In Chaucer's day women were thought of in lesser regard than men.
             Their positions in the community were less noble and often displeasing. The
             Canterbury Tales, written by Chaucer, is about a pilgrimage to Canterbury.
             Along with the narrator (Chaucer), there are 29 other Canterbury pilgrims. Not
             surprisingly, only three of them are women: the Prioress, the associate of the
             Prioress, and the Wife of Bath. Each traveler is to tell two tales to make the
             journey to Canterbury and back more enjoyable. The Host, Harry Bailey, is in
             charge of the group and will decide what is in the best interest of them all. Thus,
             the journey begins as do the tales.
             Even though the times suggest women are weak and powerless over
             men, Chaucer has a way of showing their capabilities through the stories.
             Although, their abilities are not always positive. Disguised in the form of love
             stories, Chaucer portrays how women easily lead men to their downfall. This is
             most evident in the tales told by the Knight, the Miller, the Franklin, and the
             In the Knight's Tale, two cousins fall for the fair Emelye. They are both in
             love with her after glancing at her from a prison tower. Not only has Emelye's
             beauty made Arcite and Palamon love her, but it has made them become hostile
             towards each other. "We strive as did the houndes for the boon: - they fought all
             day, and yet, hir part was noon; there came a kite, while that they were so
             wrothe that bare away the bone bitwix hem bothe. And therefore, at the kings
             court, my brother, ech man for himself - there is non other," proclaim both (104).
             After Arcite is banished from Athens, he mourns his fate of never being able to
             see Emelye again so much that his appearance drastically changes. He decides
             to return to Athens, under a pseudonym, where he will be able to see her again.
             Meanwhile, Palamon grows weak in the prison tower because...