# Our Host — The Canterbury Tales character guide > Our Host in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. **Role:** major **Also known as:** our Host, Sir Host, The Host **First appearance:** 0000-the-prologue ## Who they are Harry Bailly, the Tabard Inn's brisk and bossy host, turns a chance company of pilgrims into a storytelling contest with himself as master of ceremonies. ## In the story ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The cheerful and authoritative innkeeper who proposes the tale-telling contest and serves as judge. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) Laughs and praises the Knight's tale, then calls upon the Monk to tell next; tries to restrain the drunken Miller. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) Interrupts the Reeve's moralizing and commands him to tell his tale. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host grants the Cook permission to tell his tale, teasing him about his cooking practices. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) Urges the pilgrims to continue the tale-telling contest, noting the passage of time. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host intervenes in the quarrel, urging the Friar to be courteous and telling the Summoner to be quiet, then asks the Friar to tell his tale. ### [The Friar's Tale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-tale) The Host interrupts the Friar and the Summoner's quarrel, urging the Friar to continue his tale. ### [The Sompnour's Tale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-sompnour-s-tale) Intervenes to mediate the quarrel between the Friar and the Sompnour. ### [The Clerk's Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host calls upon the Clerk and instructs him to tell a merry tale. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host addresses the Merchant, urging him to tell a part of his tale about marriage. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host reacts to the Merchant's tale, lamenting women's cunning and complaining about his own wife's faults. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) Interrupts the Franklin to remind him of his duty to tell a tale. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host requests a tale from the Doctor of Physic. ### [The Pardoner's Tale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-pardoner-s-tale) The Host reacts to the Pardoner's tale and his attempt to sell relics, engaging in a tense exchange. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host reacts emotionally to the Physician's tale, swearing and lamenting the maiden's death, then requests a tale from the Pardoner. ### [The Pardoner's Tale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-tale) Quarrels with the Pardoner after the tale, but is reconciled by the Knight. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) Stands in his stirrups, calls for a tale from the Parson, and accuses the Parson of being a Lollard. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host proposes that the Prioress tell the next tale. ### [Chaucer's Tale of Sir Thopas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/chaucer-s-tale-of-sir-thopas) Interrupts Chaucer's tale, criticizing its poor quality. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host initiates the interaction, teasing Chaucer and demanding a tale of mirth. ### [The Tale of Sir Thopas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-tale) The Host is the audience for this tale, though not directly mentioned in the excerpt; he presides over the contest. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) Interrupts Chaucer's rhyme, calling it 'drafty speech' and demanding a better tale. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host complains about his wife's impatience and lack of meekness, contrasting her with Dame Prudence. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) Criticizes the Monk's tale for boring the company and calls upon the Nun's Priest to tell a merry tale. ### [The Nun's Priest's Tale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-tale) Praises the Nun's Priest for his merry tale. ### [The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) Questions the Canon's shabby appearance and encourages the Yeoman to speak. ### [The Canon's Yeoman's Tale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-tale) Addressed directly by the Canon's Yeoman during the tale. ### [The Manciple's Tale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-manciple-s-tale) Host who calls upon the Manciple to tell his tale. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) Awakens the Cook, jests, and later praises Bacchus for turning discord into accord. ### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue) The Host proposes that the Parson tell the final tale, urging him to be fruitful and hasten before sunset. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/characters/host - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/characters