The Canterbury Tales · Chapter
The Shipman’s Tale explained
A merchant's wife borrows money from a monk, who is also her lover, and repays the debt by sleeping with him.
What happens
A merchant's wife borrows money from a monk, who is also her lover, and repays the debt by sleeping with him. The merchant unknowingly facilitates the affair when the monk asks for a loan, which he then gives to the wife. The tale satirizes marital deception and financial greed.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This passage marks the story's dramatic climax because it shifts the focus from the external, ritualistic acts…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Corruption and Hypocrisy in the Church
The monk's deceit and sexual misconduct highlight clerical hypocrisy.
- Marriage and Sovereignty
The wife's manipulation and infidelity challenge traditional marital authority.
Characters to notice
- The Shipman
Tells this tale of a merchant, his wife, and a monk.
- The Merchant
A wealthy merchant who is deceived by his wife and a monk.
- The Monk
A monk who borrows money from the merchant and seduces the merchant's wife.
- Dame Ales
The merchant's wife, who conspires with the monk to deceive her husband.
Key passages
“The Shipman’s Tale 3675”
The Shipman begins his tale.
Opening of the tale.
