# Endnotes explained — The Canterbury Tales

> Chapter companion for The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.

## What happens

The endnotes provide editorial commentary on the placement and authenticity of various Canterbury Tales, including the Nun's Tale, the Canon's Yeoman's Tale, and the Franklin's Tale, as well as explanations of archaic terms and historical context. They also discuss Chaucer's original composition of the Life of Saint Cecile as a separate work and the unfinished state of the Squire's Tale.

## Themes in this chapter

### Sin and Redemption

The Parson's Tale, a sermon on penitence, directly addresses sin and the path to redemption, a central theme of the chapter.

### Corruption and Hypocrisy in the Church

The editorial commentary on the Parson's Tale includes an attack on fashionable garb and gluttony, highlighting moral corruption.

## Character check-ins

### Chaucer

Mentioned as the author who left The Canterbury Tales unfinished at his death.

### The Second Nun

Her tale, the Life of Saint Cecile, is noted as originally composed by Chaucer as a separate work.

### The Squire

His tale is referenced as being left half-told, with editorial speculation about its intended continuation.

### The Franklin

His tale is mentioned in the context of manuscript ordering and the Breton lay tradition.

### The Canon's Yeoman

His tale is noted in the discussion of manuscript placement.

## Key lines

> A thing worth doing, that ought to be done.

Something that is worthwhile and should be accomplished.

_Definition of an archaic term in the endnotes._

> The 'Parson's Tale' is believed to be a translation, more or less free, from some treatise on penitence that was in favour about Chaucer's time.

The Parson's Tale is thought to be a loose translation of a popular medieval work on penance.

_Editorial explanation of the source of the Parson's Tale._

> This 'Tale' was originally composed by Chaucer as a separate work, and as such it is mentioned in the 'Legend of Good Women' under the title of The Life of Saint Cecile.

The Second Nun's Tale was originally written by Chaucer as an independent poem, listed in the Legend of Good Women as The Life of Saint Cecile.

_Commentary on the origin of the Second Nun's Tale._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/endnotes
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters