Homoerotic Fantasy In Chaucer's Thopas

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Homoerotic Fantasy In Chaucer's Thopas

The reaction to Harry Bailey’s disapproval of pilgrim Chaucer’s ‘romantic’ tale is may be an unconscious desire causing him to have a homoerotic fantasy. Even though Sir Thopas’ gender identity is unclear in the tale, it appears as though Harry Bailey is looking for something else, possibly more erotic than what pilgrim Chaucer is giving him. For example, Harry Bailey was promised a story about romance, “For oother tale certes kan I noon, / But of a rym I lerned longe agoon” (Chaucer 708-709) yet it appears that this particular style of a romance tale is not what Harry Bailey is looking for. Wood writes, “The story of ‘Thopas’ has sexual imagery enough to accord with what the Host might expect from a presumed lecher, but the tale is devoid of any sexual encounters - imagery remains imagery” (389). …show more content…
Since the tale did not meet Harry Bailey’s expectations, yet is riddled with sexual connotations, he “…is disappointed in the tale told, which arouses anticipation but offers no satisfaction in deed” (401). Even pilgrim Chaucer makes note of Harry Bailey’s lack of satisfaction but promises to perform better, “I wol yow telle a litel thyng in prose / That oghte liken yow, as I suppose, / Or ells, certes, ye been to daungerous” (Chaucer 937-939). This clearly goes against societal norms since Harry Bailey portrays himself as a heterosexual

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