An Analysis of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

An Analysis of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a collection of stories that are recited by different pilgrims who are on their way to St. Thomas's tomb in Canterbury. On their way they decide to hold a contest that would judge the best tale out of the ones recited by the different characters. The tales help the characters pass the time and entertain themselves. The different characters are from different walks of life and have very different personalities. Set in the middle ages, this novel gives us an insight into the beliefs and customs of the time including disrespect towards the women. The women have lower status than the men in all regards. They are taught to be obedient to their husbands and fathers. To keep men happy is their main aim. (Castle Learning). Women have little power to exercise their free will; hence, they are forced to use their sexuality to fulfill their desires.

One of the stories in The Canterbury Tales demonstrates the suspicion of a husband toward his wife.

"The carpenter had married a new wife,

Not long before, and loved her more than life,

She is a girl eighteen years of age,

Jealous he is and kept her in the cage". (89)

The husband, a carpenter is always afraid that his beautiful and young wife would cheat on him and he will be cuckolded, so he domineers over her. There is also a huge age difference between them which requires him to be more cautious about his wife's activities. Thus his young wife has no freedom. It is accepted that women have to be controlled if the honor of the family wanted is precious and needs to be preserved. Women are considered naturally promiscuous; they are almost always viewed with suspicion.

"There's many a virtuous wife, all said and done,

Ever a thousand good for one that's bad." (87)

This means that the Miller, the narrator of the tale, believes that there are many virtuous and pure women who are loyal to their husband in comparison to the few wives who are impure and unfaithful. If a woman was disobedient to her husband by exercising her own free-will, she was considered impure as a woman's worth was judged by the men with power in society. If a woman cheats on her husband she is sinful and is the one who has "a lecherous eye" (90).