Canterbury
The Clerk's Tale is an indirect response to the Wife of Bath who stated that women desire complete sovereignty over their husbands and lovers. The Clerk puts forth a diametrically opposite view and draws the sketch of a totally submissive Chaucer's source for the Clerk's tale is Petrarch's 'Fable of Obedience and Wifely Faith' written in Latin that was in turn derived from Boccaccio's 'Decameron'. Chaucer closely follows Petrarch's text. Chaucer makes the Clerk candidly acknowledge that his tale is derived from "Frauncey's Petrak". The Clerk's Tale is suited to his character as a serious student. His tale too has a scholarly theme and deals with the issue of genuine obedience and loyalty in a wife. Griselda's story upholds faith in goodness even in times of adversity. It is definitely a moral tale and the Clerk relates it with all seriousness and The Host's warning to the Clerk to keep his language simple and to tell an entertaining and adventurous tale were not needed. The tale proves that the Clerk was not an ossified academic. However
Griselda's story of long suffering may be unappealing to modern readers. His skepticism about his wife's loyalty and obedience is irremediable as he subjects poor Griselda to one inhuman test after another. The Clerk is a serious student who had long ago devoted himself to the study of logic. Rather his tale simply advocates faith in the innate goodness of God and perseverance in times of adversity. But it is important to interpret the tale in the context of the fourteenth century. Chaucer seriously appreciates the Clerk's solemnity and openly praises him. He would rather have twenty books of Aristotelian philosophy at his bedside than fine clothes, fiddle or a gay harp. One could perhaps interpret the tale as a homily on Christian humility and perseverance. Griselda was simply acting in accordance with her roles as a loyal wife and a subject of the marquis. The Clerk clarifies while concluding his tale that Griselda is not to be emulated as an example by women. There are no ironic overtones in the Clerk's portrait apart from the pun on his being a philosopher and yet being poor. The scholarly Clerk religiously prays for the welfare of his friends and benefactors. She was fulfilling her moral obligations. Perhaps he is studying for a Master's degree.
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