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Recommended: How Chaucer's pilgrims are portrayed in the prologue at once as types and as individuals
The Middle Ages were an infamously calamitous period of history. Both the church, which claimed to be the pillar of the community, as well as the government, systematically scammed lower class people, robbing them of what little they had. They also forcibly kept them in a state of utter illiteracy, so only the higher class and the church could read and interpret the bible, ensuring their ability to defraud the poor, as well as keep them dependent on their religious guidance. To make matters worse, a terrible plague had just ravaged the land, leaving many dead. Some of the survivors decided to undergo a pilgrimage to offer their thanks to St. Thomas for protecting them in that period of peril, which is where the story begins. Chaucer uses the people he encounters at the tavern where they are staying in order to …show more content…
criticize his society, which, although radically different from ours, contains characters which resemble modern people enough for legitimate comparison. Therefore, the characters in Canterbury Tales resemble modern day individuals because of the similarities and differences in their characteristics. The first set of comparable characters is the knight and Captain America. They are both established warriors who despite their fame and success remain humble and kind. In the story, the touchstone line describing the knight says “He was a true, a perfect gentle knight” (74). This quote reveals that he was a man of high regard who others saw as virtuous despite his power and social standing. Likewise, Captain America has triumphed in countless battles, is a respected member of society, yet portrays righteous and upstanding qualities, as demonstrated in the movies by his gentlemanly nature and willingness to fight for humankind. The author further directly describes the knight as wise and modest with the quote “And though so much distinguished, he was wise/ And in his bearings modest as a maid/” (70-71). This reveals that he does not let his status get to his head, and instead of flaunting his wealth in ornate garbs, chooses simplicity. Captain America, however, is characterized by his extravagant and flamboyant costume, which immediately calls for attention and parades his superhero status. Hence, the knight and Captain America exhibit similar qualities in that they are fierce warriors and upstanding individuals, yet they also show differences in their choice of dress. The merchant and Donald Trump also exemplify the similarities between their world and ours, as they both speak their minds and have a penchant for money. Chaucer describes the merchant as an incredibly proud individual. He is exceptionally forthright, constantly bragging to others about his greatness. “He told others of his opinions and pursuits/ in solemn tones, and how he never lost.” (284-285). From this the reader can deduct that he is blunt as well as arrogant, never failing to enlighten others of his success. Like the merchant, Donald Trump has limited education, yet seems to believe that the world is interested in his views. He persists on speaking his nonsensical opinions, as well as bragging about his bank account. However, unlike Donald Trump, the merchant has no true basis for his boasts. Because of his affiliation with money, and his incessant gloating as well as his manner of dress, people assume that his riches are plentiful and inexhaustible. Yet in the story we find out that “He was so good with money that none knew he was in debt” (290). This signifies that he is great at deceiving and seeming better off than he actually is. On the other hand, Donald Trump has no need for deception, as he is undeniably rich. In conclusion, Donald Trump and the merchant are both outspoken individuals, though one is rich and the other rots in debt. Another great example of similarities is the nun and Mother Teresa. They both carry the title of nun, and devote themselves to helping others. The quote “She was all sentiment and tenderheart” (154) demonstrates that the nun lives up to her reputation as a righteous servant of god, full of love and forgiveness. Likewise, Mother Teresa is the very epitome of kindness. “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” (Mother Teresa). This famous quote from her indicates that she sought to demonstrate benevolence and tenderness in all of her interactions, just as the nun does. Yet their charitable actions do not end at mere smiles and pretty words. They also help others on a daily basis. Chaucer recounts the nun as “Having little dogs she would feed” Very few people are willing to come in contact with stray animals, much less feed them, and the fact that she did is a testament to her kindhearted nature. Similarly, Mother Teresa is a renowned missionary, who devoted her life and gave up many modern comforts in order to travel around the globe helping the less fortunate. Finally, Gordon Ramsay and the cook are similar in that they are both renowned in their field, and different in that one cares very deeply about proper sanitation while the other clearly does not.
In the story, the cook is described as making incredible dishes “Make good thick soup and bake a tasty pie” (394) He wears his name of cook well, enthralling all who sample his food with its captivating flavor. Comparably, Gordon Ramsay is perhaps the most well-known cook in today’s time, famous for his proficiency in the art of cooking. Yet although they are similar in their capacity to create spectacular dishes, they are incredibly different in the way they run their kitchen. While Gordon Ramsay follows strict sanitary procedures, the cook could care less about sanitation. “He had an ulcer on his knee”. Despite the fact that he is sickly and has an open, festering ulcer infecting everything it comes in contact with, he continues to serve his customers, paying no mind to their health. Gordon Ramsey would never even contemplate engaging in such abhorable scamming of the general public, and would undoubtedly openly frown at this selfish , disgusting
behavior. The characters in Canterbury Tales contain many similarities and differences to figures of today’s world. The knight contrasts with Captain America in his more modest garbs, yet they both share a deep rooted wisdom and gallantry. The merchant and Donald Trump are both boastful individuals, though Donald Trump rightfully does so while the merchant has no basis in reality. The nun and Mother Teresa are virtuous women, and the cook and Gordon Ramsey both make great dishes, though they are significantly different in the way in which they make them. Their horde of similarities as well as their few differences to modern people make the characters in Canterbury Tales still relevant in today’s society.
After reading The General Prologue, it is quite clear that Chaucer’s idea of the church isn’t necessarily a very appreciative one. He makes it very obvious right in the beginning that he thinks the church is a game and that it’s not actually a legit institution. “I have a text, it always is the same and always has been, since I learnt the game, old as the hills and fresher than the grass.” (Page 125, Lines 5-7) Already by line 7, Chaucer has made it clear what he thinks about the church. He says that being a Pardoner for the church is just a game, and that it’s not actually legit. He will go on to talk about how the church and all of the people who run the church are just greedy individuals and they are just doing it for the money. And he will also state that the people that attend the church and believe in what it is doing are just yokels. Yokels are unsophisticated people living a rural are. Chaucer means that the people who attend church are stupid people who will believe anything that the church tells them. This is all very ironic and satiric considering that Chaucer says all of this through a Pardoner, who at the end of the story asks the people to pay him to pardon them. Even though they just listened to him tell the story of how the church is a game and that he is just doing it for the
Offred is one of the Handmaid’s in the Republic of Gilead. This used to be known as the United States of America but now it is Gilead, a theocratic state. Because of an issue that occurred, women lost all of their money and rights. Handmaid’s were then assigned to higher class couples that were unable to have children, that was the new job for the Handmaid’s. Offred was assigned to the Commander and Serena Joy, his wife. Offred was once married to a man named Luke and they had a baby girl together. When this issue started occurring and Offred lost her rights, her, Luke and their daughter tried to escape to Canada but were caught. Offred has not seen Luke or her daughter since that incident. In Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the most unorthodox characters are Offred, Serena Joy, and The Commander.
In Margaret Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale, women are subjected to unthinkable oppression. Practically every aspect of their life is controlled, and they are taught to believe that their only purpose is to bear children for their commander. These “handmaids” are not allowed to read, write or speak freely. Any type of expression would be dangerous to the order of the Gilead’s strict society. They are conditioned to believe that they are safer in this new society. Women are supposedly no longer exploited or disrespected (pornography, rape, etc.) as they once were. Romantic relationships are strongly prohibited because involving emotion would defeat the handmaid’s sole purpose of reproducing. Of course not all women who were taken into Gilead believed right what was happening to their way of life. Through the process of storytelling, remembering, and rebellion, Offred and other handmaids cease to completely submit to Gilead’s repressive culture.
In summation Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” is a story that mocks the church, shows us class separation and uses a language which may today be lost to us. But it has stood the test of time and showed us a pilgrimage of the century that to this day is still a good read.
The tithes from the people were what made the Church so wealthy (“The Medieval Church”). With wealth and power, and the fear of damnation, the Church was able to be as corrupt as it wanted because there was no one to stop them. Because of this corruption in the Church, a man by the name of Geoffrey Chaucer bec...
Many of the religious characters in The Canterbury Tales represent character traits that are different from what is traditionally expected of them. This is because the Catholic Church, which ruled all of England, Ireland and most of Europe in the Fourteenth Century, was extremely wealthy. Extravagant cathedrals were built in every big city while the people suffered from poverty, disease and famine. The contrast between the wealth of the church and misery of the people was overwhelming. As a result, the characters in Chaucer's tales were portrayed as deceitful and greedy. Two examples of this are the Summoner from the "The Friar's Tale" and Death from the "The Pardoner's Tale."
Chaucer’s book The Canterbury Tales presents a frame story written at the end of the 14th century. It narrates the story of a group of pilgrims who participate in a story-telling contest that they made up to entertain each other while they travel to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. Because of this, some of the tales become particularly attractive for they are written within a frame of parody which, as a style that mocks genre, is usually achieved by the deliberate exaggeration of some aspects of it for comic effect. Chaucer uses parody to highlight some aspects of the medieval society that presented in an exaggerated manner, not only do they amuse the readers, but also makes them reflect on them. He uses the individual parody of each tale to create a satirical book in which the behaviours of its characters paint an ironic and critical portrait of the English society at that time. Thus, the tales turn satirical, ironic, earthy, bawdy, and comical. When analysing the Knight’s and the Miller’s tale, one can realise how Chaucer mocks the courtly love convention, and other social codes of behaviour typical of the medieval times.
The Handmaid's Tale presents an extreme example of sexism and misogyny by featuring the complete objectification of women in the society of Gilead. Yet by also highlighting the mistreatment of women in the cultures that precede and follow the Gileadean era, Margaret Atwood is suggesting that sexism and misogyny are deeply embedded in any society and that serious and deliberate attention must be given to these forms of discrimination in order to eliminate them.
Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre entails a social criticism of the oppressive social ideas and practices of nineteenth-century Victorian society. The presentation of male and female relationships emphases men’s domination and perceived superiority over women. Jane Eyre is a reflection of Brontë’s own observation on gender roles of the Victorian era, from the vantage point of her position as governess much like Jane’s. Margaret Atwood’s novel was written during a period of conservative revival in the West partly fueled by a strong, well-organized movement of religious conservatives who criticized ‘the excesses of the sexual revolution.’ Where Brontë’s Jane Eyre is a clear depiction of the subjugation of women by men in nineteenth-century Western culture, Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale explores the consequences of a reversal of women’s rights by men. This twentieth-century tradition of dystopian novels is a possible influence, with classics like Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and George Orwell’s 1984 standing prominence. The pessimism associated with novels of this genre—where society is presented as frightening and restrictive—exposes the gender inequality between men and women to be deleterious.
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, (written c. 1387), is a richly varied compilation of fictional stories as told by a group of twenty-nine persons involved in a religious pilgrimage to Canterbury, England during the fourteenth century. This journey is to take those travelers who desire religious catharsis to the shrine of the holy martyr St. Thomas a Becket of Canterbury. The device of a springtime pilgrimage provided Chaucer with a diverse range of characters and experiences, with him being both a narrator and an observer. Written in Middle English, each tale depicts parables from each traveler.
Chaucer uses the Prioress, the Monk and the Friar to represent his views on the Church. He makes the three model members of the Church appear to have no problems with self-indulgence, greed, and being unfaithful to their vows. He displays his anti skeptical thoughts of the faults of the medieval church by making fun of its teachings and the people of the church, who use it for personal gain. Chaucer see’s the church as corrupt, hypocritical and greedy.
The characters are on a pilgrimage which is a clear indicator that the text is of religious genre. The Catholic Church, at the time, was losing many followers due to the Black Death and their lack of faith in the importance of the church. The Summoner and the Pardoner, who both represent the Catholic Church, are both described as greedy, corrupt, and abusive. This is a direct correlation to how Chaucer and many others felt about the Catholic Church during this period. The Monk and the Prioress are not described as being corrupt like the Summoner and the Pardoner; however they are described as falling short of what is considered ideal for people of their position. They both are described as being in a depressed state. Also bot...
...eveals insecurities of him in the process while that itself tells us more about the popular culture in this time. Chaucer, along with many of the other pilgrims attempts to place themselves in a socially desirable or even superior position. With the Narrator having the responsibility of articulating the tales to us in a coherent fashion, he might feel pressure to present himself as all-knowing or superior to his companions rather than show us an honest and unbiased point of view. After all, he is telling the story; the Narrator can ultimately choose to tell us whatever he pleases. The Narrator plays the role of telling tales and providing the groundwork for this pilgrimage story, but since his ideas and opinions are designed in such a particular way; he indirectly tells us so much more about not only about the pilgrimage but of this time period’s culture as a whole.
we see how Chaucer the pilgrim has been swayed and convinced by what the other pilgrims tell him. So much so that he reports qualities that are often the opposite of the true personalities of the characters he is describing. This ambiguity reveals a very clever sort of irony on behalf of the writer - while Chaucer the pilgrim is easily drawn in by their deliberate misrepresentations, it is up to the readers to see how wrong he is and draw their own, more accurate, conclusions. It shows many of the pilgrims to be very different people than those symbolised by the ideal qualities they want others to see.
The Canterbury Tales is a great contemplation of stories, that display humorous and ironic examples of medieval life, which imitate moral and ethical problems in history and even those presented today. Chaucer owed a great deal to the authors who produced these works before his time. Chaucer tweaked their materials, gave them new meanings and revealed unscathed truths, thus providing fresh ideas to his readers. Chaucer's main goal for these tales was to create settings in which people can relate, to portray lessons and the irony of human existence.