The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales

What makes The Prologue a valuable work of medieval Literature? (why are we still reading it 700 years later?

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Before the narrator goes any further in the tale, he describes the circumstances and the social rank of each pilgrim. He describes each one in turn, starting with the highest status individuals. It is these descriptions that give the reader context into each character as well as the thematic importance of the play. We get a good look into themes of hypocrisy and corruption in many different institutions, like the church, that will be detailed in the play.