In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales what are some examples of metaphors, hyperboles, and imagery in the general prologue?

A metaphor compares two dissimilar things that share the
same characteristics, without using "like or as." The following example is a metaphor in
the Prologue of The Canterbury
Tales.

Describing the Monk, Chaucer
writes:

And
that a monk uncloistered is a mere / Fish out of water, flapping on the pier (lines
177-178).

Chaucer is speaking
to the fact that a monk, a man of God, who is not cloistered/shut away in a monastery,
is out of his spiritual element.

An example of hyperbole
(exaggeration) can be found with the Friar:

readability="25">

He knew the tarverns well in every
town

And every innkeeper and barmaid
too

Better than lepers, beggars and that
crew,

For in so eminent a man as
he

It was not fitting with the
dignity

Of his position, dealing with a
scum

Of wretched lepers; nothing good can
come

Of dealings with slum-and
gutter-dwellers,

But only with the rich and
victual-sellers.
(238-246)

This description
talks about another holy man, the Friar. Chaucer had little time for religious
hypocrites, and he describes several in the Prologue. The Friar is one. When Chaucer
speaks about the elevated social position of the Friar, he is being sarcastic. He
exaggerates when he talks about his status, that the Friar could not
possibly be expected to mingle with the poor or diseased; no, he
was much more "at home" with the bar staff, the rich, or people selling food
(victuals)...(hardly what a man of God should be
doing).

Finally, imagery in Chaucer's work abounds.
(Imagery, of course, uses descriptions to paint a picture in the reader's mind). I have
included two. The following describes the Knight.

readability="7">

He wore a fustian* tunic stained and
dark

With smudges where his armor had left mark  
(71-72)

*fustian - coarse
cloth

This description
praises the Knight. He is a humble man, but his worth is seen when he removes his armor,
for the intensity of his fighting has worn stains and smudges onto his tunic. He has
honorably fought, and immediately on arriving home, he goes on a pilgrimage to thank
God.

Or, Chaucer's description of the Pardoner is
classic:

This
Pardoner had hair as yellow as wax,

Hanging down smoothly
like a hank of flax.

In driblets fell his locks behind his
head

Down to his shoulders which they
overspread;

Thinly they fell, like rat-tails, one by one.
 (662-666)

Another man of God
who didn't do his job, this description shows how Chaucer felt about
him.

Hope this helps.