Canterbury Tales: Contrasting Knight and Skipper

The Knight and the Skipper

In Canterbury Tales, Chaucer describes a group of twenty-nine pilgrims traveling to Canterbury Cathedral to seek blessings from the martyred Archbishop Thomas á Becket. Out of these twenty-nine pilgrims, there is a Knight and a Skipper. On their way to Canterbury, they go into a pub. The host of the pub makes a proposition to the pilgrims that whoever has told the most meaningful and comforting stories will receive a meal paid for by the rest of the pilgrims upon their return. The host also offers to be the guide on his own cost. Of these twenty-nine pilgrims, the Knight and the Skipper are the least alike in their social classes, their physical appearances, and their morals.

The Knight is a member of the noble class. He has fought in many battles. He has even been part of The Crusades. When fighting in those battles, he has acquired several battle scars. "He had done nobly in his sovereign war / And ridden into battle, no man more" (48-49).

The Skipper is a member of the merchant class. He is a pirate and a crooked thief. He knows almost every port in the world and has traveled a great bit to gain his knowledge over the seas. "Moons, harbors, pilots, he had such dispatch / That none from Hull to Carthage was his match" (413-414). It shows that he is one of the greatest sailors during that time considering his skills.

Other than that their social classes are different, their physical appearances differ also. The Knight's appearance is described as "Speaking of his equipment, he possessed / fine horses, but he was not gaily dressed. / he wore a fustian tunic stained and dark / with smudges where his armor had left mark" (75-78). The knight does not care about his appearance. Even though the Knight is not clean, the author still thinks very highly of him.

The skipper's appearance is described as "In a woolen gown that reached his knee. / A dagger on a lanyard falling free / hung down from his neck under his arm and down./ The summer heat had tanned his color brown" (401-404). The author uses verbal irony to describe him saying he is an excellent fellow, even though the Skipper is known to be merciless. The author also describes his beard saying it has been tempest shaken. This relates to the Skipper's experience on the sea.

Last but not least is their difference in morals. The knight is a perfect example of Chivalry. "To ride abroad had followed chivalry, / truth, honor, generous, and courtesy" (45-46). The Knight is known to have valor and abides by the laws of his country. He is a Christian and tries to defend his country at any cost.

The Skipper, however, has no morals. He is known to be cunning and a liar. The Skipper does not abide by any rules for battle. He has no Chivalry either. "The nicer rules of conscience he

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