Canterbury Tales background and intro:

Written in the late 14th century by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales is a story of a pilgramage to Canterbury Cathedral. Among the company are: a knight and his son, three priests, two nuns, a friar, a yeoman, and the narrator himself. After introducing the intention of his voyage, the narrator proceeds to describe his companions. The knight is escribed as being "the very pattern of a noble knight." He has traveled from Russia to Egypt and is as strong as he is courteous. His son is a man of twenty who fares well with women. The nuns and priest are gracious, respectful and civil. The narrator describes the friar as man who keeps to the 'new order' rather than following the archaic order of St Maurus or St Benedict. The friar enjoys hunting hares with his well trained greyhounds and horses, and is a man of sturdy build instead of that with the typical pale complexion associated with most monks.