Jonty Claypole

They're going because Canterbury is a fun place to go to.

And the other reason why they're going is that it's a half-measure pilgrimage, right?

If you're serious about a pilgrimage, as Chaucer told us in the bit you read at the start, you know, this is a time of year where people leave.

They go to the continent.

They go to Rome.

They go to Jerusalem.

They go on the big pilgrimages.

Canterbury is a complete part-timer.

It's a four day walk back.

So in giving us Canterbury, he's already telling us that these people are spiritual part timers.

Right.

And they're going to a place which on one hand is symbolic of the triumph of the church over the state, but is in fact ultimately the triumph of commerce over both church and state.

And let us not forget that we talk about the destination of the Canterbury Tales being a pilgrimage from Southwark to Canterbury.

But it's not, of course.

The destination is Southwark.

They're doing a round trip.

They're walking out to Canterbury and they're basically going to end up back where they started in this muddy, grimy, sinful cesspit of vice and prostitution and bear baiting and alcoholism.

they're going to end up right back where they started, completely unspiritually rejuvenated.

So those are just some of the fun things Chaucer's doing with Southwark and this real figure of Harry Bailey.

So Sophie, the last thing I want to say, and this is my kind of answer to overrated, underrated, is that as I was reading this again, and I haven't read Chaucer for a while, I was just thinking Chaucer is the single greatest innovator in the English language.