Portrait of a Pilgrim: The Franklin

In class we have just started reading The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, who was born in 1343. Chaucer was considered the first great English poet. This story would mark the end of Anglo-Saxon literature. The Canterbury Tales was a story about a group of pilgrims who have embarked on a pilgrimage to see a shrine built or the Saint Thomas a Becket. A pilgrimage is a journey with moral or religious significance. Its not like a quest which is going somewhere to find something. In the story each pilgrim is to tell two stories there and back.  Chaucer never finished this story due to his death in 1400.

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Franklin was not a name but a title. A Franklin was a landowner but not of the nobility status. This man was of older age. He was tall, a Justice at the Sessions, he stood over the rest. He had a pale white beard. His face had a ruddy complexion which is like having rosy cheeks from being an outoorsman. During this time period this look was a look of optimism. The Franklin lived for pleasure. He was a festive man full of cheer who loved his culinary attributes. His bread and ale were the finest in the land. His house, never empty of bake-meat pies. His range of food matched that of the many seasons and for every season came a different meal. The table stood all day set for dining. One of his occupations was a county representative in Parliament, or a Member of the Shire. He always kept a dagger and a white piece of silk on his belt. "He lived for pleasure and had always done, for he was Epicurus' very son." Epicurus being a Greek philosopher that taught the goal of life is pleasure. I think Chaucer in general liked this person because nothing negative was spoken about him in the story. Only was there mentions of happiness, optimism, and a good over all social status and being.