In the book The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer he uses a great amount of imagery to describe a character. He describes their clothing to give the reader an idea of what they looked like. He uses this best on a nun, the monk, and a friar.
The first person he used it on is a nun. One way Chaucer describes her is shown on page 111 lines 155-160: Her veil was gathered in a seemly way, her nose was elegant, her eyes glass-gray; her mouth was very small, but soft and red, her forehead, certainly was fair of spread almost a span across the brows, I own; she was indeed by no means undergrown. This is a good description of her because it is very detailed and explains a lot about her looks. Another example is stated on page 111 lines 161-166: Her cloak, I noticed, had a graceful charm. She wore a coral trinket on her arm, a set of beads the gaudies tricked in green, whence hung a golden broach of brightest sheen on which there first was graven a frowned a, and lower, Amor vincit omnia. This shows that the way she dresses is her way of telling people that she is wealthy.
The second person he uses it on is a monk. One of the best ways Chaucer describes him is shown on page 112 lines 197-203: I saw his sleeves were garnished at the hand with fine gray fur, the finest in the land, and on his hood, to fasten it at his chin he had a wrought-gold cunningly fashioned pin; into a lovers knot it seemed to pass. His head was bald and shone like looking-glass; so did his face, as if it had been greased. This shows that he is not wearing cheap clothes like he is suppose to. Another way he shows this is on page 112 lines 204-209: he was a fat and personable priest: his prominent eyeballs never seemed to settle. They glittered like the flames beneath a kettle; supple his boots, his horse in fine condition. He was a prelate fit for exhibition, he was not pale like a tormented soul. This shows that he likes to eat and was a little on the large side.
The last person he used it on is a friar. The first way Chaucer described him is shown on page 113 lines 270-273: Of double-worsted was the semi-cope upon his shoulders, and the swelling fold about him, like a bell about its mould when it is casting, rounded out his dress. This shows that he is wearing not so good clothes that are long and flowing. The second way he describes the friar is stated on page 113 lines 274-278: He lisped a little out of wantonness to make his English sweet upon his tongue. When he had played his harp, or have sung, his eyes would twinkle in his head as bright as any star upon a frosty star. This shows that he can sing and he has eyes that are bright and twinkle.
In conclusion Geoffrey Chaucer is good at describing peoples characteristics as I have shown you by him describing a nun, a monk, and a friar.
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