The Canterbury Tales Objects/Places

Tabard Inn: The Tabard Inn is the initial location for the pilgrims journeying to Canterbury. They meet there and begin their trip of story telling and camaraderie. It is located in Southwark, which was at the time a suburb of London, south of the Thames River.

Canterbury: Canterbury is the destination of the pilgrims hoping to catch a glimpse of the relics and shrine to Saint Thomas Becket, who was murdered in the Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 and became a martyr for Christianity thereafter.

Thebes: Thebes is the city of several tales, including the Knight's Tale of Palamon and Arcite's love for Emelye.

Oxford: Oxford is a city in England that houses the University and several of the tales told on the journey to Canterbury, including the Miller's Tale, and The Wife of Bath's Tale (her fifth husband).

Cambridge: Cambridge is another city in England that houses a University and several of the tales told on the journey to Canterbury, including the Reeves' Tale.

Rome: Rome is the holy center of Christianity and the location of parts of several of the tales told on the journey. It is the home of Constance, the Christian heroine of the Man of Law's Tale.

Northcumberland: Northcumberland is the shore city where Constance is shipwrecked and lives in the Man of Law's Tale. Alla is the King of this nation, converts to Christianity, and marries Constance.

Yorkshire: Yorkshire is another city in England where the Summoner's Tale is set.

Saluzzo: Saluzzo is the mountainous Italian city, which is the setting of the Clerk's Tale.

Flanders: Flanders is the setting of the Pardoner's drunken tale of avarice and of the Tale of Sir Thopas.