Context The Canterbury Tales is the most famous and critically acclaimed work of Geoffrey Chaucer‚ a late-fourteenth-century English poet. Little is known about Chaucer’s personal life‚ and even less about his education‚ but a number of existing records document his professional life. Chaucer was born in London in the early 1340s‚ the only son in his family. Chaucer’s father‚ originally a property-owning wine merchant‚ became tremendously wealthy when he inherited the property of relatives who had
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Medieval England literature all seem to follow a basic set of ideas. Although many of the plays and tales we have read so far are different in plotlines‚ they all possess a certain set of ideas and focus on certain concepts. In each piece of literature‚ not only is God mentioned‚ but religion almost always is a main issue in the plot. Along with holiness and religion‚ virtues and chivalry are also common in this type of literature‚ whether it be how the characters have good virtues or the characters’
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was the author of The Canterbury Tales‚ an elaborate poem about the religious pilgrimage of twenty nine people to Canterbury. In the "General Prologue" Chaucer introduces each individual along for the journey. Through The Canterbury Tales‚ we discover the hypocrisy and virtues Chaucer narrates in his characters and can appreciate the nuances in this superior piece of literature. Geoffrey Chaucer‚ born in London in 1340 began his love affair with literature in his late 20 ’s. Chaucer wrote his first
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Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales plays an important and admirable role in the literary world. Chaucer portrays the controversial relationship between the roles of men and women in the middle ages. Norm Klassen indicates “Inaugurated at the very start of the first tale‚ tyranny recurs as a theme throughout The Canterbury Tales‚ the project that occupied Geoffrey Chaucer for approximately the last fifteen years of his life before his death in 1400” (77). Hence‚ the patriarchal society in the
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The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales A satire is the use of humor‚ irony‚ exaggeration‚ or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices‚ particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. Satires are used in the piece of writing named “The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.” In the story‚ Chaucer‚ the narrator uses satirical speech to describe a few characters. These characters are: The Prioress (the nun)‚ The Monk‚ The Summoner‚ The Pardoner
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The Summoner in The Canterbury Tales In The Canterbury Tales written by Chaucer‚ the Summoner is a character that has an important role in the story. He is a character that is seen throughout society for having a significant job because it is a job working for the Church‚ though he did not perform his job to the best of his ability because he was easily lured away from his job with the use of red wine. The Summoner is employed by the Church as a means of summoning people to be tried for
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Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales reflect the various ways of navigating and perceiving society in the British Middle Ages. One of the great merits of this collection is Chaucer’s intent to expose the eyes of the readers to an overview of medieval life. Starting with the General Prologue‚ he expands on the various characters that are representative of the various tiers of society‚ from the nobility to the working class. His descriptions provide firsthand knowledge about the social‚ economic
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Canterbury Tales essay 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
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Expectations vs. Reality of the Prioress In The Canterbury Tales Prologue‚ Geoffrey Chaucer introduces many characters that play a significant role in the Medieval society. While some characters represent their position well‚ many do not follow certain rules and codes that are required by their occupation. Specifically‚ the nunnery requires a prioress to follow many vows‚ wear certain clothing‚ and perform various religious acts. Chaucer describes certain manners and habits of the Prioress
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for many stories and poems. The Squire‚ a well-dressed and proper man traveling around with the other pilgrims‚ shares a tale that is romantic with a twist of magic within the story. His tale may be what he hopes to one day gain in his future instead of carrying the reputation he has now throughout the rest of his life; or so that is what it seems like. In the Canterbury Tales‚ written by Geoffrey Chaucer‚ we are introduced to a character that seems to know a lot about love and romance. Also the
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