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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 3 page essay that discusses Geoffrey Chaucer's medieval masterpiece The Canterbury Tales, which offers a series of narratives and character studies that open a window on English society during the fourteenth century. In creating these portraits, Chaucer uses a variety of literary devices, which include both allegory and exemplum. Examination of a few instances in which Chaucer employed these devices shows that these literary devices add nuance and depth of meaning to what otherwise might be considered to be a simple story. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
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3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khchalex.rtf
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of literary devices, which include both allegory and exemplum. Examination of a few instances in which Chaucer employed these devices shows that these literary devices add nuance and depth of
meaning to what otherwise might be considered to be a simple story. For example, in The Knights Tale, the story seems quite simple as it begins with Theseus, the
duke of Athens, winning the love of Queen Hippolyta and bringing her and her "yonge suster Emelye" back to Athens (line 13). After rescuing and imprisoning two Theban soldiers,
Arcite and Palamon, it is the sight of Emelye that inspires these cousins, sworn to each other as brothers, to become rivals and therefore enemies. Ultimately, they duel for her.
When Arcite triumphs over Palamon, Emily begins to "caste a freendlich ye" towards the victor, where previously she had not shown a preference for either man (Jungman). When viewed in
allegorical terms, Emily can be seen as "a symbol of the mutability of fortune" (Jungman). Throughout the narrative, fortune vacillates. Soon after they are imprisoned and seemingly cast down by
fortune, they see Emelye and feel fortunate. Arcite even envies Palamon after he is pardoned because, while imprisoned, he can see Emelye from the cells window. The ups-and-downs of fortune
are knit by Chaucer into a complex tapestry in this allegorical tale, illustrating the instability of lifes joys, but also the same quality applies to its sorrows. Similarly, there
is more to The Pardoners Tale and The Wife of Baths Tale than is evident on a casual first reading. The exemplum moral of The Pardoners Tale is that greed
is root cause of all sin. His tale exemplifies this motto and as worked well for the Pardoner in terms of swaying his listeners to give him gold. The Pardoner
...