Physiognomy, the physical features and characteristics of a person that indicate personality, intentions, or other internal trait. plays an important role in literature by allowing the audience or reader to identify characters who have hidden intentions or motives.
Physiognomy Examples - The Canterbury Tales | Use T Charts to compare and contrast physiognomy in literature!
Storyboard Text
Physiognomy: Good Characters
Physical Traits:
Textual Evidence:
Character Name:
The Knight
"A knyght ther was, and that a worthy man, That fro the tyme that he first bigan, To riden out, he loved chivalrie, Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie. Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre, And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre, As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse, And evere honoured for his worthynesse."
• modest manner and dress, despite being of the highest social order in the group • still wearing stained padding from his armor
Physiognomy: Evil Characters
Textual Evidence:
"But if a mannes soule were in his purs; For in his purs he sholde ypunysshed be. Purs is the erchedekenes helle, seyde he. But wel I woot he lyed right in dede. Of cursyng oghte ech gilty man him drede, For curs wol slee, right as assoillyng savith, And also war him of a Significavit."
Physical Traits:
Character Name:
The Summoner
• red, puffy face • narrow eyes • so ugly that children fear him • blackheads and boils cover his face