature, animals, and human desire. It then explains how the narrator reaches the Tabard Inn near London and meets twenty-nine fellow pilgrims who share the plan to travel to Canterbury to seek the shrine of St. Thomas Becket. The prologue describes their fellowship and begins detailed character conditions, starting with the Knight.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages39

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

General Prologue

The seasonal opening and pilgrimage impulse

The group at the Tabard Inn near London

The Knight’s background and character

0 The Canterbury Tales by GEOFFREY CHAUCER A READER-FRIENDLY EDITION Put into modern spelling by MICHAEL MURPHY GENERAL PROLOGUE 1 GENERAL PROLOGUE The opening is a long, elaborate sentence about the effects of Spring on the vegetable and animal world, and on people. The style of the rest of the Prologue and Tales is much simpler than this opening. A close paraphrase of the opening sentence is offered at the bottom of this page.1 5 10 15 When that April with his showers soote The drought of March hath piercèd to the root And bathèd every vein in such liquor Of which virtúe engendered is the flower;2 When Zephyrus eke with his sweetè breath Inspirèd hath in every holt and heath The tender croppès, and the youngè sun Hath in the Ram his halfè course y-run,3 And smallè fowlès maken melody That sleepen all the night with open eye (So pricketh them Natúre in their couráges), Then longen folk to go on pilgrimáges, And palmers for to seeken strangè strands To fernè hallows couth in sundry lands,4 And specially from every shirè's end OfEngèland to Canterbury they wend The holy blissful martyr for to seek, That them hath holpen when that they were sick. its showers sweet rootlet / liquid West Wind also grove & field young shoots / Spring sun in Aries / has run little birds Who sleep spurs / spirits people long pilgrims / shores distant shrines known county's go St. Thomas Becket Who has helped them 1 When April with its sweet showers has pierced the drought of March to the root and bathed every rootlet in the liquid by which the flower is engendered; when the west wind also, with its sweet breath, has brought forth young shoots in every grove and field; when the early sun of spring has run half his course in the sign of Aries, and when small birds make melody, birds that sleep all night with eyes open,(as Nature inspires them to) --THEN people have a strong desire to go on pilgrimages, and pilgrims long to go to foreign shores to distant shrines known in various countries. And especially they go from every county in England to seek out the shrine of the holy blessed martyr who has helped them when they were sick. 2 4: "By virtue (strength) of which the flower is engendered." 3 8: The early sun of Spring has moved part way through the sign of Aries (the Ram) in the Zodiac. 4 13-14: "Pilgrims seek foreign shores (to go) to distant shrines known in different lands." Palmers: pilgrims, from the palm-leaves they got in Jerusalem. 2 CANTERBURY TALES At the Tabard Inn, just south of London, the poet-pilgrim falls in with a group of twenty nine other pilgrims who have met each other along the way. 20 25 30 35 40 Befell that in that season on a day In Southwark at The Tabard as I lay Ready to wenden on my pilgrimage To Canterbury with full devout couráge, At night was come into that hostelry Well nine and twenty in a company Of sundry folk by áventure y-fall In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all That toward Canterbury woulden ride. The chambers and the stables weren wide And well we weren easèd at the best. And shortly, when the sunnè was to rest, So had I spoken with them every one That I was oftheir fellowship anon, And madè forward early for to rise To take our way there as I you devise. But natheless, while I have time and space, Ere that I further in this talè pace, Methinketh it accordant to reason To tell you all the conditïon Of each of them so as it seemèd me, And which they weren, and of what degree And eke in what array that they were in; And at a knight then will I first begin. It happened inn name / lodged to go spirit, heart inn fully 29 by chance fallen ... ...Into company wished to were roomy entertained sun had set agreement Ishall tell you nevertheless Before Igo It seems to me circumstances to me And who / social rank also / dress The Knight is the person of highest social standing on the pilgrimage though you would never know it f

FAQs

What does the opening of the General Prologue emphasize?

It presents a long, elaborate explanation of how spring influences the vegetable and animal world and, by extension, encourages people to long for pilgrimages.

Where does the narrator meet the other pilgrims?

He meets them at the Tabard Inn, just south of London, where they have gathered and prepare to ride to Canterbury.

Who is the first pilgrim described in detail?

The Knight is introduced first, portrayed as the highest social standing in the group, defined by his chivalry, truth, honor, and battlefield experience.

Sep 21, 2026

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