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The Canterbury
Tales
The Canterbury Tales
contains a wide variety of stories ranging from religious devotion to
scandalous behavior. Many of the tales reflect the personalities and
characteristics of the teller, but a few are also told simply to
irritate certain members of the traveling party. Whatever the reason
for the telling, all of the stories have one thing in common, which is
that they all have either one or more points or morals that bring the
whole tale together.
First, we should know
why the travelers begin to tell stories in the first place. In the
Prologue, we find the reason is because they are all participating in
a game. The Host brings up a brilliant suggestion for a way to pass
the time on their long journey. The game is that everyone tells four
tales, two on the way to Canterbury, and two on the way back. The Host
is the judge who decides who told the best story. The winner receives
the prize a free dinner paid for by all the other travelers. Everyone
agrees to play the game, and this agreement becomes a debt that they
all have to pay.
The Host also thinks of
a way to decide who the first taleteller should be. He asks everyone
do what is the equivalent of drawing straws. The Knight is the one who
draws the shortest straw, so he is the first one to tell his tale.
The Knight's Tale is a
very long tale. It is all about chivalry and the love that two princes
hold for one woman. This tale has a number of purposes. The first one
is to touch on many of the virtues that knights were associated with
at that time. These virtues are those of chivalry and honor. The
Knight? story also reflects a knight? station in life as a warrior who
fights for his country, a good and noble cause, and the honor of a
lady. It is also a tale about love. The Knight says, "A man must
love, for all his wit; There? no escape though he should die for it,
Be she a maid, a widow or a wife"(34). The two princes loved one
woman whom they have seen only at a distance, and yet are still
willing to do anything for her.
Next comes the Miller's
Tale. The second tale is originally supposed to have come from the
Monk, but the Miller is determined to tell a tale of his own to match
the Knight?. The Miller is also very drunk at this time, and because
of his drunkenness, neither the Host nor the Reeve wants him to go
next. They think it would be better for all concerned if he tells his
story at a later time so that he could sober up a little bit. However,
the Miller throws what could only be described as a temper tantrum and
says, "At all events I mean to talk, or else I'll go my
way"(87). This drunken behavior did not endear the Miller to
those around him. In fact, Chaucer says in his Prologue that the
Miller is a wrangler and a buffoon who cheats all of his customers.
So, perhaps many do not have a good opinion of the Miller to begin
with.
The Miller's Tale has
two main purposes. The first is to say that two people who get married
should be alike, in age most especially. The carpenter in the Miller's
tale is an old man who marries a young maid who has yet to experience
much of life. The marriage was doomed from the start. The second point
of this tale is to warn people to be careful of whom they trust. The
carpenter trusts his wife and Nicholas, and ends up being thrown into
the mad house because of them.
One other very possible
purpose for the Miller to tell this story is so that he could make fun
of the Reeve. The tale is about a gullible carpenter, and the Reeve,
is a carpenter by trade. This last point is very probable since the
Reeve is the only one who took any personal offence to the Miller's
tale.
In order to "give
him tap for tap"(108), the Reeve insists on going next. There is
just one problem. Before the Reeve tells his tale, he begins to preach
about sins, specifically those exhibited by the Miller. Only the Host
is adamantly against him continuing in such a vein. So, the Reeve
decides to tell a tale about a cheating miller. This tale is, in all
likely-hood, very close to the truth about the real Miller since it
corresponds so well with Chaucer's description of him in the Prologue.
The main point of the
Reeve's tale is that what goes around comes around. The miller tries
to cheat the scholars and they make him look like a fool in turn. This
point is a very good one, but an even better one comes from the Cook
when he says, "Be careful who you bring into the hall, Says
Solomon in Ecclesiasticus, For guests who stay the night are
dangerous"(119). This last statement is very true because people
can be very deceptive and have a hidden agenda. So, it is better to be
careful now than sorry later.
The Cook was very drunk
by the time the Reeve had finished his tale and he wanted to tell a
story in keeping with the Reeve and Miller's stories. In fact, he was
absolutely delighted with the Reeve's tale because the Miller was
pickled (119). The only problem with the Cook's story is that it is
unfinished. Still, even though the story is incomplete, it is obvious
where the tale is headed since the Cook is in the frame of mind to
follow the Reeve and the Miller. It could only have been another story
about base behavior. Also, if you are not careful, you may miss the
moral of this tale. The moral is to throw out a rotten apple before it
spoils the whole bunch.
Chaucer makes it a point
to add a disclaimer to these three previous tales. He says that he
regrets having to repeat their stories, and that, "The Miller was
a churl, I've told you this, So was the Reeve, and other some as well,
And harlotry was all the had to tell"(88). However, he includes
them because he wants an honest account of what occurs on the trip to
Canterbury.
When the Cook is through
speaking, the Host is upset about how much time has been wasted by the
Cook and his two predecessors. He turns to the Man of Law to change
the mood. The Man of Law is more than willing to take his turn, only
he does not want his story to be like those of the old Muses called
Pierides (125). So, he tells a noble tale that is full of sorrow and
grief. It is about following God's laws, and that people who break
these laws are punished. This aspect of obeying laws ties in with the
type of profession the Man of Law is in. The story's moral is to show
that if you keep Faith in the Lord, He will guide you on your way and
protect you.
After the Man of Law
completes his tale, the Host turns to the Monk and asks him to tell
another tale. Unfortunately, in the process of asking him the Host
insults the Monk, so he refuses to speak. This is when the Host
notices the Nun's Priest and does the same thing all over again. While
asking the Nun? Priest to tell a story, he insults him at the same
time by saying he should tell a story to make himself feel better
since he rides a decrepit looking horse. Fortunately, the Priest does
not take offence to the Host's insult and is more than happy to go
next.
The point of this story
is that too much pride will get you in trouble. Chanticleer allows all
of the flattery to go to his head and nearly dies because of it. He
also touches on the fact that you should listen to your dreams because
they may keep you from danger.
The Physician tells the
next tale. There is no specific reason given about why he goes next.
Still, he tells a story that has many good, thought-provoking points.
The first of these points is found at the end of the tale. It is
"Forsake your sins before your sins forsake you"(239). If
you don? turn your back on your sins, you will have to suffer the
consequences. Another point is a moral lesson that the gifts that
nature gives us, gifts like beauty, may make us feel good, but will
often cause us trouble (240). A final interesting point is a warning
that Chaucer gives to parents that while their kids are under their
care, it is their duty to watch over them. This last point is
interesting because it could be applied to the present time, and then
maybe there would not be so many news stories about kids and crime.
Following the Physician
is the Pardoner. The Host asks him to tell a funny story to counteract
the seriousness of the Physician? story. However, the other travelers
cry out in protest saying, "No, no, don't let him tell a dirty
joke"(24)! So, he abides by their plea and tells a story about
avarice instead. He tells this tale for his own selfish purposes,
though, because he admits in his prologue that he often tells stories
to get people to buy his wares. He is a fraud because he has a side
business going on with his "long glass bottles cram-full of bones
and ragged bits of clout" (241) that he promises will cure any
ailment, whether it be a sickness or an emotion like jealously. Of
course, this promise is a lie.
The purpose of the
Pardoner's tale is to reiterate the lesson that avarice is the root of
all evil. It is very ironic, however, that the Pardoner preaches
against the very vice that he makes a living out of (243) and suffers
from as well. He is a greedy man because after he tells his story, he
immediately peddles his wares to the rest of the group. Even though,
he makes the attempt to sell his indulgences and fake relics, the only
thing he truly accomplishes is to upset everyone, especially the
Knight who is ready to do him bodily harm.
Next is the Wife of
Bath's Tale. This story is interesting because of the fact that her
tale seems to reflect her fifth marriage. She had used trickery to get
her husband to submit to her, just as the old woman does to the
knight. Even the Friar comments at the end of her tale that she raised
a lot of good issues that are constantly debated in the schools.
However, he objects to her tale because it is too serious, and because
he believes the story telling is just a game (292).
She has two very
important points in her story. The first one is "Gentility must
come from God alone. That we are gentle comes to us by grace And by no
means is it bequeathed with place"(289). This first moral is a
reflection on the behavior of the knight in her tale who had believed
he could do as he wished simply because his profession is regarded
more highly than others.
To be honest, the other
point of her tale is probably the true purpose for her telling this
story. This purpose is to say that woman should govern their husbands,
or at the very least have a relationship that is balanced in such a
way that what the woman wants to happen will happen. This last point
is in accordance with how the Wife of Bath behaves in her own life.
She is obviously a very independent woman since she runs her own
business and is so outspoken.
Following the Wife of
Bath's tale is the Friar's. He is very impatient to tell his tale
because the Summoner had angered him after the Wife's prologue. The
Summoner had accused him of spoiling everyone? fun because he
interrupted the Wife's tale. So, the Friar wants to get back at him.
The Friar has two
purposes for telling his story. The first reason is because it is
about an evil summoner, and he knows the Summoner will take exception
to his tale. The Friar gives the other purpose as being:
And
so dispose your heart that it withstand
The fiend who would enslave you in his band.
He may not tempt you though above your might,
For Christ will be your champion and your knight.
(303)
It is a good moral. It
says we should stay away from the devil and his temptations, but to
not worry if we think the devil is too strong for usbecause Christ
will be by our side.
As expected, the
Summoner takes serious offense to the Friar's tale. He demands that he
be allowed to tell a story that tells real truth about the Friar's
profession. Other than to try to make friars in general look like
liars and hypocrites, the moral lesson of this tale it that it is
wrong to lie and cheat others. Though, to be honest, it is a very
funny thing when the friar's hand is farted on.
Once again, it is the
Cook's turn to tell a story. It is the Host who wants the Cook to tell
another story. The only problem is the Cook is beyond drunk; he is
nearly falling off of his horse. So, to help him out, the Manciple
says he will take the Cook? place if it makes things easier for the
poor drunk, but only if the Host gives his permission (475).
There are many good
points in the Manciple's tale. The first one is that it is useless to
try to keep a hold on your wife. He says this for two reasons: one is
that a good wife who is innocent of any offense would be wronged by
such possessiveness, and two, that it is nearly impossible to catch a
wicked wife, so the effort to check up on her would be wasted. Another
point is a moral lesson to not let anger get the best of a situation.
A calm head is much more productive than a hot one. A final lesson is
to "Never tell anyone in all your life That any other has enjoyed
his wife, For he will hate you mortally, believe it"(483). This
last point is very true because no one likes to hear bad news, and the
bearer of the bad news is the one the hearer remembers most.
Finally, the Parson is
the only one left to go. The reason for this is obvious; everyone
knows his tale would not be a tale, but a sermon instead. The Parson
refuses to tell a story because he believes that fables are wretched
and uncouth (486). All he does in his sermon is speak about the Seven
Deadly Sins and the remedies for them.
All of these tales are
told for a specific reason, whether it is to make fun of one of the
other travelers or to give a lesson to everyone. These lessons or
points are each very important lessons to be learned. I only wish I
knew who had won the game so that I could judge for myself if his or
her story was truly the best one.
****All citations
are from: Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Trans. Nevill
Coghill. London: Penguin, 1951.
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