The Canterbury Tales
by Geoffrey Chaucer
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Plot Summary
- Cast of Characters
- An Analysis of Major Characters
- Symbols and Themes
-
Summary and Analysis
- The General Prologue
- The Knight's Tale
- The Miller's Tale
- The Reeve's Tale
- The Cook's Tale
- The Man of Law's Tale
- The Wife of Bath's Tale
- The Friar's Tale
- The Summoner's Tale
- The Clerk's Tale
- The Merchant's Tale
- The Squire's Tale
- The Franklin's Tale
- The Physician's Tale
- The Pardoner's Tale
- The Shipman's Tale
- The Prioress' Tale
- The Tale of Sir Topas
- The Tale of Melibee
- The Monk's Tale
- The Nun's Priest's Tale
- The Second Nun's Tale
- The Canon Yeoman's Prologue and Tale
- The Manciple's Prologue and Tale
- The Parson's Tale
- Chaucer's Retraction
- Significant Quotations
- Key Facts
- Points to Ponder
- Discussion Questions
- Take The Quiz
- Further Reading
- Flashcards
- Biography of Geoffrey Chaucer
The Squire
The Squire is the Knight’s son. While the Knight is the embodiment of a heroic knight, the Squire is very typical of the hero in a courtly romance. He is very attractive and spends much of his time flirting and in the pursuit of love. These are not portrayed as frivolous traits, and the Narrator does not appear to look down upon the Squire because of this. On the contrary, the Squire is described as being a very capable warrior who has proven to be an asset to his father, the Knight, when they have gone into battle. However, it is critical to realize that the Squire’s main pursuit appears to be the pursuit of love. He is well-versed in those talents that would have been associated with the stereotypical courtly lover. He can play the flute, ride a horse, draw, and write. The Squire is probably more of an example of the type of knights featured in the Knight’s tale than the Knight himself is.
