Canterbury Tales Essay Research Paper Though the

Canterbury Tales Essay, Research Paper

Though the characters in the Canterbury Tales are described vividly and often

comically, it is not necessarily true that these characters are therefore

stereotypes of The Middle ages. The intricate visual descriptions and the tales

the characters tell help to direct the reader in finding a more accurate and

realistic picture of the pilgrims, bringing into question the theory that

Chaucer was just collating stereotypes from his time. The fact that there is one

representative for each of the chief classes (under the higher nobility) would

suggest that this work is an attempt to provide a catalogue of characters from

the middle ages, and it can be assumed from this that this denotes a collection

of stereotypes, although this is not necessarily true. The format of The

Canterbury Tales suggests a simplistic approach, a prologue and epilogue and in

between a collection of tales, The Miler’s Tale, The Clerk’s Tale and so on[1].

This simplicity in structure may also suggest a simplicity in content and thus,

convincing and challenging characters are unlikely to be expected in a work of

seemingly simple design. But, when looked at in more detail, the tales are found

to hold many details that contradict the bland stereotype expected, and when the

structure of the work is looked at in its context of 14th century literature,

the Canterbury Tales is found to be a work pioneering the form of the epic poem.

The style in which Chaucer writes may also initially seem to suggest that his

characters are under-developed stereotypes, he uses the language of his time

vividly, although this does not therefore mean that his characters are two

dimensional, almost ‘cartoon’ characters. J.R. Hulbert in his essay Chaucer’s

Pilgrims explains, "In many instances there are exuberant lines which

sharpen the effect desired." The Canterbury Tales may, at first seem to be

obtuse and unfocused through the use of lucid imagery and language, although

this language, when studied gives a more detailed and more deeply layered

portrayal of the pilgrims as well as giving them colourful characteristics.

Chaucer’s description of the knight is a good example of his subversion of the

classic Arthurian image that existed in popular literature of the time[2]. In

the General Prologue, Chaucer relays his description of the knight: " A

Knight ther was, and that a worthy man, That fro the time that he first bigan To

riden out, he loved chivalrye, Trouthe, and honour, freedom and curteisye."

This excerpt, the beginning of the description of the knight holds true to the

classic representation of the knight of valour and honour, but Chaucer goes on

to pervert and pollute the fairytale image that he has created: " And of

his port as meeke as is a maide" and, " His hors were goode, but he

was nat gay. Of fustian he wered a gopoun, Al bismothered with his haubergeoun."

In these few lines, Chaucer has destroyed the traditional stereotype of the

knight and created a new and almost comical figure. Our knight is not one ‘in

shining armour’, but rather a ‘knight in a rusted chain-mail’. The knight does

not even have a hyper-masculine representation here either. Chaucer feminises

the knight comparing him to a maid. At the end of the description of the knight

in the general prologue the only part of the knight that lives up to the readers

expectations is his horse, which apparently was in good condition. Although we

have only been given a visual representation of the knight, the reader can

gather many things from this description, perhaps the knight is effeminate or

weak, and he shys away from battle, getting so little battlefield ‘action’ that

his chainmail has begun to rust. It is a device used by Chaucer to convey the

character of his pilgrims using their appearance. Thus when the Wife of Bath is

described as being "gat-toothed", the reader can assume that she is

lusty as it was believed in the Middle ages that this particular physical

attribute denoted that characteristic. In medieval times, certain elements of a

person’s appearance intrinsically suggested something, if not everything of

their character. Indeed, this practice of identifying outward appearance with

inward attitudes and traits became an area of study known as ‘physiognomy’ and

manuals on this subject were produced[3]. In more recent times, critics have

tried to unravel and understand the many tiny clues hidden in the character

descriptions to gain a sharper picture of these characters. In 1919 Water Clyde

Curry claimed to have discovered the pardoner’s "secret" [that he was

a eunuchus ex nativitate] using these manuals, and this discovery, after it’s

initial acceptance has been questioned for it’s reliance on the physiognomy

texts that are vague and overlapping anyway. Although we may no

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