What Chaucer's attitude to the church and churchmen in the general prologue?
What Chaucer's attitude to the church and churchmen in the general prologue? Chaucer comments a lot on the church throughout the general prologue, the fact that the story begins with the pilgrimage to Canterbury strongly suggests the religious perspective, the Catholic values of the time encompass the main plot. Chaucer creates a fairly secular world filled with imperfect human beings as shown in the General Prologue. Many of the characters involved with the church are corrupt, yet the reader can enjoy Chaucer's vivid portrayals of these characters rather than have only negative opinions of them. The reason lies in the narrator Chaucer's intended humbleness. In lines 727-740, narrator explains his policy of telling the truth of a person and describing him or her realistically. Often, as for the corrupt characters, the narrator does not give any negative evaluation. He either naively says the person in question is worthy or leaves the evaluation to the reader. As a result, the dark human nature represented by those corrupt characters is disguised by the humorous satire. The Church in the Middle Ages when this prologue was written is still clearly a major part of society. About one third of the pilgrims going to Canterbury are church officials, and the entire group is celebrating spring by taking part in a traditional Christian ritual, the pilgrimage to an important holy
Remind yourself of the lines 199-243, in which the Miller introduces the character of Absolon.
In the Miller's Prologue and tale, Chaucer describes each character in great detail. The Miller is also graphically described to us in the general prologue to the tales. Key characters such as Alisoun, Nicholas and John are all described in detail, and Absolon is no acceptation. This section is important as it introduces and describes Absolon. He is introduced by a lengthy detailed description. We learn he has many talents such that he can play "songes on a small rubbile" and "song som time a loud quinible." However, although this lengthy section does describe Absolon, it has far more significance than just introducing him to the tale, he is characterised as the satirised courtly lover; a deliberate device used by Chaucer in his bawdy fabliau. Firstly, Chaucer depicts Absolon as attractive but with a feminine slant. To some this may be attractive, but to Alisoun, it certainly isn't. His hair is described; "Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon." We also learn he eyes were as "greye as goos" and that he has "Poules window corven on his shoos." This description is important because he is described similar to a courtly lover. Clearly, he is ridiculous and fails as the ideal courtly lover, which lies at the heart of Chaucer's deliberate use of satire. There are some elements of Absolon's character that fit the ideals of courtly love, although he is still an object of
The Characters in the Millers Tale
The Characters in the Millers Tale. During the middle ages, religion was the matrix of a person's life. Everything, even boiling an egg, depended on religion, for the egg was cooked when the prayer was finished. With religion came certain morals and ideals that even now are associated with Christianity. A person was viewed based on how he measured up to the ideals of his profession or position in life. This was mostly proven in the satiric tone that Geoffrey Chaucer chooses to give to the narrator, in the Prologue, when describing such corrupt characters as the Monk and the Pardoner. The Miller's Tale further illustrates this point by showing that a person who does not follow the ideals that are set up for him by birth and religion, will be punished for his sins. John the Carpenter is a good man, but he makes a mistake by marrying a woman who is two times younger than he is. Because his young bride is beautiful and lively, "jealous he was and kept her in a cage . . ." Jealousy is a sin and therefore, he is not living up to the ideals that the world had set out for him. By the end of the tale, the Carpenter is punished for his imperfections. With the help of Nicholas and Alison, the wife of the carpenter, all of the town thinks that the Carpenter is crazy. Because he sins by being jealous, this public humiliation is his punishment. Nicholas the Gallant is punished
Analysis of Kittredge's
Analysis of Kittredge's "Chaucer's Pardoner" A realistic character is an important element of literary works. This "dramatic propriety" is a characteristic that many critics believe is absent in Chaucer's "The Pardoner's Tale" due to lack of believability. However, George Kittredge challenges this view in "Chaucer's Pardoner", stating that throughout the tale, the pardoner is indeed an extremely realistic and complex character. Kittredge's defense of "The Pardoner's Tale" begins with his acknowledgement of alternative explanations for the pardoner's unusual confession. Using logic, Kittredge disproves the theory that the pardoner is "a reproduction of the False-Semblant." Chaucer was "not a reformer" or "satirist" whose goal is to reform the church. He merely wished to use different characters to tell his stories. Kittredge also mentions how the pardoner is not drunk when telling his tale, as only one draught of ale was consumed, not nearly enough to intoxicate a seasoned drinker like the pardoner. Through his reasoning, Kittredge concludes that the pardoner's foolish confession, in fact, has a purpose for the story. While the pardoner may seem foolish to reveal his sins and hypocrisies, there is reasoning behind this madness. Kittredge points out that the pardoner is "too clever a knave to wish others to take him for a fool." The pardoner, rather than being an
What are the differences + similarities between the book and the film? Which is more successful, in your opinion? Also in conveying the simple message
After having read the Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea" as a book in class, we also watched the film which was made afterwards because of the story's enormous popularity. As always, there are some ways in which the book differs from the film as well as the fact that they have several things in common. Taking into consideration that this novel was Hemingway's last desperate attempt at breaking through after all his previous narratives flopped I thought that the film might be different from the movie indeed because he might've wanted to bring the story into perfection in this way. Also I assumed it to be very boring to spend a whole film showing how one single man overcomes his mental and physical problems and eventually manages to catch a huge marlin and take it home; thus that there were other, new events involved for more variety and that things which were pushed into the background in the book now were more striking fore extra depth. For example, a new role, flashbacks and different storylines would make the film more interesting. From these suggested improvements you can conclude that I consider the book to be a bit longwinded because there are actually very few events taking place: the long fight against the marlin before it dies and then the numerous shark attacks to the fish which the old man can't avert. Anyhow, at mental point there's a lot to enjoy: every time when
'Visiting Hour' by Norman MacCaig
Holly McCormack Visiting Hour I have chosen to write about the poem 'Visiting Hour' by Norman MacCaig. The poem is about a hospital visit to someone close to his heart. The poet believes that the person, who incidentally is his wife, is going to die. From the poem I can sense that Norman MacCaig is speaking through his emotions and by writing the poem he is aiming to release some of his emotional pain. The poem had a profound impact on me. I felt very empathetic towards him because I also feel that when someone close to me is about to die. When both my Gran and Grandpa have been severely ill in hospital, I have feared the worst and saw myself being strong whilst in the company of others, but naturally breaking down into a sob of tears when alone. When reading the poem I could clearly visualise going to visit someone in hospital and I started to cry as I read the poem more. I feel that being strong for someone is very important in this poem and he shows this throughout. The poem was written is six paragraphs of which only two were long. The first four paragraphs are about MacCaig building up to the visit t his wife and what he is thinking. In paragraph three he says, "I will not feel, " by this he means he doesn't want to show his emotions in front of his wife. I think that the poem was divided into two halves, the shorter first four paragraphs being one half and
Post-1914 Prose - Raymond Carver (1938-1988) - Consider Carver's view on marriage.
Regina Forrester 21st October, 2002. GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE Post-1914 Prose Raymond Carver (1938-1988) THE STUDENT'S WIFE THE DUCKS HOW ABOUT THIS? Consider Carver's view on marriage Marriage is defined by dictionaries as 'a formal union of a man and a woman, by which they become husband and wife'. However, books containing a list of words adjacent to their definitions do not fully define the concept of marriage. Some argue that marriage is about love and trust; others think of it as a permanent commitment between two people. In the stories with which Carver presents us in his book, Will You Please Be Quite, Please? marriage is about love, where love is not an experience of high excitement but a form of available reassurance, security and comfort. In Carver's view, love involves alleviating fear and providing the feeling of security that one is not alone. In the late stages of a marriage, mature couples tend to pay attention to the fear of loneliness, the fear that all human beings, such as their partners, are mortal which makes them feel vulnerable. In The Student's Wife, Carver presents us with his first view of marriage through a couple, Mike and Nan. Mike and Nan live in an urban area with their children. Mike and Nan are in a late stage of marriage and have grown apart from each other. In the story, Carver emphasizes the lost affection of a
It is impossible to feel either sympathy or admiration for any of the characters in 'The Miller's Tale'. Discuss.
English Literature 'The Miller's Tale' - Geoffrey Chaucer It is impossible to feel either sympathy or admiration for any of the characters in 'The Miller's Tale'. Discuss. Chaucer's 'The Miller's Tale' is one of the most recognised forms of fabliaux, a short story written in verse about people of lower class, in which the common plot of a love triangle between the stereotypical characters of a cunning young student, a jealous old husband and his young beautiful wife is contained. The characters that fulfil these roles in the Tale are Nicolas, John and Alison, as well as Absolon, the character who takes a shine to Alison, is tricked and later seeks revenge, adding humour and irony to the Tale. When reviewing the characters in the Tale, it is recognisable that there are events that merit the reader's sympathy, however, though we are aware of their suffering, Chaucer presents the characters in such a way that amusement, rather than sympathy, is provoked. Few of the characters and their actions deserve admiration; however certain qualities of the character's personalities can be seen as admirable and it is these that will considered later in greater detail. In 'The Miller's Prologue' the reader is promised a tale of a carpenter who becomes the laughing stock of his town when a young student cuckolds him, "a clerk hath set the wrightes cappe". At this point, the reader will
How Does Chaucer Parody To Courtly Love?
How Does Chaucer Parody To Courtly Love? After the Knight tells his story, the Miller insists very rudely to tell his tale. Chaucer uses the aspect of courtly love which is found in the Knights tale and makes a parody of it; He uses the Miller's character to mock the Knights idea of courtly love. Miller describes the heroine of his story Alison, as a wife of an older man and also an infidel. She's compared to a "wezele" sly and cunning. The description of Alison clearly indicates that she is very different from an innocent girl from courtly love stories instead she's well aware of her husbands jealousy and wears elaborate cloths to show off her beauty. "Of col-blak silk, withinne and eek withoute" Alison shows off that she's rich by wearing the most expensive fabric of silk at the time, again this adds to the opposite side of courtly love romances in which the girl would not show off but in fact stay unaware of such matters as the character of Emily in the Knights tale. Miller then uses two male Characters who show great admiration for Alison but unlike the love of the two young Knights in the Knight's tale these two characters, Nicholas and Absolon want quick resolutions to their sexual desires and lust. Miller firstly describes Nicholas as a young scholar who stays as a paying guest with the carpenter, "And al above ther lay a gay sautrie,...he mad a-nightes melodie"
A Textual Analysis of Chaucer's, The Pardoners Tale.
Clare Ferris A Textual Analysis of Chaucer's, The Pardoners Tale. Within the prologue of The Pardoners Tale the presentation of the Pardoner shows us the audience that he is a high moral man with no respect for others as he gains advantages over them by tricking them for their money in return of nothing of such wealth. The lines in which I have chosen to concentrate upon are from 423-462 these lines demonstrate the way in which the Pardoner presents himself as we perceive the selfish perception, which helps to achieve ones point of view. The Pardoner seems to think very highly about himself from the rest of society as he steals within a way as he takes there money for treasures which are not existent, this is in order to sustain his riches within life. It is ironic within a way as the Pardoner being a man of the clergy does such deeds, however he preaches within these lines of how he almost enjoys stealing money from the community in order for himself to become pleasurable and comfortable. The lines show that a lot can be identified in the way in which the Pardoner prevails himself towards his audience and the style of the language that he uses throughout out his speech is also a way in which for us to help identify his character more carefully. His beginning lines within the section prove to us that he is a sinful man, quite ironic however as he himself is a man of the
