1. Frame Story: The entire narrative is framed by the pilgrimage, providing a context for the individual tales. This structure allows for a diverse range of stories and characters.
* Example: The pilgrims gather at the Tabard Inn, and the Host proposes a storytelling contest to pass the time on the journey.
2. Irony: Chaucer often uses irony to highlight the flaws of his characters and the absurdity of their situations.
* Example: The Wife of Bath's tale contradicts her own outspoken views on marriage, highlighting the hypocrisy within her character.
3. Satire: Chaucer uses satire to criticize the social, religious, and political institutions of his time.
* Example: The Pardoner's tale satirizes the corruption within the Church, showing the Pardoner's greed and manipulation.
4. Humor: Humor is woven throughout the tales, from witty wordplay to bawdy jokes and slapstick.
* Example: The Miller's tale, which tells the story of a cuckolded carpenter, is full of slapstick humor and vulgar language.
5. Personification: Chaucer gives human qualities to inanimate objects or abstract concepts.
* Example: In the General Prologue, the narrator describes the "wind" as "blowing" and "whistling," giving it a human-like agency.
6. Allegory: Some tales contain allegorical meanings, representing deeper truths or moral lessons.
* Example: The Pardoner's tale can be interpreted as an allegory about the dangers of greed and the hypocrisy of the Church.
7. Imagery: Chaucer uses vivid descriptions and sensory details to create a sense of realism and engagement with the stories.
* Example: The descriptions of the pilgrims' appearance, their clothing, and their physical features in the General Prologue.
8. Symbolism: Objects, characters, or events often hold symbolic meanings beyond their literal interpretation.
* Example: The Canterbury pilgrimage itself can be seen as a symbol of the journey of life, with each pilgrim representing a different aspect of human nature.
9. Foreshadowing: Hints and clues are scattered throughout the tales, foreshadowing events or the outcomes of stories.
* Example: The Knight's tale foreshadows the tragic end of Palamon and Arcite, highlighting the themes of fate and fortune.
10. Repetition: Chaucer uses repetition of key phrases, words, or themes to emphasize certain points or create a sense of rhythm and structure.
* Example: The repeated use of the phrase "a good man" in the General Prologue to describe the ideal pilgrim, contrasting with the flaws of the real pilgrims.