Dalton Allen
Mrs. Jacomme
Major British Writers Period 8
6 December 2016
Caritas and Cupiditas Mankind has always been a very selfish species. Many people today and throughout history have expressed cupiditas; selfish love. However, there is an equal amount of people who have expressed caritas; unselfish love. Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales showcases a number of characters who either express caritas or cupiditas, much like the real world does. Chaucer used the Canterbury Tales to both entertain his audience and teach his audience how to live a moral life. The Knight on the pilgrimage was a very unselfish man. He lived a life of “chivalry, truth, honor, generousness, and courtesy.” (124) He fought for God in many battles, which he won. …show more content…
They frequently took the Lord’s name in vain and were mean to everyone they met. Chaucer wrote, “With oaths so damnable in blasphemy that it’s a grisly thing to hear them swear.”(152) When a kind, old man blesses them, they insults him to his face. One of the men says, “Why you all are wrapped up except your face? Why live so long? Isn’t it time to die?” (154) When the old man gives them the directions they need, they find a great amount of gold. Rather than splitting the gold up evenly, each of the men plot a way to get more. The youngest of the men poisons the others’ drinks while the other two men conspire to kill the youngest when he gets back. All three of the men wind up dead by the end of the tale, killed by their own greed. They expressed nothing but selfish love and paid for …show more content…
In the beginning of the tale, the knight rapes a women, thinking only about himself. The only way for him to avoid execution is to find out what women desire most. He receives many responses but every woman he meets has a different answer. Chaucer wrote, “What could it be that women wanted most? But all the same he never touched a coast, country, or town in which there seemed to be any two people willing to agree.” (165) The Knight meets an old woman who he promises to marry if she gives him the correct answer. He is forced to marry her and is very unhappy. The old woman offers him two options one night in bed; she can either be young and unfaithful or old and faithful. When presented with these choices, the knight tells her to decide for him because she is much wiser. The old lady thus becomes both young and faithful. The Knight shows caritas at the end of the Wife of Bath’s Tale by allowing her to make the decision
Mrs. Jacomme
Major British Writers Period 8
6 December 2016
Caritas and Cupiditas Mankind has always been a very selfish species. Many people today and throughout history have expressed cupiditas; selfish love. However, there is an equal amount of people who have expressed caritas; unselfish love. Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales showcases a number of characters who either express caritas or cupiditas, much like the real world does. Chaucer used the Canterbury Tales to both entertain his audience and teach his audience how to live a moral life. The Knight on the pilgrimage was a very unselfish man. He lived a life of “chivalry, truth, honor, generousness, and courtesy.” (124) He fought for God in many battles, which he won. …show more content…
They frequently took the Lord’s name in vain and were mean to everyone they met. Chaucer wrote, “With oaths so damnable in blasphemy that it’s a grisly thing to hear them swear.”(152) When a kind, old man blesses them, they insults him to his face. One of the men says, “Why you all are wrapped up except your face? Why live so long? Isn’t it time to die?” (154) When the old man gives them the directions they need, they find a great amount of gold. Rather than splitting the gold up evenly, each of the men plot a way to get more. The youngest of the men poisons the others’ drinks while the other two men conspire to kill the youngest when he gets back. All three of the men wind up dead by the end of the tale, killed by their own greed. They expressed nothing but selfish love and paid for …show more content…
In the beginning of the tale, the knight rapes a women, thinking only about himself. The only way for him to avoid execution is to find out what women desire most. He receives many responses but every woman he meets has a different answer. Chaucer wrote, “What could it be that women wanted most? But all the same he never touched a coast, country, or town in which there seemed to be any two people willing to agree.” (165) The Knight meets an old woman who he promises to marry if she gives him the correct answer. He is forced to marry her and is very unhappy. The old woman offers him two options one night in bed; she can either be young and unfaithful or old and faithful. When presented with these choices, the knight tells her to decide for him because she is much wiser. The old lady thus becomes both young and faithful. The Knight shows caritas at the end of the Wife of Bath’s Tale by allowing her to make the decision