Analysis Of The Canterbury Tales - 1157 Words

The Canterbury Tales, written by English poet Geoffrey Chaucer, is arguably the most notable yet controversial work of British Literature. Known as the Father of British Literature, Chaucer ultimately revolutionized both the English language and literature by refusing to follow the status quo and writing his works in Middle English instead of the more widely accepted languages at the time, such as Latin or French. Chaucer used The Canterbury Tales to target and satirize society of the Middle Ages by revealing the corruption of individuals and institutions, such as churches and monasteries. The book follows the journey of and delves into the flawed lives of a variety of pilgrims traveling to the city of Canterbury. During the adventure,†¦show more content†¦Similarly, the monk is another obvious example of the church’s corruption, as Chaucer claims that â€Å"[He] seigh his sleves purfiled at the hond/ With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond;/ And, for to festne his hood under his chyn,/ He hadde of gold ywroght a ful curious pyn;† (Chaucer). Chaucer’s opulent description of the monk suggests that he is not abiding by his vow of poverty, but instead using money collected by the church to obtain extravagant material goods, including an majestic horse, a fur coat, and a gold pin, to name a few. Again, Chaucer is using irony to contrast the humble attitude of a typical monk, with the practices of a monk who has abandoned the rules and taken advantage of his position in the church. Through The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer has effectively used fictional characters to analyze and expose the hypocrisy of real individuals. As a result, readers are able to apply Chaucer’s humor and satiric tone to their own surroundings, allowing them to identify the corruption of both the Middle Ages as well as the modern era. Chaucer has paved the way for authors and artists to incorporate social criticism into their works, which has resultingly beco me an effective means of activism throughout the years. In recent times, acclaimed actor Leonardo DiCaprio has utilized his passion for the well-being of the environment byShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Canterbury Tales 1189 Words   |  5 Pagessuch examples following this concept is The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1478, and Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley 1818. Three characters in The Canterbury Tales (The Wife of Bath, The Pardoner, and The Knight) and The Monster in Frankenstein have developed a talent for successful storytelling, proven by their abilities to engage the audience with their pathos and passion. While storytelling is used differently in The Canterbury Tales (as a method of entertainment) than in FrankensteinRead MoreCanterbury Tales Analysis841 Words   |  4 PagesIn the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer gives a detailed description of what life was like in Medieval times . In the â€Å"Prologue†, the reader comes to better understand the people of the time period through the characters words and actions. Chaucer uses a variety of groups of society to give the reader a deeper insight into the fourteenth century Pilgrims customs and values. Through the Court, Common people and the Church, Gregory Chaucer gives a detailed description of ordinary life in the medieval timesRead MoreCanterbury Tales Character Analysis1988 Words   |  8 Pages The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer, is a collection of tales and prologues of stories told by many characters whilst on a pilgrimage to the city of Canterbury. From religious figures such as nuns, monks and pardoners; to doctors, cooks and millers, this pilgrimage embarked on by many interesting people with stories that range from inspiring to gruesome. A few of the most predominant stories include those of the Prioress, the Summoner, the Wife of Bath, the Miller, and the Reeve. In theseRead More Summary and Analysis of The Shipmans Tale (The Canterbury Tales)928 Words   |  4 PagesSummary and Analysis of The Shipmans Tale (The Canterbury Tales) Introduction to the Shipmans Tale: The Host asks the priest to tell a tale, but the Shipman interrupts, insisting that he will tell the next tale. He says that he will not tell a tale of physics or law or philosophy, but rather a more modest story. The Shipmans Tale: A merchant at St. Denis foolishly took a desirable woman for a wife who drained his income by demanding clothes and other fine array to make her appearRead MoreAnalysis Of The Canterbury Tales1806 Words   |  8 PagesThe Canterbury Tales is a collection of twenty-four stories regarding numerous pilgrims and their pilgrimage to Canterbury written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer. The subjects of these tales range from knights to the clergy to government officials. The various tales in the Work are presented in the manner of a contest at the Tabard Inn in London, in which the prize for the best story is a free meal upon their return. Chaucer’s first impressions of the Miller as a rude and sinful man continueRead MoreCanterbury Tales Character Analysis997 Words   |  4 Pageslanguages grants her access to the forms of power that patriarchy denies to women, establishing her character as an authoritative female through the authentication of English as a literary language. In the dissertation â€Å"Geoffrey Chaucers The Canterbury Tales: Rhetoric and Gender in Marriage,† Andrea Marcotte analyzes Chaucer’s usage of ethos to grant the Wife authority in her male-dominated culture. Marcotte argues that the Wife reflects on her experiences in marriage throughout the general prologueRead MoreCanterbury Tales Character Analysis981 Words   |  4 PagesUpon first reading of the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, the reoccurring theme of social status is not blatantly obvious. Upon further reading, however, it becomes apparent that it in fact plays large role in most of the aspects of the tales. In both the Wife of Bath’s Tale and the Nun’s Priest Tale, social status plays a role in the plot, characters, and themes in order to more effectively portray the messages Chaucer is trying to get across. The underlying theme addressing social statusRead MoreCanterbury Tales Character Analysis1334 Words   |  6 PagesThe Canterbury Tales is a written work, by Geoffrey Chaucer, that is a representation of the society he lived in. His work portrays the feudal system during the medieval times and how each level of livelihood was a character, whose personalities reflect how Chaucer and his culture view them. During his time, his society regarded the Christian Church as corrupt and manipulative, with a few clergy who are honest and genuine in their exertion. Therefore, the ecclesiastical persona has the dispositionsRead MoreAn Analysis Of Chaucer s The Canterbury Tales 2650 Words   |  11 PagesAn Analysis of Chaucer’s Miller in The Canterbury Tales In the prologue to The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer introduces the Miller as a crude, rude, loud character who cheats his customers. The tale, which the Miller later narrates, is appropriate because the Miller’s tale clearly reflects this individual’s unrefined personality by telling a typical, filthy tavern story. The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, is a story that details thirty pilgrims, including Chaucer, traveling onRead MoreAn Analysis Of Chaucer s The Canterbury Tales 2196 Words   |  9 PagesAn Analysis of Chaucer’s Miller in the Canterbury Tales Many characters in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales link to the different social classes in England during the Medieval Period. The Miller is a crude character who tells an entertaining, yet inappropriate tale on a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral. In the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer describes the Miller as a bold, garrulous man and shows the morally incorrectness of the Miller. The Miller tells a vulgar but suitable