Chaucer And The Canterbury Tales English Literature Essay

In reading Geoffrey Chaucer’s most dramatic gallery of portraits in The General Prologue of his most renowned work, The Canterbury Tales, one understands why he is deemed the Father of the English Literary Canon. Chaucer, unlike no one of his time, set out to tell fresh and amusing tales simply to entertain fourteenth century England. The Canterbury Tales tells the tale of twenty-nine pilgrims who meet by chance at the Tabard Inn in Southwark right outside of London. These diverse, yet colorful pilgrims are on their way to visit the shrine of the martyr St. Thomas Becket at the Canterbury cathedral. At the urging of the innkeeper, then turned host they each agree to tell two tales each, one going to Canterbury and one returning. The Canterbury Tales is arranged like a framework, and are meant to the reveal the life of fourteenth century England through the embellished, but classic characters as well as glimpse into Chaucer’s own personal history.

Chaucer was born in 1340 a son of a wealthy London merchant. Like most well to do young boys, he became a page in a noble household. In Chaucer’s case, he became page to the Countess of Ulster, daughter-in-law of King Edward III. This is where Chaucer would have been educated in the values of the aristocratic culture of the time, including its literary tastes which were probably based on French models. While participating in the king’s military expedition against the French, he was captured and ransomed by the king. He became a squire in the king’s household, which required him to take diplomatic voyages abroad. These journeys brought him to Italy. Italy would have a strong influence on his later literary work as he was strongly influenced by Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio. He became Controller of the Customs of Hides, Skins and Wools in the port of London, which meant that he was a government official who worked with cloth importers. Chaucer’s experience overseeing imported cloths might be why he could describe his characters so precisely and vividly. After his return to London, he held numerous positions in government, including being a member of Parliament. So, we can see through looking at Chaucer’s history that he gained inspiration for his characters in The Canterbury Tales through his life and work experiences.

Chaucer’s intense realism of his characters was virtually unknown to readers in the fourteenth century. He was able to bring people from many walks of life together in the General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales. The pilgrims represent a diverse cross section of fourteenth century English society, a portrait of the nation as a whole. Medieval social theory divided society into three broad classes, called “estates.” There was the military estate who ruled the clergy, who prayed, and the laity estate who worked. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is an estate satire, which means that it was a critical commentary on the members of each estate. The Knight and Squire represent the military estate. The clergy estate is represented by the Prioress, her Secretary Nun, Priest, the Monk, the Friar, and the Parson. The other characters, such as the Merchant and Skipper are members of the laity. Chaucer’s descriptions of the various characters and their social roles reveal the influence of the medieval genre of estates satire.

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Beginning with the Knight, the main characters will be explored, so thus we can envision how their lifestyles portray fourteenth century England society. The Knight represents the ideal of a noble medieval Christian warrior who, “loved chivalry, truth, openhandedness, and courtesy.” His son is the young lusty squire who would follow in his father’s footsteps of becoming Knight. Then, the modest Prioress is introduced with her neat table manners and rosary about her arm. The Monk was a manly man, hunter, and one who did not care for the strict rules of St. Benedict. The Friar was described as the, “champion beggar of his brotherhood,” more concerned with profit than turning people away from their sins. Friars were heavily disapproved of in fourteenth century England. The wealthy Merchant, poor Oxford student, and cunning Lawyer are introduced next. A Franklin traveled in the Lawyer’s company. In Chaucer’s time, a Franklin was a “free man.” This one in particular was known for his hospitality, great food, and wine cellar. The five guildsman of one great fraternity are introduced next, followed by the brown-skinned skipper and the physician who “could tell the cause that brought on every human malady.” The boisterous Wife of Bath was then introduced in search of her sixth husband. The gap in her front teeth was considered to be attractive in Chaucer’s time. The parson is the only serious churchman in the company. He practices what he preaches to his congregation; He is poor in possessions, but rich in spirit. A Manciple, a Miller, a Reeve, a Summoner, and a Pardoner complete the company of pilgrims. The Manciple was overseer at a lawyer’s college who could keep pace in wit with the law students. The fiery-tempered Reeve was farm overseer, while the leprosy inflicted Summoner brought those accused of violating Church Laws to court. The greasy long-haired Pardoner sold indulgences to release sinful souls in exchange for donations to the Church. Like pardoners of this time, he tricked people into believing he had relics, such as the Veil of Mary, and he kept donations for himself. The miller, stout and brawny, tells the second tale, simply titled the Miller’s Tale.

The drunken Miller’s tale is a story about a young, poor student of astrology named Nicholas who begins an affair with his landlord’s wife, fiery Alison. His landlord, John, the carpenter is a cuckold in every sense of the word. Alison and Nicholas want to spend a night together, so Nicholas concocts a plan to make it happen. He tells John, his landlord, that there will be a flood and convinces him to stay the night in a bathtub hanging from the ceiling of his barn. All the while, Absolom, a young parish clerk is completely in love with Alison as well. He appears outside of the bedroom window where Alison and Nicholas lie, and begs Alison for a kiss. She sticks her bare bottom out of the window and lets him kiss that. Absolom is furious. He comes back with a hot iron, and begs for another kiss. This time, Nicholas sticks his bare bottom out of the window and gets burned. Nicholas cries, “Help! Water! Water! Help, for God’s own heart!” At this John believes that the flood has started. He breaks the rope and comes crashing down into the street. The Miller’s Tale is in the fabliau genre of literature, which means it is a short, comical, cynical story where the characters are often stereotypes. It also has a ridiculous climax that is the result of some insane joke.

Chaucer has crossed path with all twenty-nine pilgrims and the characters in their tales in his masterpiece The Canterbury Tales. That is how he is able to describe them so thoroughly, and why The Canterbury Tales is a classic. Chaucer’s endeavor in creating literature and poetic language for all classes of society succeeded, and today Chaucer still stands as one of the great shapers of literary narrative and character.