The Canterbury Tales of General Prologue Analysis

Introduction

Geoffrey Chaucer uses the genre of satire in his texts inform of follies, voices, shortcomings, and abuses as a form of ridicule for shaming individuals, government, and the society. Such situation is in line with the use of satire in the literature that is mainly intended for enlightening persons and for causing them to turn from their evil ways. On the other hand, comedy is a form of entertainment designed to make the audience laugh. Chaucer uses satire in a comedy way to ridicule occurrences surrounding the marriage between George and Alison. In the Canterbury Tales of The General Prologue, Chaucer uses satire and comedy to narrate the personalities and demeanors of persons headed to the pilgrimage at the Canterbury Cathedral.

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The Canterbury Tales of General Prologue

Analysis of Chaucer's satirical and comic depiction of characters in The General Prologue

The General Prologue describes how April's beautiful spring weather is conducive to taking a pilgrimage to the Canterbury Cathedral to ask for help from the blessed martyr. Chaucer prepares to go for the pilgrimage from Tarbard Inn, where he used to stays. Other twenty-nine pilgrims also join him at the Inn. They both drink and resolve to begin the journey the following morning. Chaucer decides to describe each of his fellow pilgrims according to his view.

It is satirical and comic how persons can spend the night drinking in an Inn before going on a pilgrimage. Pilgrimage is a holly eventuality. Therefore, it becomes immoral to spend the night drinking instead of praying for the journey to becoming a success. Persons are more attracted to sin than to spiritual character even when undertaking the pilgrimage.

Examination of societal criticism through satire, focusing on the portrayal of the pilgrims' behaviors and traits

In the description, the first character is Knight who successfully travelled through both heathen and Christian territories. However, during his endeavour, he never stays clear of exploits from concurred battles. However, he satirically and comically claims that all his exploits regard the love of Christ. The society rewards exploitation from a warrior with fame. Knight is well known and receives high praises from the people. Therefore, exploitation results in glory even though it is not in line with the teachings of Christianity. Additionally, Christianity teachings in dressing are satirically illustrated to belong to the lowly in the society. Knight wore modest clothes like those belonging to maids. Moreover, they had the little characters of being meek and modest as a maid. However, persons that followed Christianity teachings are virtues in the sight of God regardless of how the world views them.

Secondly, Knight's son, A Square, is a young and lively young. He has some child-like and feminine traits. He has overwhelming flowery embroidery in his tunic that is characteristic of being female. He usually sits around either while staring at the sky or playing his flute. He is satirically portrayed as the confused young man regardless of his potential to offer a lot to the world. Fortunately, he still has time to develop and become useful to the society.

Another character is the Prioress, the coined nun name for Madame Eglentyne. She speaks elegantly in French though in English accent and sings liturgy through her nose. She has practiced excellent table manners and never lets meat morsels to fall off from her mouth. Additionally, she wipes all grease from her lips after meals and never deeps her fingers into the sauce. It is a satirically and comic way of illustrating natural demeanour. The attempts of Prioress to attain courtesy through a lot of effort and too much pain are humorous. However, there is no gain in having such mannerism that costs so much to achieve the stature of some nuns. It is, therefore, better to loosen up and enjoy life with unexaggerated efforts with the intentions of becoming impressive.

The Prioress is also compassionate in a comic way. She weeps whenever she sees a mouse caught and bleeding. However, a person ought not to have sympathetic to destructive rodents that distract and spoil person's items. Additionally, she wears simple drape with the aim of showing off her beautiful nose, small red mouth, and grey eyes. It is regardless of her commitment to religious life as a nun that is void of romantic relationship. The need to attract partners seems far-fetched. Nonetheless, the writer satirically depicted sisters as human beings who feel the need to become beautiful and appeal to men. Even though they may not have an anterior motive of attracting men for romantic relationships, they have the urge of looking beautiful, and thus they polish themselves just like other women.

Additionally, the narrator illuminates on the Monk as a handsome man who consistently conducts businesses away from the monastery. Even though he is old, he disregards old values in preference for modernity. He overlooks the notions that monks need to spend most of their times indoor. He never takes time indoors but is always out hunting and claims that it never amounted to oysters. The narrator side with by stating that there is no need for monks to stay inside and do the Augustine ordained. It is better to let Augustine do his work, he satirically writes. The monk is intertwined in satire when the narrator claims that most of his time out of the monastery. He is not only out of the monastery for business and is keen to be well polished in appearance. He always oils his face well and has carefully trimmed sleeves that bear expensive squirrel's fur. It is comic and satirical how the Monk disregards the church's teachings like that of Augustine ordinance. Monks are indebted to indoor lifestyles that give them time in fulfilling their ordained missions of engaging in constant devotion to God and shepherding Christians who come to the Parish.

Another character is Friar, who is a man silenced to begin some districts. He is inclined to gossip and thus renowned by wealthy women and wealthy landowners. Such factors arise because of his tactics to absolve sin with the power of their confession. He helps the rich in resolving arising cases. He only becomes so virtuous whenever there is an opportunity of making money from the rich. However, he disdains beggars and lepers as unworthy. Chaucer ridicules his character because he only becomes virtuous when conditions and favourable in a profitable manner. However, because beggars and lepers cannot benefit him, he never associates with them. Nonetheless, the society appreciates such characters and thus rewards them with by upholding them highly in the community. The comic illustration is in his inappropriate demeanour, even though he can absolve sin through confessions from rich people.

Chaucer also intends to go on the pilgrimage with A Merchant. He has characteristically, mastered the art of slow speeches while weighing for profit margins from his opinions. Additionally, a Merchant is good at borrowing money from others regardless of his significant stature in the business. Persons can elude the fact that he is in debts. The writer satirically portrayed him as a broke businessman with mastered art in asking for money. Though he is in debt, the society cannot realize it because of giving him high regard in the field of business because of his earlier accomplishments. Persons in the community usually weigh their talks and opinions with the intention of profiting themselves instead of enhancing functional interactions with other people. The society replaces the virtues in the organization that benefits everyone with the vice of fulfilling selfish and personal desires.

The clerk is an Oxford University student that prefers to read books over money or clothes. Even though he is a philosopher, he does not have any philosopher's stone awards. It is satirical that the society never rewards the works of scholars. It seems as though all his work is in vain because even when he works hard, and strives to read a lot, it does not benefit him.

Themes of Gender and Social Classes in Satire

The narrator also elaborates on the physician practicing astronomy. He can diagnose all maladies and can quote ancient medical texts. However, he has little information regarding the Bible. The writer satirically explained how the social class of physicians that lack interest or have illiteracy in the holy writings of the Bible. Even, though they go through volumes of medical texts to also cover those written during the ancient days, they never find time to read the Bible. Additionally, they have pleasantries in articles of gold and spend their savings in attaining them. Chaucer comically, states that the Physician regards gold is the best medicine

Another character is 'The Wife of Bath" who is an ardent church attendant at the parish. She competes in becoming the first to give an offering of all in the church. Whenever any person offers alms before her, she becomes immensely angered. It is comic and satirical how she is overwhelmed with the need to in show her feminine power even in the church set up. She is more not very much interested in making an offering to God but wishes to gain recognition for becoming the first to make good offerings. Women tend to seek for marital and love advice from wrong persons. Even though 'The Wife of Bath" has failed in four of her marriages, women insist on seeking advice from them. Unfortunately, they are misguided in dominating their marriage lives because of the feminine power. Regardless of the fact that her values to dominate in marriages never works out well because she always ends up in divorce.

The community is also satirically illustrated in the illustration of The Miller and The Person. The Person devotes himself to teach the word of God to his parish members. He tirelessly commits to serve God whether in thunder or rain. Nothing deters him from the mission of educating his folks the ways of God, both words, and deeds. However, these people never pay for his services in tithes, and thus the person languishes in poverty among all the pilgrims even though he is the most exemplary character. However, Miller is always rewarded with prices when he wins fights. Additionally, he is involved in vices like playing bagpipes, telling dirty stories and stealing corn. He is wealthy and owns a "0thombe of gold." Satirically, the society rewards him for all his wrongdoings. Therefore, the community encourages evil and demeans pursuit of righteousness.

Finally, The Manciple is a supplier of provisions in the school of law. He usually is ahead in his business dealings and as such manages to deceive even the learned lawyers. He is a smart person even though uneducated. The narrator ridicules the system of education that is not sure in making the elite class witty of dubious deals. Hence, it causes illiterate persons like The Maniple to cleverly deceive learned people like the lawyers to make business millage.

The Millers' Tale

The Millers' tale is about Nicholas, a young man, undertaking his studies in astrology. During his endeavour, Nicholas managed to find accommodation at John's place. John is an old and wealthy carpenter, married to Alison. Unfortunately, he is ignorant to a fault and hence fell prey to Nicholas trick with the intention of sleeping with Alison. Alison is an eighteen years old, promiscuous wife of the old man John. Even though John is possessive of his wife, Nicholas managed to flirt with Alison when her husband was not at home. Being overwhelmed with teasing, Nicholas grabbed Alison but later pleaded for forgiveness only to calm her down. However, Nicholas then talked Alison into sleeping with her when it is safe.

Meanwhile, another young man called Absalom is also in love with Alison. He goes to high extends of buying expensive gifts and serenades her even though he knows that she is married. None of these tricks work when she proclaims her love with Nicholas. Even so, Absalom forces his way for a qu...