women of Canterbury Tales
Chaucer's motley crew of pilgrims offered a vast deal of insight into life during the 14th century. Many aspects of society were revealed throughout the tales of the many characters. One such aspect prevalent in many of the tales was the role that women played in society during this time. The tales give the clearest images of women are the Knight's, the Miller's. the Nun's Priest, and the Wife of Bath's Tale. In the Knight's Tale, women are portrayed through Emily. Upon first sight of Emily through his prison window, Palamon, the imprisoned knight falls madly in love with her. He exclaims: "I have been hurt this moment through the eye, Into my heart. It will be the death of me. The fairness of the lady that I see Roaming the garden yonder to and fro Is all the cause and I cried out my woe. Woman or Goddess, which? I cannot say. I guess she may be Venus - well she may!" Arcite, Palamon's cousin and best friend, also falls deeply in love with Emily as he gazes upon her: "The freshness of her beauty strikes me dead, Hers that I see, roaming in yonder place! Unless I gain the mercy of her grace, Unless I at least see her day by day,
They were necessary figures in a man's life, but only as an object to idealize and worship, not as an individual with thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. This passage is hardly becoming to womankind. Years later, after Palamon and Arcite are no longer in prison, they meet and agree to fight to the death for the right to love Emily. The Miller's tale directly follows the Knight's eloquent ramblings, and offers a stark juxtaposition between the first role depicted of women. At the story's end, the three men involved in her life are harmed in some way; Nicolas is physically maimed, while Absalon and the carpenter are publicly humiliated. This generalization indirectly portrays women as weak creatures, in need of protection. By following the advice of a female, he endangered his life. While all the stories were quite different in the manner in which women were portrayed, a rather clear picture can be formulated of the 14th century idea of women - creatures reduced to objects and possessions.
Common topics in this essay:
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