Great writers create great stories. In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer writes about the different classes of pilgrims. He has a narrator, Harry Bailey, who speaks highly of the knight but does not care about the Summoner. Bailey tells all the pilgrims that each will have the opportunity to tell a story of which they desire and whoever has the best story will get a dinner paid by the pilgrims. Throughout the stories, women are described as men’s pleasure. Chaucer uses characterization and symbolism to describe his social agenda on how he does not value the presence of women.
Chaucer uses symbolism and characterization to describe how men do not value women in that time period. “The Second Nun’s Priestess” is about a lady named Cecilia …show more content…
“The Knight’s Tale” is about two cousins, Palamon and Arcita, who fight for the love of one girl, Emily. In “The Knight’s tale” Arcita gets exiled and arrives at King Thebes palace. When he arrives he has a dream from the God Mercury and he tells him “‘ To Athens you must go,/ there waits the destined ending of your woe’” (38). When King Thebes hears of the problems arising between cousins, Arcita and Palamon, he intervenes. He tells them they shall not cause any harm to his country and he will let them leave wherever they wish and come back twelve months later with an army and “kill or drive from his list his adversary” and he will “give in marriage Emily” (49). King Thebes does not tell Emily about his plan, he just tells Arcita and Palamon whoever the victor is will have her hand in marriage. What Mercury tells Arcita symbolizes how he will have an unending fate. When Emily finds out that two men are fighting for her, she prays to the goddess Diana. Emily prays to Diana and tell her she “desires to be a virgin all her life/ Never to be a mistress or a wife” (61). Characterizes Emily because she does not want to be married she wants to be pure but King Thebes is forcing her without her approval. Chaucer uses the characterization of King Thebes to describe how he does not care what women want because he believes women are her to abide by the rules given by
Chaucer uses symbolism and characterization to describe how men do not value women in that time period. “The Second Nun’s Priestess” is about a lady named Cecilia …show more content…
“The Knight’s Tale” is about two cousins, Palamon and Arcita, who fight for the love of one girl, Emily. In “The Knight’s tale” Arcita gets exiled and arrives at King Thebes palace. When he arrives he has a dream from the God Mercury and he tells him “‘ To Athens you must go,/ there waits the destined ending of your woe’” (38). When King Thebes hears of the problems arising between cousins, Arcita and Palamon, he intervenes. He tells them they shall not cause any harm to his country and he will let them leave wherever they wish and come back twelve months later with an army and “kill or drive from his list his adversary” and he will “give in marriage Emily” (49). King Thebes does not tell Emily about his plan, he just tells Arcita and Palamon whoever the victor is will have her hand in marriage. What Mercury tells Arcita symbolizes how he will have an unending fate. When Emily finds out that two men are fighting for her, she prays to the goddess Diana. Emily prays to Diana and tell her she “desires to be a virgin all her life/ Never to be a mistress or a wife” (61). Characterizes Emily because she does not want to be married she wants to be pure but King Thebes is forcing her without her approval. Chaucer uses the characterization of King Thebes to describe how he does not care what women want because he believes women are her to abide by the rules given by