West Visayas State University

College of arts and Sciences

GRADUATE SCHOOL
La Paz, Iloilo City

MEL 507 European Literature

First Semester, AY 2022-2023

Princes O. Mendoza
Dr. Alexis L. Diamante
MEL 507
Course Facilitator

Topic: Canterbury Tales

By: Geoffrey Chaucer
English poet, author, civil servant and has been called the "father of English literature", or,
alternatively, the "father of English poetry”

I. Brief History of England

England is a predominant constituent unit of the United Kingdom, occupying
more than half of the island of Great Britain. In many ways, England has seemingly
been absorbed within the larger mass of Great Britain since the Act of Union of
1707. Outside the British Isles, England is often erroneously considered synonymous
with the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and even with the
entire United Kingdom. Laced by great rivers and small streams, England has a
fertile land, and the generosity of its soil has supported a thriving agricultural
economy for millennia. In the early 19th century, England became the epicenter of a
worldwide Industrial Revolution and soon the world’s most industrialized country.
Drawing resources from every settled continent, cities such as Manchester,
Birmingham, and Liverpool converted raw materials into manufactured goods for a
global market, while London, the country’s capital, emerged as one of the world’s
preeminent cities and the hub of a political, economic, and cultural network that
extended far beyond England’s shores. Today the metropolitan area of London
encompasses much of southeastern England and continues to serve as the financial
center of Europe and to be a center of innovation—particularly in popular culture.
England has long comprised several distinct regions, each different in dialect,
economy, religion, and disposition; indeed, even today many English people identify
themselves by the regions or shires from which they come—e.g., Yorkshire, the
West Country, the Midlands—and retain strong ties to those regions even if they live
elsewhere. The country’s island location has been of critical importance to the
development of the English character, which fosters the seemingly contradictory
qualities of candour and reserve along with conformity and eccentricity and which
values social harmony and, as is true of many island countries, the good manners
that ensure orderly relations in a densely populated landscape.
II. Brief Background of the Author
Who was Geoffrey Chaucer?
Poet Geoffrey Chaucer was born circa 1340, most likely at his parent’s house on
Thames Street in London, England. He was born into a prosperous merchant family
in London. His father John Chaucer was a vintner (a wine merchant), who had
married Agnes Copton .His family was of the bourgeois class, descended from an
affluent family who made their money in the London wine trade. Chaucer was well
connected at the royal court. In 1366, Chaucer married Philippa Roet, the sister of
Katherine Swynford, who was the mistress and latterly the wife of one of the most
powerful nobles in the realm – John of Gaunt, who was the uncle of the king,
Richard II. He attended the St. Paul’s Cathedral School, where he first acquainted
with the influential writing of Virgil and Ovid. In 1357, Chaucer became a public
servant to Countess Elizabeth of Ulster, for which he was paid stipend- enough to
pay for his food and clothing. Chaucer’s life as a public servant also gave him the
opportunity to travel. He made trips to France and Italy, and the influence of the
literary cultures of these two countries can be seen in his verse, an example being
The Legend of Good Women.

III. Synopsis
The Canterbury Tales consists of the stories related by the 29 pilgrims on
their way to Saint Thomas Becket’s shrine in Canterbury. Harry Bailey, the Host, had
proposed a scheme in the General Prologue whereby each pilgrim was to narrate
two tales on the way to Canterbury and two more while returning. In the course of
the journey the Canon and his Yeoman join the pilgrims. However The Canterbury
Tales are incomplete. There should have been a hundred and twenty tales in all
according to the original plan but Chaucer only completed twenty-three tales. Out of
these, the Cook’s and the Squire’s tales are unfinished. Two tales are imperfectly
attributed to the teller: the Sea captain’s tale begins as though a woman were telling
it and was actually earlier meant for the Wife of Bath, while the Second Nun refers
to herself as an "unworthy son of Eve". The Knight tells the first tale.
The Canterbury Tales begins with the introduction of each of the pilgrims
making their journey to Canterbury to the shrine of Thomas a Becket. These pilgrims
include a Knight, his son the Squire, the Knight's Yeoman, a Prioress, a Second Nun,
a Monk, a Friar, a Merchant, a Clerk, a Man of Law, a Franklin, a Weaver, a Dyer, a
Carpenter, a Tapestry-Maker, a Haberdasher, a Cook, a Shipman, a Physician, a
Parson, a Miller, a Manciple, a Reeve, a Summoner, a Pardoner, the Wife of Bath,
and Chaucer himself. Congregating at the Tabard Inn, the pilgrims decide to tell
stories to pass their time on the way to Canterbury. The Host of the Tabard Inn sets
the rules for the tales. Each of the pilgrims will tell two stories on the way to
Canterbury, and two stories on the return trip. The Host will decide whose tale is
best for meaningfulness and for fun. They decide to draw lots to see who will tell the
first tale, and the Knight receives the honor.
IV. Setting (may include place and year)
The story set at The Tabard Inn in Southwark, where Chaucer meets a group
of 'sundry folk' who are all on the way to Canterbury. It was a springtime pilgrimage
to the sacred shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury for the setting of his
monumental epic. To make the journey a more enjoyable one, the Host proposes a
story-telling competition. This ingenious framework enables Chaucer to create a
score of narratives of differing literary styles ranging from courtly romance, Breton
Lay, fabliaux, saint’s legend, tragedy, exemplum and sermon to a beast fable.
Chaucer uses a realistic setting instead of an idealistic one, thus imparting an air of
authenticity to the tales and their tellers. In the Middle Ages, pilgrimage was a social
as well as a religious event and the only time when people from differing social
classes could mingle together. Thus the device of the pilgrimage also enabled
Chaucer to draw representatives from across a wide range of society.
Chaucer employs the device of a springtime pilgrimage to the sacred shrine
of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury for the setting of his monumental epic. To
make the journey a more enjoyable one, the Host proposes a story-telling
competition. This ingenious framework enables Chaucer to create a score of
narratives of differing literary styles ranging from courtly romance, Breton Lay,
fabliaux, saint’s legend, tragedy, exemplum and sermon to a beast fable. Chaucer
uses a realistic setting instead of an idealistic one, thus imparting an air of
authenticity to the tales and their tellers. In the Middle Ages, pilgrimage was a social
as well as a religious event and the only time when people from differing social
classes could mingle together. Thus the device of the pilgrimage also enabled
Chaucer to draw representatives from across a wide range of society.
The Tales takes place in the late fourteenth century and depicts a time of
significant social upheaval, including the decline of chivalry, the emergence of the
middle class, and rising criticism of the Church.

V. Lead Characters

The main characters of The Canterbury Tales are comprised of the

procession of the twenty-nine pilgrims who travelled from London to the shrine of
Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury and passed their long journey by narrating
entertaining tales. The pilgrims and their tales represent a microcosm of medieval
English society. These characters include the following:
 The Pilgrims
The Host (Harry Bailey) The owner of the Tabard Inn, who volunteers to
travel with the pilgrims. He promises to keep everyone happy, be their guide and
arbiter in disputes, and judge the tales.
The Knight Socially the most prominent person on the pilgrimage,
epitomizing chivalry, truth, and honor. He stands apart from the other pilgrims
because of his dignity and status.
The Miller A drunken, brash, and vulgar man who rudely interrupts the
Host, demands that his tale be next, and warns everyone that his tale about a
carpenter will be vulgar because it is true.
The Reeve A very old and irritable man who was once a carpenter. He
resents the Miller's tale about a stupid old carpenter.
The Man of Law (or Sergeant of Law) A lawyer and one of the high
justices of the court. He is cautious, suspicious, and wise, and one of the more
cultivated men among the pilgrims.
Roger, the Cook Known for his cooking and characterized by a chancre
sore that runs with pus. His story is incomplete.
The Wife of Bath (Alisoun) Characterized as gat-toothed, somewhat deaf,
and wearing bright scarlet red stockings. She has had five husbands (the last half
her age), enjoys her freedom, and is openly sensual.
Hubert, the Friar A sensual, licentious man who seduces young girls and
then arranges their marriages. He loves money and knows the taverns better than
the poor houses.
The Summoner An officer of the church who calls people for a church trial.
He is as ugly as his profession; he frightens children with his red complexion,
pimples and boils, and skin infected with scales.
The Clerk A sincere, devout student at Oxford University who loves learning
and is respected by all the pilgrims. He is very poor because he spends all his money
on books.
The Merchant A shrewd and intelligent man who knows how to strike a
good bargain and is a member of the rich rising middle class.
The Squire A vain, lusty young man and a candidate for knighthood. He can
sing, write poetry, and ride a horse very well, and considers himself a lady's man.
The Franklin A large and wealthy landowner who enjoys fine living and
good companionship.
The Shipman A huge, uncouth man who can steer a ship but flounders on
his horse.
The Prioress (Madame Eglantine) A very genteel lady who is coy and
delicate. She has precise manners, eats as an aristocrat would, and wears a gold
brooch with "Love conquers all" inscribed in Latin.
The Physician A doctor who can speak knowingly of medicines, drugs, and
humours, and who knows astrology as well. He is fond of gold and makes a lot of
money during the plague season.
 The Pardoner The most complex of all the pilgrims. He is an intellect and
uses advanced psychological means to gain his objective. Although he is not a good
person, he can preach a good sermon.
The Monk A man who tends the property of the monastery. He is fat and
happy, loves good food and wine, and finds the taverns more to his liking than the
cold, severe monastery.
The Nun's Priest The priest of the church who accompanies the nuns so
that they may offer up their confessions.
The Second Nun A very devout nun who, because she believes that
idleness leads to sin, begins her story immediately.
The Canon and the Canon's Yeoman Although not one of the pilgrims,
the Canon appears with his servant (the Yeoman) but leaves when his Yeoman
begins a tale.
The Manciple The steward for a law school. Although not as intelligent as
the law students, he is clever and shrewd enough to be able to put away some
money for himself.
The Parson A very poor but very holy and virtuous religious man who tells a
highly moral tale. He gives his scant money to his poor parishioners and tries to live
the perfect life and set an ideal for others.

Chaucer
The author of The Canterbury Tales and appears throughout the book as
one of the twenty-nine pilgrims. He functions as the reader’s guide and his ironic
comments reveal the true nature of the assorted group. He tells the tales of Sir
Topas and the tale of Melibee during the course of the journey. He finally
identifies himself at the end.

The Knight
The Knight as a "verray parfit gentil knight" (i.e. true, perfect, well bred)
who had distinguished himself in many Crusades. All the wars fought by the
Knight have been religious wars. In spite of being a brave warrior with various
victories to his credit, the Knight never boasted of his success.

The Squire
The Knight’s son, probably twenty years old. He is described as a "lover
and a lusty bachelor" and is a worthy aspirant to Knighthood. Apart from being a
warrior he also sings, composes melodies and writes poetry.

The Yeoman
 The only servant accompanying the Knight on the pilgrimage. He is
thoroughly knowledgeable about forestry and woodcraft and is a true forester.

The Prioress
A pious and saintly woman. However she is sentimental and strives to
imitate courtly manners. She is a very sensitive woman who is gentle even with
the three small dogs accompanying her in her journey. The attention that she
gives to her appearance is an indication of her secret longing for a more
sophisticated life.

The Nun's Priest

Mentioned in the Prologue as accompanying the Prioress. He tells the
mock-heroic beast fable of Chaunticleer and Pertolete.

The Second Nun

Only fleetingly mentioned in the Prologue as one of the companions of
the Prioress. She tells the tale of St. Cecilia.

The Monk
An "outrider" i.e. a Monk who rides around the abbey to tend its
property. It is implied that the Monk is immoral and loves the pleasures of life.
He loves hunting and women. His love for the various pleasures of life goes
against his religious vows.

The Friar
A wanton and merry man. These are hardly the characteristics that befit
a religious man. He is a "limiter" i.e. a Friar who is licensed to beg within a
certain limited area. While hearing confessions he gave the best pardon to those
who contributed the maximum amount of money. The author makes this
statement in irony when he says that he is probably the only person who
practices his profession most accurately.

The Merchant
He sports a forked beard and wears fine clothes. He is extremely
pompous in his manners and opinions. He is so clever that nobody could gauge
that he was actually in heavy debt.

The Oxford Clerk

 A skinny man who is a student at Oxford. He is not at all conscious of his
appearance. He is a scholar who is genuinely interested in learning and studies.
After the Knight, he is the most admired person.

The Sergeant at Law

An accomplished and devious lawyer who has probably used his position
to acquire a great deal of wealth.

The Franklin
Said to be Epicure’s own son that implies that he lives a hedonistic life in
pursuit of pleasure.

The Haberdasher, Dyer, Carpenter, Weaver, And Tapestry Maker

All guildsmen and experts in their professions. They are wearing
impressive clothes and carrying handsome silver mounted equipment.

The Cook
Accompanying the guildsmen, the Cook is mainly described in terms of
his culinary abilities. However Chaucer does point out that he has an ulcerous
sore on his shin.

The Sea captain

A jolly fellow and an able seaman. He could read the stars and was also a
good fighter. However Chaucer suggests that he is not completely moral and has
no qualms about stealing wine from the Merchant whose casks he is
transporting.

The Physician
An excellent doctor who can quickly diagnose the cause of any disease.
However Chaucer suggests that this good doctor is motivated by greed more
than anything else and has a special fondness for gold.

The Wife of Bath

The Wife of Bath named Alisoun is a little deaf. She is adept at making
cloth that surpasses even the cloth-making capitals of Chaucer's world, Ypres
and Ghent. She is an excellent weaver and having been married five times knows
all the cures for love. She has married five husbands in the church, and has been
to Jerusalem, Rome, and Boulogne on pilgrimage. She is gap-toothed and knows
all the tricks of the trade when it comes to love.

The Parson
A genuinely good clergyman. His self-denial and charity are indeed
praiseworthy. He sets a moral standard to his flock of parishioners.

The Plowman
The Parson’s brother and a good Christian ever willing to help his
neighbors in trouble. He is an honest and hardworking laborer.

The Miller
A hefty and strong fellow, a loudmouth and a teller of scurrilous stories.
The Miller is a pug-nosed, brawny worker with a red beard and a warty nose.
He’s a champion wrestler, a thief––Chaucer says that he steals corn from his
bosses––and something of a drunkard.

The Manciple
The steward of a law school in London who is responsible for buying
food. He is a shrewd man who tricks the lawyers by keeping aside some money
for himself whenever he is asked to go and purchase food.

The Reeve
A slender and quick-tempered man. He is such a successful manager of
his lord’s estate that he has more spending power than his lord does. He knows
all the secrets of the employees and blackmails them. He is thus feared by all in
the estate.

The Summoner
He has a fiery-red cherubic face, which is an indicator of his lecherous
and deceitful character. His gruesome physical appearance fits most
appropriately with his profession. The author ironically describes him as a good
fellow. He is good as the sinners can easily bribe him.

The Pardoner
A seller of pardons. He dupes innocent poor people by selling them fake
relics. Chaucer ironically commends him as an excellent churchmanThe Pardoner,
with his mincing, feminine ways and long hair, has been interpreted as
potentially homosexual. He carries a full bag of pardons and fake relics from
Rome, which he uses to dupe gullible parishioners into giving him money.

The Host
Introduced at the end of the "General Prologue", he proposes the story
telling contest in order to make the journey a more enjoyable one.

The Canon's Yeoman

Arrives at the end of the journey along with his master. He is wearing a
black cloak and comes panting and gasping for breath after the main group of
pilgrims. He proceeds to tell a tale revealing the hypocrisy and deceitfulness of
alchemists.

Major Characters in the Tales

Duke Theseus (The Knight's Tale) His name is that of the famous ruler of
ancient Athens who performed many outstanding feats in his life and was
reputed to be a great and noble ruler.

Queen Hippolyta (The Knight's Tale) The wife of Theseus. She was a
powerful queen of the Amazons before Theseus conquered the tribe and made
her his queen.

Emilie (The Knight's Tale) Theseus' beautiful sister-in-law who

inadvertently attracts the attention of two imprisoned knights, Arcite and
Palamon, and thus is the instrument motivating the central plot.

Palamon (The Knight's Tale) A Theban knight who is wounded fighting

against Theseus and imprisoned in perpetuity. Years later, he is the first to fall in
love with the beautiful Emilie.

Arcite (The Knight's Tale) Another noble Theban knight and close friend
to Palamon. When Arcite sees the beauteous Emilie, he pledges his undying love
for her.

Old John, the Carpenter (The Miller's Tale) The rich and old carpenter
who foolishly marries a lively young girl.
 Alison (The Miller's Tale) The sensual young wife of the old carpenter.
She conspires to have an affair with the young scholar and to play an obscene
trick upon another suitor.

Nicholas (The Miller's Tale) The passionate young boarder who uses his
knowledge of astrology to convince the carpenter that another flood is about to
begin so that he can seduce the carpenter's young wife.

Absalon (The Miller's Tale) A young clerk who falls in love with Alison and
interferes with Nicholas and Alison's trysts. He is delicate, dainty, and overly
sensitive to foul smells. He becomes the butt of an obscene joke.

Oswold (The Reeve's Tale) A crooked miller who steals from his clients.
He has a wife of whom he is jealous, a "ripe" young daughter, and also a new
baby.

Molly (The Reeve's Tale) The virgin daughter of the miller who is seduced
by Alan.

John and Alan (The Reeve's Tale) University students determined not to
be cheated by the miller. When the miller does cheat them, they get their
revenge through seducing the miller's wife and daughter.

Perkin Reveler (The Cook's Tale) A young apprentice cook most

interested in dancing, drinking, singing, gambling, and lovemaking.

Constance (The Man of Law's Tale) A young woman constantly thrown

into peril who never loses her faith in Christianity.

Sultan of Syria (The Man of Law's Tale) The young ruler who converts to
Christianity so that Constance will wed him.

King Alla (The Man of Law's Tale) The ruler of Northumberland who falls
in love with and marries Constance.

Donegild (The Man of Law's Tale) King Alla's wicked mother who forges a
letter from her son instructing that his child be killed.

Jankyn (The Wife of Bath's Prologue) The Wife's fifth husband, who
caused her trouble and had to be tamed into submission.

Old Thomas (The Summoner's Tale) An old, sick man who has been
tricked often by the friar into giving large gifts to him. With his last gift, he gets
even with the f riar.
 King Walter (The Clerk's Tale) The king who seeks to marry a woman
who will never complain about his demands.

Griselda (The Clerk's Tale) Walter's wife; a young woman who is the
essence of loveliness, patience, goodness, and fidelity.

January (The Merchant's Tale) An old knight who decides to abandon his
wild ways and marry a beautiful young maiden.

May (The Merchant's Tale) The beautiful 18-year-old bride whose old
husband (January) cannot satisfy her sexually.

Damian (The Merchant's Tale) A handsome young man who is smitten

with love for May.

Canace (The Squire's Tale) The king's daughter, the most beautiful and
gracious lady ever to be found on the earth.

Arveragus (The Franklin's Tale) A noble and courageous knight who

desires a wife who will enter a marriage pact in which both parties respect each
other and show forbearance.

Dorigen (The Franklin's Tale) Arveragus' wife; in her husband's absence,

she is unhappy, forlorn, and grief stricken.

Aurelius (The Franklin's Tale) A wealthy neighbor who is secretly and

madly in love with Dorigen.

Virginius (The Physician's Tale) A rich and honorable knight with a

beautiful daughter.

Virginia (The Physician's Tale) Virginius' daughter whose beauty and

modesty attract the evil attentions of Appius.

Appius (The Physician's Tale) An unjust judge who is captivated by

Virginia's beauty and is determined to have her.

Claudius (The Physician's Tale) The wicked blackguard who assists Appius
in his wicked plan to capture and seduce Virginia.

The Three Rioters (The Pardoner's Tale) Drunken revelers who decide to
find Death and slay him.

Sir Topas (Chaucer's Tale of Sir Topaz) A young knight who is handsome,
a great hunter, a great wrestler, and the envy of every maiden.
 Melibee (Chaucer's Tale of Melibee) A man who forgives three burglars
who injure his daughter.

Dame Prudence (Chaucer's Tale of Melibee) Melibee's wife.

Chaunticleer (The Nun's Priest's Tale) The magnificent rooster that rules
over his bevy of hens. He is beautiful and exceptionally proud of his singing
voice; he is also extremely vain and gullible.

Dame Pertelote (The Nun's Priest's Tale) Chaunticleer's wife to whom he

is devoted. Although she is something of a nag, she is also devoted to
Chaunticleer.

Don (Sir) Russel (The Nun's Priests Tale) The traditional name for a fox.
He is the sly typical fox who, by flattery, is able to trick Chaunticleer.

Cecilia (The Second Nun's Tale) A young girl who loves chastity and
wants to remain a virgin forever.

Valerian (The Second Nun's Tale) The young man to whom Cecilia is
given in marriage. Cecilia convinces him to be baptized. He sees an angel with
his wife and wants his brother to become a Christian also.

Tiburce (The Second Nun's Tale) Valerian's brother who is reluctant to be

baptized until Celclia converts him.

Phoebus (The Manciple's Tale) A great warrior, skilled musician, and a

handsome and kind man who is very jealous of his beautiful wife. When a talking
crow informs him of his wife's infidelity, he kills her and later kills the crow.

VI. Persona (narrator of the story)

Since Chaucer filters all of the action that occurs through his by turns
credulous and satirical narrative voice, we learn the most about his character
from the way he describes other pilgrims. Chaucer creates a new type of
narrative by mixing his individual and traditional ways of storytelling. In total,
“The Canterbury Tales” are told in a way, in which every story is a parody.

VII. Point of view (Identify POV)

 In the General Prologue, the narrator speaks in the first person, describing
each of the pilgrims as they appeared to him. Though narrated by different
pilgrims, each of the tales is told from an omniscient third-person point of view,
providing the reader with the thoughts as well as actions of the characters.

VIII. Conflicts
 Man versus man
Palamon and Arcite have sworn a knightly oath to be loyal to one another,
but they both fall in love with the same girl who is Emily.
This inevitably leads to a big, fat fight between the two knights.

 Man versus society

The rule of chivalry, which demands knights keep their oaths, is tested by the
rule of courtly love, which demands that a knight put his love for his lady
before everything else

The struggles between characters, manifested in the links between tales, mostly
involve clashes between social classes, differing tastes, and competing professions.
There are also clashes between the sexes, and there is resistance to the Host’s
somewhat tyrannical leadership.

IX. Symbolisms
Wife of Bath- She symbolizes women in society who desires power in a marriage,
opinions on love, and
The springtime- it symbolizes rebirth and fresh beginnings, also evokes erotic love
Tree- symbolizes fertility (The Merchant’s Tale)
- Symbolizes death (The Pardoner’s Tale)
The Pilgrimage- is meant to be a journey of repentance of men to fully cleansed the
sins
The tavern- represents the sinful life on earth
Canterbury- represents the sin- free life in heaven all people are trying to reach

Springtime, clothing, physiognomy

X. Themes/Universal Truths (Pls. note themes in complete sentences)
 The pervasiveness of courtly love,
 The importance of company
 The corruption of the church
 social tensions impact the themes of this book
 conduct oneself in life in a virtuous way.
 Social satire
The medieval society was set on three foundations: the nobility, the
church, and the peasantry. The medieval social issues, human immorality,
and depraved heart. For example, he exposes each social layers of his
pilgrims and beautifully illustrates how they fail to fulfill their actual
duties. He further shows the theme of social satire in The Nun’s Priest’s
Tale that satirizes courtly love and sets aside standard of dignity. The
Wife of Bath’s Tale mocks the religious logic as the wife interprets The
Bible verses in her own way to support her argument.
 Courtly love in the medieval setup is something noble and spiritual that
does not mean to be achieved physically.
The Knight’s Tale, in the general prologue, is an obvious example of
courtly love where two knights fight for the hand of a fair lady. The
intensity of love makes them forget oaths and duties toward the state.
Furthermore, the insightful description of the squire, a young knight,
possesses all the ornaments of courtly love. He sings, writes, plays
flutes, maintains his physical appearance, and burns with a passion that
keeps him awake. Apart from courtly love and sexual desire, lust also
plays a major role in The Canterbury Tales. For examples, The Miler’s
Tale is based on sexual desire and The Wife of Bath’s Tale represents the
lust and sexual desire of the lady. Therefore, courtly love and sexual
desire are common features of medieval society discussed by Chaucer.
 Corruption in Church
The idea of corruption also upholds thematic significance in The
Canterbury Tales, because most of the characters associated with the
church are not religious, pious or dutiful as they must be. The Pardoner’s
Tale is the best example of corruption. He is a medieval preacher
assigned with the duty to collect money for holy purposes. He performs
this duty and walks in the town with holy relics, preaches about the
dangers of greed and raises money. However, the collection is not for a
religious purpose; instead, he fills his own pocket. While narrating the
tale, he does not seem to have any regret and displays pride for his
actions.
 Competition
Competition is another major theme in The Canterbury Tales. It is
explicitly stated in tales as well as present among the pilgrims. The
Knight’s Tale is set on the theme of competition where two prisoners fall
in love with the same girl. Both are at good terms, but the lady becomes
the bone of contention and makes them opponent of each other. The
 desire of love makes them bloodthirsty. At last, one is killed, and the
other wins the hand of that lady. Out of these tales, the pilgrims also set
the competition of storytelling. They seem to be impatient as well, as
Miller jumps in to tell his tale after the Knight without waiting for his turn.
Everyone tries to tell the best story continuing the competition, even
though most of the stories are the versions of the stories already told.
 Religious Corruption:
Although it is mild and somewhat latent in ironic remarks of different
characters, Chaucer lets his character engage in religious criticism. This
happens through different characters who show it through their corrupt
practices, such as the greed of Pardoner and the lasciviousness of the
Friar, who is a hypocrite to the core. Similarly, the tale of the Pardoner
also demonstrates the corruption prevalent among different religious
characters, who are hoarding and extracting money rather than
performing their duties. Class

 Class or status is another notable theme in The Canterbury Tales. This

theme is explored through the comparison of the people who belong to a
better class with those who attempt to appear as an upper class. Chaucer
has presented two diverse characters, the Prioress and the Parson in the
prologue. It is through these characters; he foreshadows the importance
of status in medieval society. The Prioress, a nun by profession, is seen
as an up-to-date woman, concerned with her manner and behavior. In
contrast, the Parson, a clergyman, acts and behaves keeping in mind his
class and duties. Despite knowing her duties, the Nun tries to look
wealthy, whereas the Parson is not obsessed to maintain his class. This
class and class consciousness run deep into the tales told by different
characters.

 Lies and Deception

 Lies and deception are also one of the major themes in the prologue as
well as individual tales. Most characters lie about their social status to
maintain their respect. For instance, the Merchant appears to be a
wealthy man at first, but as the tale progresses, he reveals that he is in
debt. The Pardoner deceives people by selling fake relics, and the Miller
also deceives others by selling his flour again and again. It happens that
when people try to maintain their false standards, they often carefully
plan before lying and cheating.

 Justice and Judgement

 The thematic value of justice and judgment can be seen in the tales that
demand answers. For instance, The Knight’s Tale asks who was a better
 knight, Arcite or Palamon? The Franklin’s Tale also poses a question to
the audience to consider each of the characters and decides who is the
most generous. Therefore, judgment plays an active role in most of the
tales.

 Rivalry

 Rivalry also holds a thematic value in The Canterbury Tales. There are
rivals in story-telling, who insult each other. Palamon and Arcite in The
Knight’s Tale forget their brotherhood and become rivals to marry
Emelye. There are also rivals in trickery who smartly play tricks on others.
Some members of the pilgrim group are also rivaling like the Miller and
the Reeve. Their rivalry causes tension in the group. Chaucer presents
how competition can quickly turn a friend into an enemy.

 Company

 The theme of a company in the general prologue is not only evident but
also very strong. Pilgrims are going to visit the relics of Thomas Becket in
the company of each other. Most of the pilgrims are guildsmen, members
of a specific trade. Many of them belong to the church, but they also
represent a group. Although they belong to different standards and
classes, they stay in a group, sharing the same purpose.

 The universality of the human condition. The human condition can be

identified as the internal and external conflicts held by a person that
effect himself/herself along with the people they associate themselves
with. The human condition in each individual can be identified through the
understanding of the unique internal and external conflicts afflicted.
Without these conflicts, the human condition would not be apparent.
Currently, the human condition can be a very controversial and sensitive
subject addressed.

XI. Relevance of literary piece to humanity in the 21 st Century

 This could signify that even with difference in our social status, we could all be
united through a common medium, in this case, it’s story telling.
Furthermore, the collection of tales also provides a narrative that anybody could
be judged, regardless of your social status.
 The story itself shines a light on the life, class, romance, social norms, gender,
and morality of the people during the medieval period.
 Within the story, you could also see parallels between society and church and
the corruption within that remains prevalent in modern times. Additionally, it also
speaks to the values and beliefs of medieval Europe.
  However, even with the various amalgamations of sin and devious acts in the
story, the ending still resonated with a hope of salvation.
 Social classes
Issues such as class and socioeconomic status play a critical role in human
development, not just in terms of the degree to which one can earn
economically, but also one’s health and development as a human being. The fact
that the 8 richest people in the world hold the same amount of money as the
poorest 35% of the global population highlights the high amounts of inequality in
today’s world.(Steve Jobs and Bill Gates)
 In comparison to today’s society, women all over the world are ridiculed and
humiliated for sleeping with men, which creates insecurities in all women. Her
character can be seen through the modern eye as a “…recognizable version of a
woman- sometimes even to the point of implicitly mistaking her for a historical
figure”(Desmond 116). This insecurity seen through The Wife of Bath, and in
modern America, can be clearly related to the human condition and how it
affects individuals in a society. Although the Wife of Bath appears to be content
with her personality and opinions regarding sex, her identitycan be seen as much
more complex and misunderstood than what is initially portrayed by thecharacter
herself. In result of this misinterpretation, her identity can be altered to identify
as an insecure, defensive woman.
 Accordingly, the profession of a prioress was very demanding and thus required
responsible and qualified women to fulfil it. But some prioresses used their new
expansion of authority and power to break with the rules. Many of them
ventured forth pretending doing business for their monasteries and thereby
neglected their duties, which led to criticism and reform movements. The third
element of the prioress’s description is focused on her charity and her
compassion, two attitudes which are basic to the Christian ideal of altruism.
 (The Wife of Bath’s) narrates on the social problem of female mistreatment in
society, Chaucer writes freely on the subject by using a woman to speak on
women’s issues. In the tales, Allison states; clearly, the speaker addresses the
societal malignancy that is sexual assault. Statistically, women are most
commonly the victims of sexual abuse, Chaucer’s attempts to use Alison as a
speaker effectively relate the message to the readers. In that women face this
sexist societal oppression; women are often inclined to take an activist role on
the issue.
 Frequently in today’s society, opinions on societal matters are often masked by
an anonymous online profile. Speakers can write and post their criticism without
the fear of the possible repercussions faced when in public.

XII. References
Bowden, Muriel. A Commentary on the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales,
2nd ed. NY: Macmillan, 1967.

Derrida, Jacques. “Living On: Border Lines,” trans. James Hulbert, in Deconstruction
and Criticism, ed. Harold Bloom (NY: Seabury Press, 1979), 75-176.

Hodges, Laura L. Chaucer and Costume: The Secular Pilgrims in the General
Prologue. Boydell and Brewer, 2000. Also has two other books on costume and
clothing in Chaucer.

Lynch, Kathryn L., editor. Chaucer’s Cultural Geography. NY: Routledge, 2002.

Chaucer, Geoffrey, et al.The Canterbury Tales. Bantam Books, 2006.

Desmond, Marilynn. “The Vieille Daunce: The Wife of Bath and the Politics
ofExperience.”Ovid's Art and the Wife of Bath: The Ethics of Erotic Violence, Cornell
UniversityPress, Ithaca; London, 2006, pp. 116–143.JSTOR.