Born in 1340, Geoffrey Chaucer's life took him through both the drags and the heights of medieval civilization. While serving in Prince Lionel's retinue, Chaucer was captured by the French during the Siege of Reims. Seven years after being bought for 16 pounds, he entered service as equerry to Edward III. It was at this time that he began his writing career by translating parts of the Romant of the Rose. Over the next few years, he wrote classics such as Saint Cecelia, Anelida and Arcite and The House of Fame, although he worked in demanding jobs and was accused (and acquitted) of rape. However, it was not until his wife's death in 1387 that he began his most famous work of all, the Canterbury Tales (Librarius).Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Although never completed, the Canterbury Tales is still widely considered one of the most in-depth insights into life in the Middle Ages. Because its characters constitute a cross-section of different classes of people, each told with a vibrant truth that transcends the stereotypes associated with them, one who studies the journey of these pilgrims might well claim to know what medieval life was like. . The fact that it was a pilgrimage of sorts is indicative of a change in times, as it was shortly after the Black Death had left its fatal mark on England. People were finally able to leave their sanctuaries and travel from place to place without fearing for their lives. The key to Chaucher's story is that it is, in essence, a satire. As defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, satire is “the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize the stupidity or vices of people.” Perhaps one of the first stories to use this tone, The Canterbury Tales tackles all character types with some degree of satire, and while some are much more obvious than others, they all exhibit that touch of perverse truthfulness. Chaucer in particular seems to have favored three themes in his satire: feminism, religion and chivalry. Chaucer first addresses preconceptions about gender roles with “The Miller’s Tale.” A favorite of feminists, this story details the exploits of Alisoun and the men who fight for the right to have her. While a casual reading of this crude comedy recalls the modern-day "chick flick," a closer reading reveals subtleties that speak clearly to the new conception of women's equality. The story mainly offers an objectification of Alisoun's character. Several times throughout the story, Miller uses animalistic terms: in line 125, for example, he writes: "Fair was this yonge wif, and witherwithal / As any wesele hir body gentle and small." » By comparing Alisoun to a weasel, Miller presents her as the cunning creature she eventually becomes. He continues to attribute animalistic behaviors to her throughout the story, stating that her song reminds men of a swallow and that she moves like a foal (Handy Andy catches her "queynte"). By placing these subtle allusions throughout the story, Chaucer shows that the predominant male attitude towards women is one of simple objectification; indeed, as the men argue over Alisoun, they essentially place her on a pedestal, positioning her as a trophy to be won. For them, domination over her symbolizes their own masculinity. The idea that Alisoun herself might want to havehis say does not occur to them – or to anyone in the Middle Ages, for that matter. At that time, women were essentially seen as housekeeping livestock, leaving little room for feminist ideals. However, due to the way Chaucer satirizes this topic and shows his distaste for the predominant chauvinistic culture, one can conclude that there was at least a small contingent pushing for women's rights in their most primitive form (Robinson). Another attack on the traditional view of women is found in "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale." Perhaps the most overtly satirical figure outside of clergymen, the Wife of Bath has little hesitation in making her opinions known to male pilgrims on a number of controversial issues. She contradicts just about every preconceived notion about women and even manages to maintain her beliefs when questioned by the Pardoner and his henchmen. Despite the widely held belief that a widow should never remarry, the Wife of Bath has had five different rings around her fingers and is eagerly awaiting a sixth. She defends her decision in lines 59-64: What disgusts me, even if people say vilainyeOf the shrew Lamech and her bigamy? only two, and many other holy men as well. This, of course, does not sit well with others, who prefer to see the fairer sex as cattle, and not as free-thinking entities capable of the same feats as men. The double standards imposed by the customs of the time, however, had no effect on the wife. She speaks openly about how she prefers to enjoy sex rather than just be a passive participant in the act - a desire that completely opposes the norms of the time. Additionally, the wife states that she dominates her husbands in an effort to match their power. She describes her fifth husband, who read her a book about “bad” wives. It is through the ensuing struggle that the husband realizes that equality may not be such a bad thing. In this way, the wife realizes the modern conception of a “perfect” relationship: two partners who respect and love each other and share power equally. This point is illustrated in lines 1234-39, when the knight atones for his sins against women: This knight notices him and suffers siketh; me in your wise governance: Cheseth yourself who can be the most plisaunceAnd the most honor to you and me too. In this way, the Knight grants happiness to both. While it may be easy to write off The Knight as superficial and simplistic, it is important to note that a negative assessment does not take away from its accuracy (Blake, Jonathan). Only in a broader context can one understand how bold he is. the wife's statements really are. The idea that a husband has authority over his wife and her property while the Church claims marriage and spirit was formulated more than two centuries before Chaucer's time, by John of Paris and Bracton. In England, the aristocratic and peasant classes both relied on arranged marriages. This is shown in "The Knight's Tale", where despite all the romance involved, marriage partners are chosen for political reasons. Later, in "The Second Nun's Tale," a new version of the ecclesiastical marriage model that resembles our modern idea of ​​a godly marriage (virginal, consenting adults, etc.) is presented. However, it is "The Wife of Bath's Tale" that first presents the idea that a woman belongs to a class distinct from that of a man and that her only worth derives from sex and marriage. Again, this helps to illustrate that such thinking had a kindof support in Chaucer's time. If this were not the case, Chaucer would probably have been burned alive (Amsler, Mark 236-241). A final example of gender stereotypes displayed in Chaucer's epic can be found in "The Knight and His Squire". The characters in this tale illustrate Chaucer's depiction of courtly love in the medieval era; he imagined courtly love as sensual, with almost royal refinement. The knight is the typical chivalrous hero who cherished "truth and honor, liberty and reverence." The Squire, for his part, takes a page or two from "Romont de la Rose". Both in his actions and in his character, he perfectly adheres to the common conception of the knight. Likewise, the lady in “The Knight's Tale” possesses all the stereotypical characteristics found in poetic courts. Essentially, Chaucer had a rather biased stance toward noble love, a feeling that he exalted above all other forms of love. The fablial love shown by the Wife of Bath, although passionate, cannot be considered “true” love (Dodd, George William 68-73). Throughout his life, Chaucer maintained his distrust of the Catholic Church. This animosity is reflected in his ecclesiastical characters. It doesn't take much imagination to find the satire inherent in the characters of the Monk, the Pardoner, and the Summoner, all of whom represent the inherent evil present in the medieval church and in society itself. Certainly, Chaucer's prejudices against the Catholic Church may have inspired him to infuse his spiritual characters with a darker spirit than they would otherwise have possessed, but again, this is one of the elements that make his satire so intriguing. of the Prioress? Indeed, if there is a character worthy of highlighting all that is good in the world, it would be her. However, this is not meant to be the case. First of all, the description of the Prioress in the general prologue reveals a neat and proper nun who follows every imaginable rule of etiquette. She knows what's expected of her, she behaves as she should... and except for a brooch bearing the unchaste anthem "Love Conquers All", she seems like the perfect woman. It's only when she opens her mouth and tells her story that we see the deep-rooted scars of discrimination that were implanted by her religious background. In "The Prioress's Tale", the Prioress offers a story which, unlike the other religious stories in the Canterbury Tales, comes from hagiography. Because everything it knows comes from the Catholic Church, anti-Semitism abounds in ways that would be considered downright wrong in today's society. However, at a time when the Church had so much power, such elements of history were accepted, even welcome. The tale examines the righteousness of Catholicism, using an innocent nine-year-old virgin boy as a martyr. Of course, this “martyr” actually drowned in a cesspool and was not ceremonially murdered as many Catholic extremists might have preferred. In reality, the only crime committed by the Jewish community was to conceal evidence that could have sentenced them to death. However, in Chaucer's view of the Church, this was of little importance. What mattered most was that the deceased child was imbued with a gift from God that allowed him to sing a daily refrain of “O alma redemptoris” so that everyone would know which side Heaven was on. At a time when the Black Death was still relatively fresh in people's minds, this assurance was almost as good as the Second Coming itself. (Mellilo, Elizabeth G., Ph.D.)In short, even the Prioress is not safe from,>