Character Rank In Society in The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer

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The Canterbury Tales can be understood as a Chaucerian satire according many readers. Chaucer sets out to deliberately upset the social order present at that time and to mock the faults present in the characters. Although he baffles about the complexity of the characters, Chaucer also praises and condemns characters for their unique qualities. Chaucer further gives us feedback of what actions the characters are taking in their lives. Many of the pilgrims are headed off to Canterbury, to worship the relics of Saint Thomas Becket. Thomas Becket was murdered by his friend King Henry and soon Canterbury became a pilgrimage site for people to pray for their healings. As for Chaucer, he observed both high and lower social class to get a better perception of how social class made a difference in the character’s lives. Chaucer always believed that true gentility showed what class you fell into instead of judging it on social rank and wealth. To show that true gentility gives a character true rank in society, Chaucer in the “Prologue” of The Canterbury Tales illustrates the variance of life in the eyes of the honest and truthful Knight, the shrewd Merchant, and the good-hearted Plowman.

The Knight is highly looked upon in society because of his unique qualities in truth and honor. Chaucer also expresses in great detail about his characteristics and is most remembered for his “trouth, honour, fredom, and curtisie.” (Line 46) Basically, Chaucer is saying he has ideals of fidelity, reputation, generosity, and refinement which make him unique. Chaucer comes up with these qualities by observing the Knight and also by learning about the Knight’s past history. He fought well as an “illustrious” knight in the Crusades and had battled...

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...wealth or material possessions.

When looking back on Chaucer’s life, we can see that he lived in a time period where social rank determined what kind of life you lived. However in Chaucer’s eyes, he didn’t rank characters on wealth but based on their moral values on life. In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer displays many of his beliefs on firm faith in God, the virtue of charity, giving benefit of the doubt, and how self-righteousness is sinful. Without these moral beliefs given to us, how would mankind use these principles to gain equality in the world? Chaucer wants us as readers to take in the most important principle of looking at both aspects of a person’s personality. Without looking at the other half of that person’s personality, you won’t know what kind of person he or she truly is. That is Chaucer’s true message in writing The Canterbury Tales.

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