The Character of the Reeve in the Canterbury TalesIn the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer's descriptive technique used to present the Reeve emphasized his physical characteristics as well as his success in his employment. It is evident that Chaucer gives two different perceptions of Reeve, one perception is of his physical build and the other is of the success he achieved in his profession. In Chaucer's introduction of Reeve, he immediately begins with Reeve's physical constitution, as shown in this excerpt from The Canterbury Tales: "His ale was shaved as close as ever; his head was for his round horn and full; his upper part was cut like a biforna preest; long were his legs and full lene, Ylik a staf, there was no calf yseene (590-594).” This excerpt shows the attention to detail that Chaucer has chosen to introduce Reeve. Chaucer also gives a name to the Reeve, which is not commonly used for most pilgrims to Canterbur... middle of paper... w because he does not own the land over which he presides. Even if he is successful and has gained some wealth through his occupation, he does not yet own property and possessions and therefore cannot achieve a higher social status. In conclusion, Chaucer presents the Reeve in a detail unusual for most pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales. This detail, along with the fact that the Reeve was given a name, suggests that the Reeve tends to be more of a specific individual than a general presentation of a class or type of person. He was also prosperous in his occupation as superintendent of his master's estate, and although he was respected and recognized for his achievements and wealth, he did not have a high social status due to his lack of land ownership..