The Canterbury Tales Women
The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer is a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims on their way to Thomas a' Becket's tomb in Canterbury. Throughout the stories, women are often portrayed in two opposing ways. The women in these tales are either depicted as pristine and virginal, or as cunning and deceitful. First, women are described as being pristine and virginal. This type of woman is always beautiful and has men vying for her affections. However, she is so pure that it seems she is unattainable. She is not treated like a real person and people never ask her what she wants. This virginal woman is captured in the character of Emily in "The Knight's Tale". Emily, who is described by the author as "radiant and serene" (32) enchants two cousins and cause them to argue over her. Palamon is so love-struck that he states "Woman or Goddess, which? I cannot say." (32). He doesn't even know her yet calls her "... my lady, whom I love and serve" (34). When Arcite is released, he becomes sick because he can no longer see her. He is described as "Thin as a shaft, as dry, with nothing left./His eyes were hollow, grisly to behold,/Fallow his
May tells Damian to wait for her and January in a garden. Immediately: She gave a spring, just like a skittish colt Boxed in a frame for shoeing, and with a jolt Managed in time to wrench her head away. a fair young wife, her body as slender/As any weasel's, and as soft and tender;" (90) marries an old man named John. In the "Miller's Tale, Alison who is described as ". However, there is a contradiction when she describes her fifth husband. This type of woman causes her husband nothing but heartache. In conclusion, throughout The Canterbury Tales there is a dual depiction of women. The Wife of Bath is also not fully to be trusted (Parker 53). He is allowed to marry a beautiful woman. The Prologue also said "Her hose were of the finest scarlet red/and gartered tight" (74). In many of the stories she makes a fool of her husband by having adulterous affairs. Even though Emily is sitting right there he still doesn't talk directly to her, instead he tells the king. Secondly, women are described as cunning and deceitful.
Common topics in this essay:
Wife Bath,
Merchant's Tale,
Emily Bright,
Woman Goddess,
Osney Nicholas,
Canterbury Tales,
Pluto January,
Canterbury Throughout,
Alison Alison,
January January,
wife bath,
canterbury tales,
cunning deceitful,
pristine virginal,
type woman,
cunning deceitful woman,
makes fool,
fool husband,
tells king,
women described,
miller's tale,
makes fool husband,
|
Acceptance Essays
