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What is the analysis of "The General Prologue" in The Canterbury Tales?

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"The General Prologue" in The Canterbury Tales serves multiple functions. It introduces the narrator, who is a persona of Chaucer himself, outlines the premise of the pilgrimage to Canterbury, and provides detailed descriptions of the pilgrims. This prologue sets the framework for the tales by establishing the diverse backgrounds and characteristics of each pilgrim, which are crucial for understanding the ensuing stories and themes.

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This is a very broad question because "The General Prologue" covers a great deal of information. Chaucer uses the "Prologue" to (1) introduce the narrator, who is acknowledge as Chaucer's own persona; (2) introduce the premise of the tales, which is a joint pilgrimage by separate people or groups to Canterbury; (3) introduce the pilgrims and give usually detailed descriptions of them.

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