Which literary device is used across tales within The Canterbury Tales?

The literary device used across tales within The Canterbury Tales is the frame tale. This structure involves a main narrative that serves as a framework to enclose a series of smaller stories or tales. In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer employs this device to present a group of pilgrims who are traveling to Canterbury and decide to share stories during their journey. Each pilgrim tells their own unique tale, reflecting their individual characters and perspectives. The outer story of the pilgrimage connects and organizes these diverse narratives, allowing readers to experience a variety of themes, genres, and social commentary rooted in medieval society. This cohesive framework enhances the overall structure and adds depth to the individual tales, making the frame tale a fundamental characteristic of Chaucer's work.