The Manciple
Canterbury Tales
What specific occupation does your character practice?
The Manciple is a steward for a law school and is in charge of preparing and serving food.
What does the need for this occupation tell us about the time period?
The steward from law school shows that there are higher professions that are developing and the Manciple is the cook.
What was the Manciples social standing?
He was considered middle class because he serves others and is a steward for noble lawyers. But he is financially stable.
What might your character's day to day life be like?
His day to day life would be making book revisions for lawyers, a servant to the nobility, including cooking and preparing food.
What details about this character does Chaucer not include?
He does not include physical descriptions, and doesn't mention anything on personality.
What modern day occupation might correspond to your medieval character and why?
He can be considered a cook and a manager because he manages everything and cooks/prepares the food.
Paraphrase the prologue describing the manciple.
The Manciple is faithful and is the one in charge of the purchase of food. He also from the inner temple.
Which lines in the prologue best describe the Manciple?
The prologue didn't discuss any of the characters physical appearance.
Which lines describe his personality?
"... he was never rash whether he bought on credit or paid cash."
Which specific words add to your understanding of the character's personality?
Rash which means boldness because it shows that the Manciple was bold enough to show how faithful he really was.
What is the Chaucer's opinion toward the Manciple?
He seems to be impressed with the Manciples ability, even though he never went to school or self learned.
What lines or words tell you this?
"... And yet this Manciple could wipe their eye."-line 604
What word choices require an understanding of vocabulary from the time period?
Victuals- which provided food.
Abstruest- hardest to understand.