The Canterbury Tales Group

Question:

tabita
tabita
Student
High School - 9th Grade

What were they going to Canterbury in the prologue tales?

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Posted by tabita on Monday May 21, 2007 at 10:24 AM and tagged with prologue, the canterbury tales.

Answers:


  1. byanyothername Teacher
    College - Sophomore

    eNotes Editor

    The pilgrims are going to Canterbury to worship St. Thomas a Beckett (well, that's what they say, but it's also a trip for leisure and fun). They begin at a tavern called Tabard Inn in Southwerk. And probably left on April 17th. Originally Chaucer's plan was to have each person tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two tales on the was back, which would equal 120 tales. However, he only completed 24 tales (understandably!).

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/canterbury/q-and-a/what-were-they-g...

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    Posted by byanyothername on Monday May 21, 2007 at 10:33 AM


  2. blacksheepunite Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    They were on a pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a physical journey to a holy place. It is supposed to be a spiritual event. In the prologue, Chaucer's narrative persona says:
    The hooly blisful martir for to seke,
    That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.
    (They go to seek the holy blissful martyr who will help them when they were sick.)

    Sources:
    http://www.canterburytales.org/canterbury_tales.html
    http://www.enotes.com/canterburytales

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    Posted by blacksheepunite on Monday May 21, 2007 at 10:50 AM


  3. arjun Teacher
    College - Senior

    They were going to perform pilgrimage to Canterbury Saint Thomas a Beckett.Besides it was a good trip in leisure.Not only this but also it was a spiritual trip leading the characters to religious eremony.

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    Posted by arjun on Sunday November 25, 2007 at 12:12 PM