The prologue to the Cook's tale begins with the cook expressing that he thought the the Miller's and Reeve's tales were humerous and he decideds to share a story of his own. The Host though, reminds the Cook that he has to tell a really good story to make up for all the "juiceless pastry and many a twice-warmed-over meat pie" he has sold the people that has either made them sick or unhappy. The Cook decides not to tell the story, and instead tells his tale, thus the Cook's tale. The tale is about an apprentice named Perkin the Reveler. Reason for his name comes from the description of him as "gay as a bullfinch in the woods, brown as a berry and handsome." With this description though, Perkin is also described as a man who indulges in lots of adultery. It is said the "any wench who could meet him was lucky." The tale goes on depicting Perkin as the womanizing type, who lives as the life of the party, singing and dancing at all chances especially at weddings, parades and his favorite place, the tavern. Another description of Perkin is his great ability to obtain money through stealing, gambling or other means. Just before Perkin finishes his apprenticeship, his master comes across a saying that says "It is better to cast a rotten apple out of the storehouse than to let it rot all the others." After reading this, his master realizes that he was foolish for giving Perkin so many chances after scolding him about his poor behavior. Perkin's master quickly realizes that he should have fired him long ago. Shortly after reading the saying, he firesPerkin from the job saying, "Now let him revel all night if he likes." After being fired Perkin takes up residence with a friend who indugles in the same lifestyle as he does and whos wife runs a shop, but really earns her living from prostitution. Here, Chaucer left the story unfinished. There are many theories about why Chaucer left the story unfinished. Some people believe Chaucer had intentions to return and finish the story, while others believe that he intentionally left the story unfinished.
While the story is left unfinished, Chaucer has clearly given Perkin the Cook a defined personality. Chaucer does not like the Cook nor does he care for the decisions that he makes. The tale shows how Perkin quickly fell into sin and was very quickly consumed by participating in sinful activities. The Cook's tale follows somewhat closely to the stories told by the Miller and the Reeve. This is particuarly interesting because Chaucer does not like either of these characters, and in the beginning Perkin finds humor in their stories. Each of their stories depict characters that indulge in sinful lifesyles, so it is fitting that Perkin would find humor in what most would call absurd behavior. Even more, the prologue to The Canterbury Tales depicts Perkin as a good baker, but notes "What a pity-so it seemed to me, that he should have an ulcer on his knee." While Perkin does not actually have an ulcer on his knee, the prologue shows that once he was a great cook who could make "tasty pie" and "good thick soup," but because of his rapid plunge into sin, it is like he has an ulcer on his knee. This ulcer depicts the sinful life he is choosing to live and how it will soon lead to his downfall. While Chaucer leaves no evidence of what happens after being fired, sometimes the fun of the Cook's tale comes from predicting what will happen next to Perkin the Reveler.
The prologue to the Cook's tale begins with the cook expressing that he thought the the Miller's and Reeve's tales were humerous and he decideds to share a story of his own. The Host though, reminds the Cook that he has to tell a really good story to make up for all the "juiceless pastry and many a twice-warmed-over meat pie" he has sold the people that has either made them sick or unhappy. The Cook decides not to tell the story, and instead tells his tale, thus the Cook's tale. The tale is about an apprentice named Perkin the Reveler. Reason for his name comes from the description of him as "gay as a bullfinch in the woods, brown as a berry and handsome." With this description though, Perkin is also described as a man who indulges in lots of adultery. It is said the "any wench who could meet him was lucky." The tale goes on depicting Perkin as the womanizing type, who lives as the life of the party, singing and dancing at all chances especially at weddings, parades and his favorite place, the tavern. Another description of Perkin is his great ability to obtain money through stealing, gambling or other means. Just before Perkin finishes his apprenticeship, his master comes across a saying that says "It is better to cast a rotten apple out of the storehouse than to let it rot all the others." After reading this, his master realizes that he was foolish for giving Perkin so many chances after scolding him about his poor behavior. Perkin's master quickly realizes that he should have fired him long ago. Shortly after reading the saying, he firesPerkin from the job saying, "Now let him revel all night if he likes." After being fired Perkin takes up residence with a friend who indugles in the same lifestyle as he does and whos wife runs a shop, but really earns her living from prostitution. Here, Chaucer left the story unfinished. There are many theories about why Chaucer left the story unfinished. Some people believe Chaucer had intentions to return and finish the story, while others believe that he intentionally left the story unfinished.
While the story is left unfinished, Chaucer has clearly given Perkin the Cook a defined personality. Chaucer does not like the Cook nor does he care for the decisions that he makes. The tale shows how Perkin quickly fell into sin and was very quickly consumed by participating in sinful activities. The Cook's tale follows somewhat closely to the stories told by the Miller and the Reeve. This is particuarly interesting because Chaucer does not like either of these characters, and in the beginning Perkin finds humor in their stories. Each of their stories depict characters that indulge in sinful lifesyles, so it is fitting that Perkin would find humor in what most would call absurd behavior. Even more, the prologue to The Canterbury Tales depicts Perkin as a good baker, but notes "What a pity-so it seemed to me, that he should have an ulcer on his knee." While Perkin does not actually have an ulcer on his knee, the prologue shows that once he was a great cook who could make "tasty pie" and "good thick soup," but because of his rapid plunge into sin, it is like he has an ulcer on his knee. This ulcer depicts the sinful life he is choosing to live and how it will soon lead to his downfall. While Chaucer leaves no evidence of what happens after being fired, sometimes the fun of the Cook's tale comes from predicting what will happen next to Perkin the Reveler.