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Chaucer's "The General Prologue." Identify one motive offered for the pilgrimmage that is about to begin. Briefly explain in what way(s) are the season and the nature imagery important factors?

The pilgrims are off to see the the shrine of St. Thomas Becket.  The host suggests they tell two stories, one on the way there and one on the way back.  The host also says he will reward the pilgrim with the best tale a free supper when they return to the inn.  

When the pilgrims begin their journey, it is springtime.  As the seasons change, so do people.  People also want to change as the seasons change and venture out, as from winter to spring, for example. eNotes states that the host:

...tells us that just as Nature has a predictable course through the seasons, so does human nature follow a seasonal pattern which causes people to want to break out of winter's confinement and go traveling in the spring.

http://www.enotes.com/canterbury/summary