Animals often play significant roles in literature despite their appearance of being in trivial positions; the employment of animals is seen throughout many of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. The Summoner and the Pardoner’s tales evoke numerous animals such as cats and horses that either play large roles (for example, describing the Pardoner’s physical appearance) or small ones (the Summoner’s act of moving a cat). Despite their superficial insignificance, the animals are deliberately included by Chaucer to interact with his pilgrims or to describe their character: this essay will argue that the animals in the Pardoner’s tale are used to describe the pilgrim’s physical and sexual identity whilst the animals referenced in the Summoner’s
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Chaucer believes that by the Pardoner’s physical appearance and certain personality traits, he is a sexual deviant. It must be considered that Chaucer is simply judging by appearance: as the lines of the text suggest he has never performed a physical examination of the Pardoner. When comparing the Pardoner to a mare, Chaucer is associating his effeminacy with homosexuality (Cocco, 362). It has been argued that “the word ‘mare’ certainly suggests that the Pardoner is in some way effeminate, but, as with ‘geldyng,’ the metaphorical language and subjunctive mood preclude precise definition” (Cocco, 363). It can also be argued that in comparing the Pardoner to a “geldying” it is implying that he is a eunuch artificially, whereas a comparison to a mare implies he is a eunuch from birth (Cocco, 361); therefore, there is no certain answer as to why Chaucer compares the Pardoner to a mare or a gelding, except that the clergyman is, by appearance and personality, a sexual deviant of some …show more content…
Their role in this tale is very similar to the Pardoner’s tale: they help describe a character. While the animals found in the Pardoner’s tale are used to emphasize his effeminateness, the animals scattered throughout the Summoner’s tale highlight Friar John’s obtrusive and gluttonous personality. There are a multitude of animals found in this tale so this essay will consider two specific sections which casually (but prominently) highlight the Friar’s personality: his movement of the house cat and his description of
Chaucer believes that by the Pardoner’s physical appearance and certain personality traits, he is a sexual deviant. It must be considered that Chaucer is simply judging by appearance: as the lines of the text suggest he has never performed a physical examination of the Pardoner. When comparing the Pardoner to a mare, Chaucer is associating his effeminacy with homosexuality (Cocco, 362). It has been argued that “the word ‘mare’ certainly suggests that the Pardoner is in some way effeminate, but, as with ‘geldyng,’ the metaphorical language and subjunctive mood preclude precise definition” (Cocco, 363). It can also be argued that in comparing the Pardoner to a “geldying” it is implying that he is a eunuch artificially, whereas a comparison to a mare implies he is a eunuch from birth (Cocco, 361); therefore, there is no certain answer as to why Chaucer compares the Pardoner to a mare or a gelding, except that the clergyman is, by appearance and personality, a sexual deviant of some …show more content…
Their role in this tale is very similar to the Pardoner’s tale: they help describe a character. While the animals found in the Pardoner’s tale are used to emphasize his effeminateness, the animals scattered throughout the Summoner’s tale highlight Friar John’s obtrusive and gluttonous personality. There are a multitude of animals found in this tale so this essay will consider two specific sections which casually (but prominently) highlight the Friar’s personality: his movement of the house cat and his description of