Chaucer's Description of Good and Evil
             In the General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer introduces an assortment of characters that embark on a holy pilgrimage. These people represent a wide spectrum, from the evil and inauspicious, to the good and virtuous. Although Chaucer seems to favor certain characters over others, he does not condemn any character for their disposition. Each one of his colorful counterparts is described in a mindful, yet unbiased way. He judges each person by his own standards of moral behavior. Chaucer also seems to keep in mind that he is human himself, and therefore, by that reason alone, he cannot condemn any of his characters' behavior. At the same time, Chaucer does not commend iniquity. He understands the difference between what is just and immoral. Furthermore, Chaucer seems to have more than one definition for what constitutes a righteous person and a wicked one. Certain characters are considered good because of the way they conduct themselves and certain duties they perform. Other characters are considered good because of their occupation and/or reputation in their respective communities. The same goes for the way Chaucer approaches the malevolent side of the spectrum. Some characters are considered sinful because of their greed and selfishness. Other characters are considered sinful because they are lustful, or cheat and steal from other people. Nevertheless, the relationship between Chaucer's characters and God is obvious in the description of each person. They are either with God or against Him, despite Chaucer's empathy with each one of these people.
             The first character we are introduced to in the General Prologue is the Knight. He is noble and courteous, which is expected from a knight during Chaucer's time. Chaucer's description of the Knight shows that he is considered one of the good characters. His excellent reputation and...