On a spring day in April Chaucer's 29 pilgrims from many different walks of life set out on a traditional pilgrimage from London to Canterbury, each one telling a story to liven up the journey. The five tales in this reader reflect the views of the various social classes in the new Medieval England, as well as revealing complex and comic aspects of human nature. The characters come to life as Chaucer describes their strengths and weaknesses, often with humour and irony and always with minute attention to detail, showing his deep understanding of men and women and their position in the social hierarchy. This fascinating collection of individuals described in The General Prologue includes the noble Knight, the unforgettable Wife of Bath with her advice on matters of love, the avaricious Pardoner, the studious clerk and the Nun's Priest whose tale proves that dreams are a serious subject.