What is an effect of chaucer’s decision to use a pilgrimage as the central premise for the canterbury tales?

Solution: The pilgrimage is a religious expedition. It has the following effects:

1. It sets the metaphor of a journey both physical and literary. A journey is generally a symbol of human curiosity and growth.  

2. A pilgrimage is not only for penance and grace but also a time when people abandon work and take a vacation. therefore it sets a 'carnivalesque'  setting. Celebrations are often used in literature for subversion of established social order.

3. A pilgrimage is taken by almost all types of people; therefore it provides apt setting where characters representing different social, political, cultural and economic backgrounds can come together. This way he could reveal more about the society he is criticizing.

This list is not exhaustive, more can be added to it.

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