Perspective In The Canterbury Tales

In The Canterbury Tales the author seems to use perspective as a theme in the story. Each person tells two stories from their own perspective, one on the way to Canterbury, and one on the way back. Although this seems like a basic concept, it’s the foundation of this story. No two people have the same story and I will discuss that in a few of the stories given.

The Knight’s first story is one of valor, romance, and justice. The story was told in a narrative where the Knight talks about everyone’s feelings, while at times not conveying everything to a hidden part. This story is about Palamon and Arcite who were knights that loved each other like brothers. They are captured by King Theseus and thrown in jail for being associated with a ruthless

king, after a while they are moved to a tower cell with a small window. Through that window Palamon sees Emily, King Theseus’ sister. He falls madly in love with her and tells Arcite who, after laying eyes on her, falls in love as well. They begin to argue that one should give her up for the other because it is their duty, but neither is willing. So after Arcite is released and warned never to come back, a man comes to him in a dream (who is stated to be Mercury, the messenger of the gods in Roman religion) and tells him to go back to Emily. He goes and becomes a servant to Emily changing his name to Philostrate. All the while Palamon is in the tower longing for Emily, so when he gets his chance to escape he takes it. He hides in the bushes only to overhear Arcite speaking to himself about how he wishes he could tell his love to Emily. Palamon jumps out and challenges him to fight. They plan to fight the next day, but their plans change, when they begin to fight King Theseus stops them and proposes that they gather troops and in one year they come back and fight like men for Emily. After the fight Arcite wins and Palamon is taken prisoner, but just as he is riding towards Emily a fire comes up and burns him. He becomes very sick and calls Emily and Palamon, because he still loves Palamon as a brother even with everything that had happened. He tells Emily he loves her and that he will love her even in death. He then tells Palamon to care for Emily, and dies saying her name. This story is told by the knight which makes the story more believable because he himself knows of the rules and regulations associated with being a knight, and the duty they have to their brethren. Yet, as portrayed in this story, selfish desires can tear even the strongest of bonds. We can only hope that eventually the bonds will be mended with time and forgiveness.

The next story is called the Nun Priest’s tale and involves animals to portray a moral.

Like in Aesop’s Fables this story has a rooster who wakes up everyday and crows at exactly the right time. He lives on the farm of an old widow and her two daughters, the animals not only understand people but can speak. One day he has a dream that shows a red creature that scares him to the core. He wakes up and tells his wife, a hen, about it. She argues that it is nonsense and he should eat some herbs for it, but he argues that some dreams have a purpose and gives examples to prove it. Two friends stop by a town and they can’t find a place where they can stay together so the split up. One finds a nice inn while the other has to sleep in an ox pen. The one in the inn has a dream that his friend gets killed and thrown in the cart dead. When he wakes up he checks and finds his friend in the cart he saw in the dream. He calls for the cops and the men responsible are arrested. Later on in the day the rooster jumps from his perch to strut around the yard. He sees the figure from his dream and freezes from fear. The fox comes out and tricks him into singing very loud, the fox then grabs him by the neck and runs off with him. The widow and the rest of the townsfolk run after the fox and the rooster tricks him into opening his mouth, but when the fox opens his mouth the rooster climbs up a tree and the fox learns that he should have watched his mouth, then he would still have his

dinner.

There are many aspects that go into a story, whether it's the scene, the point of view, the format, the theme, or the characters, each person writes differently. At first glance they may seem the same, but the minute details make all the difference. So the next time you are reading a book, pay attention to the details, you never know what you may learn.