canterbury tales essay topics

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90 Canterbury Tales Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on canterbury tales, ✍️ canterbury tales essay topics for college, 🎓 most interesting canterbury tales research titles, 💡 simple canterbury tales essay ideas, ❓ canterbury tales essay questions.

• Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” and Three Main Classes
• Character Analysis of the Knight from The Canterbury Tales
• Social Satire in The Canterbury Tales
• A Contemporary View of Society in England in the XIV Century Through Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales”
• The Skipper in the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• Social Satire in Canterbury Tales
• The Canterbury Tales: the Wife of Bath and the Prioress Character Analyses
• Criticism of the Church in Canterbury Tales How did Chaucer criticize the church The Canterbury Tales? What characters do reflect this criticism? Check this essay to find out.
• Medieval Society in The Canterbury Tales The work and organization of the medieval society proposed in the Canterbury Tales by Charles Chaucer can be easily connected with the organization of modern society.
• The Canterbury Tales: Chaucer’s Views on Social Mores Chaucer’s world in “In The Canterbury tales”, is vibrant, and populated with archetypes that seem to fit neatly in social and moral categories.
• ‘The Friar’ in Canterbury Tales The Friar, one of Chaucer’s portraits of what he perceived as a corrupt clergy, can simply be described as a fraud.
• “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer The Canterbury Tales is perhaps one of the most popular collections of tales from the 14th century. It is a collection of stories told by Geoffrey Chaucer.
• The Canterbury Tales Costumes as Symbols How did Chaucer criticize the church The Canterbury Tales? What characters do reflect this criticism? Check this essay to find out.
• Knights in Literature: Sir Gawain, Canterbury Tales, & Beowulf Analysis The paper will analysis the knight’s tales: “Beowulf”, “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, “The Miller’s Tale”, “The Wife of Bath”, “The Nun’s Priest” and the “Pardoner”.
• Comparing “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, “The Canterbury Tales: The General Prologue” and “King Lear” The following study reviews in brief three literary works; their authors, the historical influences that inspired their composition.
• Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath Analysis Essay The Wife of Bath’s Tale is considered to be a disclosure of the female role in the society in the period of Late Middle Ages. The Wife of Bath starts in King Arthur’s days.
• Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales Analysis Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is a medieval composition comprising twenty-four short stories touching on themes such as pride and marriage.
• Women’s Status in The Canterbury Tales This paper shall try to present the social and legal status of women during the period of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales using the manuscripts “The Prioress’s Tale” and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”.
• Chaucer’s Satire in The Canterbury Tales Essay One of the foundational principles of the courtly tradition was a conception of women. According to this view, women were considered extremely delicate and require a great deal of protection.
• Analysis of “The Miller’s Tale” from The Canterbury Tales The Miller's Tale is a compilation of issues indicating the causes for failures in lives. Check more data about its place in The Canterbury Tales here.
• “The Canterbury Tales”: Plot and Structure of the Work “The Canterbury Tales” is an unfinished work on which author Jeffrey Chaucer worked until his death; it is composed of some passages which are sometimes controversial.
• The Canterbury Tales and the Role of Women The concept of gender roles exists as long as a society that’s why The study of women’s position is a subject of discussion.
• Romance in Canterbury Tales and Courtly Love in the Lais of Marie de France The paper states that The Canterbury Tales and The Lais of Marie de France are love tales with similarities and differences in the idea of romance.
• The Knight Character in “The Canterbury Tales” by Chaucer In “The Canterbury Tales,” the Knight is presented as a gallant and courageous man, the one who “…loved chivalry, truth and honour, freedom and courtesy.”
• Character Traits in “The Canterbury Tales” The paper discusses Chaucer’s character’s traits as the narrator of the General Prologue in “The Canterbury Tales”, his perception and attitude towards fellow pilgrims and the event.
• The Canterbury Tales by G. Chaucer: The Miller’s Position about Marriage and Power At the end of the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer introduced his Canterbury Tales, where several people share their stories about British history, identities, and values.
• General Prologue to a Contemporary Version of The Canterbury Tales This story is about the voyage to the capitol of a group of very different people to attend the Presidential Inauguration.
• Social Life in Canterbury Tales vs. Pride & Prejudice: Compare & Contrast Essay This paper compares Chaucer and Jane Austen with a focus on their views of social life in their respective periods, particularly about the institution of marriage.
• The Canterbury Tales: The Knight’s Tale Analysis Geoffrey Chaucer’s work has been notable for the tone that it manages to set in the context of depicting people and their lives.
• Human Issues in Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ This essay describes the issues and relationship of The Parson and the Plowman, Franklin and Reeve, and Physician and the Pardoner from Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’.
• The Moral and Lessons From the Wife of Bath’s Tale From Canterbury Tales
• The Knight and the Squire From the Canterbury Tales’
• Canterbury Tales and Medieval Women
• The Decameron and the Canterbury Tales Parallels
• Canterbury Tales and Lady Bath
• Canterbury Tales: The Character of the Prioress
• The Franklin’s Tale From the Book the Canterbury Tales
• Catholic Church Corruption and the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• The Moral Aspects Described in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
• Canterbury Tales and the Song of Roland
• Canterbury Tales: The Squire and Absolon
• Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales – Dominance and Control in the Wife of Bath
• The Prioress Madame Eglantine From the Canterbury Tales
• Tones, Moods, and Irony in the Canterbury Tales
• The Satire and Humor in the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• The Miller and the Reeve in the Canterbury Tales
• Christian Duty and Religious Doubt in The Song of Roland and The Canterbury Tales
• The Canterbury Tales: Irony, the Pilgrims and Their Moral Lessons
• Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Enrique Iglesias
• The Struggle for Dominance in Canterbury Tales
• Canterbury Tales and Nationalism
• The Divine Comedy, Inferno, and the Canterbury Tales
• The Morals Chaucer Had While Writing the Canterbury Tales
• Canterbury Tales Critical Analysis of the Wife of Bath
• The English Church Exposed in Canterbury Tales
• The Canterbury Tales Story of the Pardoner
• The Attitudes Towards Marriage in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• The Seven Deadly Sins in the Canterbury Tales by Geoffery Chaucer
• Canterbury Tales: Contrasting Knight and Skipper
• The Catholic Church and the Canterbury Tales
• Who Wrote the Prologue to “The Canterbury Tales”?
• Is “The Canterbury Tales” Prose or Poetry?
• Who Told the First Tale in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• What Is the Most Famous Story From “The Canterbury Tales”?
• What Is the Shortest Story in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• What Is Ironic About the Yeoman in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• How Many Stories Does Each Character Tell in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• How Far Do the Pilgrims Travel in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• Who Is the Most Corrupt Man in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• How Many Characters Are in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• Who Is the Protagonist in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• Is “The Canterbury Tales” an Epic Poem?
• What Does the Nun’s Bracelet Say in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• What Social Class Is the Doctor in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• What Is the Parson’s Motto in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• How Is the Reeve Satirical in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• What Is Ironic About Skipper in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• What Is the Franklin’s Job in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• Is Fable Used in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• Is “The Canterbury Tales” appropriate for kids?
• How Do “The Canterbury Tales” Reflect Our Society?
• What Attitude Toward Humankind Emerges From “The Canterbury Tales”?
• Why Were “The Canterbury Tales” Controversial?
• What Does County Folk Mean in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• What Is the Premise of “The Canterbury Tales”?
• When Does “The Canterbury Tales” Prologue Begin?
• Who Are the Religious Characters in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• What Is the Narrator’s Occupation in “The Canterbury Tales”?
• Why Were “The Canterbury Tales” Unique for the Period?
• How Do “The Canterbury Tales” Reflect European Culture?

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These essay examples and topics on Canterbury Tales were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 20, 2024 .

The Canterbury Tales

By geoffrey chaucer, the canterbury tales essay questions.

The Prioress wears "a brooch of gold ful sheene / On which ther was first write a crowned A, / And after Amor vincit omnia" (General Prologue, l.159-162). Might "Love Conquers All" be the moral of the Tales?

This question asks you to consider the Tales as a whole work, and to trace the theme of love conquering all throughout the work. Remember that with a question like this, it is just as possible to disagree as to agree: just make sure you justify your answer with examples from the text.

Useful tales to look at might include The Miller's Tale, The Merchant's Tale, The Prioress' Tale, The Manciple's Tale, The Wife of Bath's Tale .

Choose one word (and its variants), and use it as a key to the interpretation of any one Tale.

This question asks you to follow the fortunes of a single word through any tale, and structure your argument around the repeated uses of this single word. You should start by highlighting all the moments in the tale that the single word appears, and talk about how its meaning changes or deepens as the tale progresses.

Useful tales to look at might include The Miller's Tale (suggested word: "pryvetee"), The Wife of Bath's Tale (suggested word: "clooth"), The Franklin's Tale (suggested word: "trouthe"), The Shipman's Tale (suggested word: "tail") or The Merchant's Tale (suggested word: "corage").

What do women most desire in the Tales?

This question asks you to look at the characterization and presentation of the female characters in the Tales (which could include characters within tales as well as female pilgrims). Remember to begin by examining the Tale from which the question comes.

Useful tales to look at might include: The Wife of Bath's Tale, The Miller's Tale, The Merchant's Tale, The Shipman's Tale, Melibee .

"The Wife of Bath is Chaucer's most completely drawn character." Do you agree?

This question asks you to compare the characterization of the Wife of Bath to any of the other characterizations in the Tales. Do you think the Wife is completely drawn? If so, why? If not, why not - and which character is better fleshed out?

Useful tales to look at must include The Wife of Bath's Tale .

"Men in the Tales are largely depicted as idiots, blindly and foolishy adhering to outdated, impractical codes of chivalry and honour." Do you agree?

This question asks you to consider the presentation of men in the Tales. Look at examples which support the quotation's argument, but also remember that Chaucer includes a variety of presentations - and that there is certainly justification in the text for taking the opposing view to the quotation.

Useful tales to look at might include The Knight's Tale, The Merchant's Tale, The Physician's Tale, Sir Thopas, The Franklin's Tale .

"Chaucer writes the Tales in pairs". Do you agree?

This question asks you to consider the structure of the Tales, and consider whether each Tale has a pair. It would be a good idea to examine some tales which do fall naturally into pairs, but also to consider some that do not - or perhaps, even fall into threes.

Useful tales to look at might include The Miller's Tale with The Knight's Tale or The Reeve's Tale , The Friar's Tale with The Summoner's Tale , The Shipman's Tale with The Wife of Bath's Tale and The Manciple's Tale with The Nun's Priest's Tale .

"It is no wonder that Chaucer retracts the Tales at the end of the work. They are quite simply blasphemous." Can we read the Tales as a religious work?

This question asks you to consider the theme of religion in the Tales. It is a difficult subject to precisely consider, and would be helped by some knowledge of the religious context of the later 1300s when Chaucer was writing. Don't forget to define "blasphemy".

Useful tales to look at might include: The Miller's Tale, The Wife of Bath's Tale, The Summoner's Tale, The Prioress' Tale, The Second Nun's Tale, The Parson's Tale .

"Women in Chaucer are idealized objects of desire." Write an essay about the presentation of women in the Tales.

This question asks you to consider the presentation of women across the Tales as a whole. Remember to include contradictory facets: there is nothing to say that Chaucer's writings are consistent from tale to tale. It might be best to choose two entirely contradictory examples (say, Cecilia in the Second Nun's Tale, and the Wife of Bath) and try and find some points of similarity.

Useful tales to look at might include The Wife of Bath's Tale, The Prioress' Tale, The Miller's Tale, The Reeve's Tale .

At what point does a joke become cruel? Write an essay about one Tale of your choice.

This question asks you to look at the comedy of the Tales and to decide whether you find it funny or cruel (or a combination of the two). Consider whether physical harm is funny, whether cruelty and comedy depend on events depicted or on presentation, and on how dissimilar tales are which you find very funny, and very cruel.

Useful tales to look at might include The Miller's Tale, The Reeve's Tale, The Summoner's Tale, The Manciple's Tale, The Physician's Tale, The Wife of Bath's Tale and The Merchant's Tale .

"Chaucer, though he features himself in the Tales, is adept at vanishing completely." Write an essay about the persona(e) of Chaucer.

This question asks you to focus on what you learn about Chaucer himself: remember that there are two Chaucers, one a character, one the author.

Useful tales to look at might include Sir Thopas, Melibee, The Man of Law's Tale, The General Prologue, the Retraction .

"What nedeth wordes mo?" Is language worthless in the Canterbury Tales?

This question asks you to write an essay about language in the Tales, and analyse whether or not you think it is presented as having value, as being worthless, or - more likely - that it is some combination of the two.

Useful tales to look at might include The Reeve's Tale, The Manciple's Tale, The Nun's Priest's Tale, The Knight's Tale, Chaucer's Retraction .

The Canterbury Tales Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Canterbury Tales is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

The Rape of the Lock as a mock epic?

The opening of The Rape of the Lock establishes the poem’s mock-heroic tone. In the tradition of epic poetry, Pope opens the poem by invoking a muse, but rather than invoke one of the mythic Greek muses, Pope leaves the muse anonymous and instead...

"And palmers long to seek the stranger strands" (line 13) translates to mean what EXACTLY

The above quote from The Canterbury Tales translates to mean something like "the pilgrims seek foreign shores".

The nun prioress

What is your question here?

Study Guide for The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales is the last of Geoffrey Chaucer's works, and he only finished 24 of an initially planned 100 tales. The Canterbury Tales study guide contains a biography of Geoffrey Chaucer, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Canterbury Tales
• The Canterbury Tales Summary
• The Canterbury Tales General Prologue Video
• Character List

Essays for The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales is considered one of the greatest works produced in Middle English. The Canterbury Tales essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.

• "Love" in the Courtly Tradition
• On Cuckoldry: Women, Silence, and Subjectivity in the Merchant's Tale and the Manciple's Tale
• Vision, Truth, and Genre in the Merchant's Tale
• In Private: the Promise in The Franklin's Tale
• Feminism or Anti-Feminism: Images of Women in Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath"

Lesson Plan for The Canterbury Tales

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Canterbury Tales
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Canterbury Tales Bibliography

E-Text of The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales e-text contains the full text of The Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer.

• Life of Geoffrey Chaucer
• The Knight's Tale
• The Miller's Tale

Wikipedia Entries for The Canterbury Tales

• Introduction

The Canterbury Tales

56 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue–“Chaucer’s Tales”

“The Monk’s Tale”–“The Pardoner’s Tale”

“The Wife of Bath’s Tale”–“Chaucer’s Retractions”

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Why do you think Chaucer might have leavened with humor even the more serious and romantic of his tales (as in the squabbling gods of the Knight’s story)? How does humor seem to relate to Chaucer’s larger perspective on the world?

Chaucer left “The Cook’s Tale” unfinished. Write an ending for it based on the stories you’ve seen around it. What might become of Revelling [sic] Peterkin and his lowlife friends? What in the rest of The Canterbury Tales makes you think so?

Pick two adjacent tales in which the tellers seem to get on each other’s nerves (there are plenty to choose from!). How do these tales play off each other? What similar ideas are being addressed differently in each, and how do the poem’s themes evolve through different tellers?

Related Titles

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The Canterbury Tales: Essay Topics & Samples

Are you anxious because of the upcoming Canterbury Tales essay? Don’t be nervous—you will succeed with our help.

In this article, you will find catchy and effective essay topics, essential tips, and useful examples. Are you ready to compose an outstanding paper on Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales ? Take a look at our advice then.

Essay Topics

Essay sample.

• The Canterbury Tales – a glance to Medieval England. Explain how Geoffrey Chaucer presents the social system of Medieval England through the characters’ description. What classes does he introduce in the book? Elaborate on the drawbacks of society by providing examples from the text.
• The women’s role in The Canterbury Tales . How does the author portray the women in the book? Investigate the personality of the Wife of Bath . How does she look like, and what does she symbolize? Also, analyze her tale. What is the fundamental idea of the story? How does the Wife of Bath raise the issue of women’s desires?
• The church corruption. Analyze the religious representatives in the book. How do the Monk, the Pardoner, the Summoner, and the Friar’s look like? What clothes and accessories do they have? Elaborate on their lifestyles. How do these characters reflect on the ecclesiastical brunch problems?
• From light humor to harsh satire. How does Geoffery Chaucer mock the flaws of the social classes through humor and satire ? How do you think is such blatant ridicule of certain characters reasonable? Support your claims with examples and quotes from the book.
• The significance of the Knight. Analyze the character of the Knight . How does he behave? What does his clothing tell about him? Compare the Knight to the other characters. To make the contrast more visible, draw a parallel line between the Knight and the Miller . Support your statements with the quotes from the text.
• The Pardoner’s Tale and its relevance in the modern world. Briefly introduce the main characters of the story and their intentions. Why does a greedy nature drive them to commit cruel things? Compare the medieval times with the contemporary world. Is the Pardoner’s Tale still relatable? To make your essay even more dynamic, provide quotes from the text and real-life examples.
• Finding common ground. Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales impress with the vast diversity of archetypes presented in the book. Explain how all the pilgrims manage to find common ground despite all their differences. What is the Narrator’s and the Host’s role in establishing a connection between the travelers?
• Deceit as the core motif of the book. In The Canterbury Tales , the theme of lie and dishonesty appears in the prologue and numerous pilgrim’s tales. Why do the characters lie about their statuses? Explain how the travelers’ dishonesty characterizes the medieval society.
• The Miller’s Tale crudity. Analyze the Miller’s story full of rude and dirty jokes. What is the core idea of the tale? How does The Miller’s Tale reflect his personality? Provide appropriate quotes from the text to highlight Miller’s arrogance.
• The uniqueness of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Explore the distinctive features of the book. Comment on its unusual structure. What literary devices does Chaucer use to connect all the stories into one piece of writing? Explore the significance of the prologue in The Tales .

Even when you have a good idea, composing a good The Canterbury Tales essay can become a struggle. There are too many characters and stories in the book, so getting confused becomes extremely easy. Besides, the paper’s format and reasoning can be tricky to figure out.

Below, you’ll discover the essay samples about Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales that can help you write your own:

• “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer The Canterbury Tales is one of the most well-known collections of tales. The narrator tells a story of pilgrims who are on their way to Canterbury. In the present essay, the creation of characters is explained. The author identifies the instances of irony and humor and discusses exciting words.
• “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer The Wide of Bath’s Tale is one of the best know stories from The Canterbury Tales . Besides an engaging plot, it provides insight into the role of women in that time through the tale. The essay discusses the main characters, the usage of irony, and the setting of the story.
• “The Wife of Bath” and Chaucer’s Antifeminism Essay From The Canterbury Tales , it might seem that Chaucer is a feminist. His stories often portrayed men as immoral creatures. The present essay aims to answer whether Chaucer strived to highlight the topic of feminism in his works.
• Human Issues in Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ Canterbury Tales is the reflection of people’s daily life in the Kingdom of England in the 14th century. Surprisingly, the majority of topics discussed by Geoffrey Chaucer are still relevant nowadays. What are these issues? Why do we discuss them in the 21st century? Find out in this essay!
• Marriage According to Geoffrey Chaucer and Jane Austen Marriage has always been a hotly debated topic. Therefore, many writers discuss this issue in their works. But what Geoffrey Chaucer’s and Jane Austen’s perspectives on marriage are? Read this essay to compare and contrast the opinions of two of the most outstanding English writers.
• The Canterbury Tales: The Knight’s Tale Analysis What was The Knight’s Tale about? Are there any symbols, hidden context, or undiscovered questions? What’s the moral of this story? Find the answers to these questions in this paper!
• Social Life in Canterbury Tales vs. Pride & Prejudice: Compare & Contrast Essay How do Geoffrey Chaucer and Jane Austen describe social life in their works? The author of this essay considers its aspects in The Canterbury Tales and Pride & Prejudice . Read it and find out some valuable insights.
• Social Satire in The Canterbury Tales Wondering how Chaucer ridicules the flaws of society so masterfully? He applies satire for this purpose! Describing social problems in a satirical way, the author highlights the importance of their quick resolution. Check out this essay to analyze social satire in The Canterbury Tales in detail.
• Character Analysis of the Knight from The Canterbury Tales The Knight is one of the central figures in The Canterbury Tales. Therefore, a clear understanding of his personality is vital for the comprehension of the entire book. Read this essay to get an in-depth analysis of the Knight.
• Analysis of “The Miller’s Tale” from Canterbury Tales Among a wide variety of stories included in The Canterbury Tales , The Miller’s Tale turns out to be one of the spiciest ones. Why would Chaucer have such a story in his book? Search for an answer in the essay! Get a detailed analysis of The Miller’s Tale here .
• A Criticism of the Church in Canterbury Tales Religion has always been a controversial topic. If we talk about its role in 14th century England, the church becomes another intriguing issue to discuss. Examine this essay to find out about the weak sides of the church in Chaucer’s time.
• The Symbolism of Clothes in Canterbury Tales The way you dress up can reflect your personality. This is the case in The Canterbury Tales as well. Chaucer puts an emphasis on everyone’s clothing in the book. That’s why the author of the essay investigates the symbolic meaning of each character’s clothes. Check it out to gain some insights!
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Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is an outstanding piece of literature that consists of fascinating stories about Pilgrims’ adventures. The book hides a lot of secrets behind its plot and famous prologue. Do you want to explore them? Take a look at our Canterbury Tales study guide! You will discover the...

The Canterbury Tales is a unique piece of literature written in Middle English by the famous writer Geoffrey Chaucer. It is a collection of 24 separate stories united in a single book. Below, you’ll see Canterbury Tales’ summary and analysis. The Canterbury Tales Summary In April, when nature is awakening...

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The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is an outstanding piece of English literature. It impresses readers with a wide range of themes that play a crucial role in understanding the book’s entire concept. Are you looking for the analysis of The Canterbury Tales themes? Explore the following article and dive...

Do you know what helps to investigate the piece of literature deeper? What reveals the hidden context and highlights the author’s key ideas? These are the symbols! And The Canterbury Tales include a lot of them. Explore our article and find everything about them. Clothing The readers get to know...

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This article focuses on William Faulkner’s use of characters in the short story “Barn Burning.” Learning about them will help you understand this work to the full extent. Sartoris Snopes and his father Abner are the two main characters in “Barn Burning,” but there are also plenty of secondary ones...

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The Knight: Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

The Knight is the narrator of the first tale in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. The Knight’s character is the complete opposite of the knight in the Wife of Bath’s Tale who rapes a girl. During the group’s pilgrim to Canterbury the Host suggests a story telling competition. The Knight draws the shortest stick and tells his tale first (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2013). Getting to tell his tale first is a sign of his social standing in medieval England.

His tale is about a love triangle involving two knights and a woman. The two young knights, Arcite and Palamon, are prisoners of Theseus, Duke of Athens. While locked up in a tower they see Emelye in a nearby garden and fall in love with her. Later Arcite is set free but on condition that he never sets foot in Athens again.

The Knight presents us with the cruelty played by fate. Arcite is a free man but cannot access Emelye while Palamon can see Emelye but is in captivity. Arcite manages to make his way back to Athens in disguise. Palamon eventually escapes and bumps into Arcite singing about love and fortune.

A duel between the two is thwarted by the appearance of Theseus. The Duke organizes a proper duel between the two where the victor gets Emelye’s hand in marriage. Arcite prays to Mars for victory and Palamon prays to Venus to make Emelye his bride. Arcite defeats Palamon but falls off his horse before he can claim Emelye. Before dying he urges Emelye to marry Palamon. The gods had managed to grant both men their prayers (Finlayson, 1992).

Through his tale, the Knight depicts the knightly aspect of courtly love which was common in medieval Europe. Signs of courtly love in the tale include the two knights falling in love with Emelye at first sight and Arcite risking his life by coming back to Athens. Other displays of courtly love include the mass duel to win Emelye’s love. In courtly love easy attainment of love was of little value (Lords and Ladies, 2013).

The Knight is the ideal medieval crusader. He is brave, a man of honor and morally upright. The tale the Knight tells is full of knightly noble ideals. Chaucer describes him as one who has never spoken a harsh word to anyone (Finlayson, 1992). The Knight is also an idealist, demonstrating an aversion to conflict and gloominess.

In the Pardoner’s tale the Knight makes peace between the Host and the Pardoner. He comes across as the voice of reason in the group (Aers, 1980). He takes offence when the Pardoner tries to sell fake relics to the pilgrims. This further illustrates his morally upright character (A Knight’s Tale, 2002).

Despite being a well travelled and wealthy warrior, the Knight is not vain. Like one dedicated to the Christian cause he projects a humble and prudent image. His upright character is a strong contrast with other narrators such as the Miller and the Reeve. Unlike the Knight, the Miller is rude and contemptuous while the Reeve has a temper (Chaucer: The Knight’s Tale, 2013).

The Knight introduces the concept of justice and judgment to his audience. After Arcite is freed he asks the audience to consider the two knights and ponder on who is better off. (The Knight’s Tale, 2013).

The Knight is keen on creating meaning and order in matters that are ruled by passion and chance (Aers, 1980). He stops the Monk from finishing his tale which he reckons is too sad and gloomy. He prefers a story where the fortunes of the characters make a turn for the better.

Aers, D. (1980). Chaucer, Langland, and the creative imagination . London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Encyclopedia Britannica (2013). The Canterbury Tales (work by Chaucer) . Web.

Finlayson, J. (1992). The” Knight’s Tale”: The Dialogue of Romance, Epic, and Philosophy. The Chaucer Review , 27 (2), pp. 126–149.

Lordsandladies.org (2013). Courtly Love . Web.

Pathguy.com (2013). Enjoying “The Knight’s Tale”, by Geoffrey Chaucer . Web.

Public.wsu.edu (2013). Chaucer: The Knight’s Tale . Web.

Sites.fas.harvard.edu (2013). The Knight’s Tale (general note) . Web.

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The Canterbury Tales

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• University of Rochester - Robbins Library Digital Projects - The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue, The Knight
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The Canterbury Tales , frame story by Geoffrey Chaucer , written in Middle English in 1387–1400.

The framing device for the collection of stories is a pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury , Kent. The 30 pilgrims who undertake the journey gather at the Tabard Inn in Southwark , across the Thames from London . They agree to engage in a storytelling contest as they travel, and Harry Bailly , host of the Tabard, serves as master of ceremonies for the contest. Most of the pilgrims are introduced by vivid brief sketches in the “General Prologue.” Interspersed between the 24 tales are short dramatic scenes (called links) presenting lively exchanges, usually involving the host and one or more of the pilgrims. Chaucer did not complete the full plan for his book: the return journey from Canterbury is not included, and some of the pilgrims do not tell stories.

The use of a pilgrimage as the framing device enabled Chaucer to bring together people from many walks of life: knight, prioress, monk; merchant, man of law, franklin, scholarly clerk; miller, reeve, pardoner; wife of Bath and many others. The multiplicity of social types, as well as the device of the storytelling contest itself, allowed presentation of a highly varied collection of literary genres: religious legend , courtly romance , racy fabliau , saint’s life , allegorical tale , beast fable , medieval sermon, alchemical account, and, at times, mixtures of these genres . The stories and links together offer complex depictions of the pilgrims, while, at the same time, the tales present remarkable examples of short narratives in verse, plus two expositions in prose. The pilgrimage, which in medieval practice combined a fundamentally religious purpose with the secular benefit of a spring vacation, made possible extended consideration of the relationship between the pleasures and vices of this world and the spiritual aspirations for the next.

The Canterbury Tales consists of the General Prologue, The Knight’s Tale , The Miller’s Tale , The Reeve’s Tale , The Cook’s Tale , The Man of Law’s Tale , The Wife of Bath’s Tale , The Friar’s Tale , The Summoner’s Tale , The Clerk’s Tale , The Merchant’s Tale , The Squire’s Tale , The Franklin’s Tale , The Second Nun’s Tale , The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale , The Physician’s Tale , The Pardoner’s Tale , The Shipman’s Tale , The Prioress’s Tale , The Tale of Sir Thopas , The Tale of Melibeus (in prose), The Monk’s Tale , The Nun’s Priest’s Tale , The Manciple’s Tale , and The Parson’s Tale (in prose), and ends with “Chaucer’s Retraction.” Not all the tales are complete; several contain their own prologues or epilogues.

Probably influenced by French syllable-counting in versification, Chaucer developed for The Canterbury Tales a line of 10 syllables with alternating accent and regular end rhyme—an ancestor of the heroic couplet .

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Essays on The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales is a literary classic that has been studied and analyzed for centuries. Writing an essay on this work is important for several reasons. First and foremost, it allows the writer to delve into the rich themes, characters, and symbolism present in the text. Through the process of writing an essay, one can gain a deeper understanding of The Canterbury Tales and its relevance to literature and society.

Furthermore, writing an essay on The Canterbury Tales provides an opportunity to contribute to the ongoing conversation surrounding this influential work. By offering original insights and interpretations, the writer can add to the body of critical thought on the text and engage with other scholars and enthusiasts.

When writing an essay on The Canterbury Tales, it is important to first thoroughly read and understand the text. Take note of key themes, character motivations, and the historical context in which the work was written. This will provide a solid foundation for developing a thesis and supporting arguments.

It is also crucial to engage with existing scholarship on The Canterbury Tales. This can help to situate your own analysis within the broader critical conversation and ensure that your essay offers a fresh perspective.

In terms of writing tips, it is important to craft a clear and focused thesis statement that articulates the main argument of your essay. Use specific examples from the text to support your points, and consider the implications of your analysis for the broader understanding of The Canterbury Tales.

Additionally, pay attention to the structure and organization of your essay. Ensure that your ideas flow logically and that each paragraph contributes to the overall argument. Finally, proofread your work carefully to eliminate any errors and refine your prose.

By taking the time to write a thoughtful and well-researched essay on The Canterbury Tales, one can gain a deeper appreciation for this classic work and contribute to the ongoing scholarly dialogue surrounding it.

What Makes a Good The Canterbury Tales Essay Topics

When it comes to writing an essay on The Canterbury Tales, choosing the right topic is crucial. A good essay topic should be thought-provoking, engaging, and relevant to the themes and characters in the text. To brainstorm and choose an essay topic, consider the different themes and motifs present in the tales, such as love, honor, religion, and social class. Think about how these themes are portrayed through the characters and their interactions. Additionally, consider the historical and cultural context of the text and how it relates to contemporary issues. A good essay topic should also be open to interpretation and analysis, allowing for in-depth exploration and discussion.

Best The Canterbury Tales Essay Topics

• The Role of Women in The Canterbury Tales
• The Use of Satire in Chaucer's Tales
• The Portrayal of Religious Figures in The Canterbury Tales
• The Concept of Love and Marriage in the Tales
• Social Class and Power Dynamics in The Canterbury Tales
• The Influence of Medieval Society on The Canterbury Tales
• The Symbolism of the Pilgrimage in the Tales
• Chaucer's Critique of Feudalism in The Canterbury Tales
• The Theme of Deception and Trickery in the Tales
• The Concept of Redemption and Forgiveness in The Canterbury Tales
• The Representation of Different Professions in the Tales
• The Role of Fate and Destiny in The Canterbury Tales
• The Use of Irony and Humor in Chaucer's Tales
• The Influence of Courtly Love in The Canterbury Tales
• The Concept of Morality and Ethics in the Tales
• The Portrayal of Nature and the Supernatural in The Canterbury Tales
• The Role of Storytelling and Narrative Technique in the Tales
• The Influence of Religion and Religious Institutions in The Canterbury Tales
• The Theme of Justice and Retribution in the Tales
• The Impact of The Canterbury Tales on English Literature and Culture

The Canterbury Tales Essay Topics Prompts

• If you were to join the pilgrimage to Canterbury, which character from The Canterbury Tales would you be and why?
• Write a modern-day adaptation of one of the tales, setting it in a contemporary society.
• Imagine a conversation between two characters from different tales, discussing their views on love, honor, or religion.
• Create a new tale to be added to The Canterbury Tales, following Chaucer's style and themes.
• Write an analysis of the portrayal of women in The Canterbury Tales, discussing the different perspectives and roles of female characters in the text.

Canterbury Tales: The Monk Character Analysis

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Hypocrisy and Corruption in The Canterbury Tales

Analysis of the narrative in chaucer's the canterbury tales, an analysis of humor in the canterbury tales, why the canterbury tales should not be banned, the hints of feminism in the wife of bath in geoffrey chaucer's the canterbury tales, correlation of the knight’s tale and miller’s tale by g. chaucer, analysis of chaucer’s storytelling techniques, chaucer’s unpretentious study of the scholar’s character, chaucer and perception of women, the impact of christianity on women’s acceptable behaviour in canterbury tales, the wife of bath: analysis from the biblical viewpoint, analysis of the wife of bath as honest, literature's first feminist in the wife of bath's tale, the medieval perception of rape as depicted by geoffrey chaucer, chaucer’s prioress: idealism vs. reality, the power of monarch in the wife of bath, allegory in the wife of bath, analysis of chaucer’s depiction of pardoner in the pardoner’s tale, perception of contemporary society expressed in the canterbury tales, merchant’s tale: analysis of genre and main ideas.

1387 - 1400

Geoffrey Chaucer

A collection of 24 Middle English stories

Satire, Poetry, Fiction, Anthology

The Pardoner, The Wife of Bath, Troilus, The Miller, The Knight, The Narrator

It is believed that Geoffrey Chaucer has been influenced by the French style of syllable-counting for the heroic couplet writing style.

A pilgrimage, the journey of repentance, a rebirth, and the new start of life.

One of the most important aspects of the Canterbury Tales is that it is written in Middle English and not in French, which was the language common at the time. It has made it one of the most important works of medieval literature related to the 14th century CE. Considering the Norman Invasion, Chaucer's work is a great cultural and linguistic literary heritage.

The Canterbury Tales contain the stories that are revolving around the 29 pilgrims as they make their journey from London to Saint Thomas Becket's shrine in Canterbury. While the tales are different, Chaucer is keeping high morals and heroism. It deals with love that remains the same, talks about the lust that gets a person in trouble, religious challenges, and the ways how honesty and honor are valued.

• Belonging to the middle-class parents, Chaucer actually started his career as a diplomat, yet ended up as a gardener.
• The Narrator is never named and probably belongs to the pilgrimage as the anonymous person.
• The characters are equal, according to Chaucer, which means that none is better than the others.
• Each character in the Canterbury tales represents particular views of the era.
• The final destination that the pilgrims have chosen is the Tabard Inn.
• The original copies of Canterbury Tales have been made available in print in 1477.
• Chaucter originally planned to write about 120 tales, yet only 20 of them have been written.
• “If gold rusts, what then can iron do?”
• “No empty handed man can lure a bird”
• “Purity in body and heart May please some--as for me, I make no boast. For, as you know, no master of a household Has all of his utensils made of gold; Some are wood, and yet they are of use.”
• “Love will not be constrain'd by mastery. When mast'ry comes, the god of love anon Beateth his wings, and, farewell, he is gone. Love is a thing as any spirit free.”
• “Yet do not miss the moral, my good men. For Saint Paul says that all that’s written well Is written down some useful truth to tell. Then take the wheat and let the chaff lie still.”

The most important aspect of the Canterbury Tales is the high morals. A good example is the wife of Bath, which speaks of women's striving for dominance over men and the fact that providing women with dominance over men is not that bad after all. This way each story reflects an idea of living a different, more pure life. It also tells about how does the canterbury tales relate to modern society since we also talk about high morals, sincerity, and our inner pilgrimage to become a better person. It is the main importance of these tales.

If we do not count The Canterbury Tales as one of the most important English written literary works, it is often used as the allegory type essay where the college students can take at least one story to talk about love, honor, courage, fear, religion, and many other topics. It can be compared to the modern society where people want to achieve self-identity and become a different person.

One should see the most famous quote spoken by the Pardoner, which is "preaching against what I practice". The Pardoner is the reflection of hypocrisy. A great example is attacking the greed during the sermons and then asking people to give up their gold, so they could finally repent from their greed.

c. 1400, by Geoffrey Chaucer

Frame story

The tales (mostly written in verse, although some are in prose) are presented as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The prize for this contest is a free meal at the Tabard Inn at Southwark on their return.

The Canterbury Tales consists of the General Prologue, The Knight’s Tale, The Miller’s Tale, The Reeve’s Tale, The Cook’s Tale, The Man of Law’s Tale, The Wife of Bath’s Tale, The Friar’s Tale, The Summoner’s Tale, The Clerk’s Tale, The Merchant’s Tale, The Squire’s Tale, The Franklin’s Tale, The Second Nun’s Tale, The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale, The Physician’s Tale, The Pardoner’s Tale, The Shipman’s Tale, The Prioress’s Tale, The Tale of Sir Thopas, The Tale of Melibeus, The Monk’s Tale, The Nun’s Priest’s Tale, The Manciple’s Tale, and The Parson’s Tale, and ends with “Chaucer’s Retraction.”

Social satire is the major theme of The Canterbury Tales. The medieval society was set on three foundations: the nobility, the church, and the peasantry. Chaucer's satire targets all segments of the medieval social issues, human immorality, and depraved heart.

Narrator, Host, Knight, Squire, Prioress, Second nun, Nun's priests, Monk, Friar, Merchant, Clerk, Man of law, Franklin, Cook, Shipman, Physician, Parson, Wife of Bath, Miller, Manciple, Reeve, Summoner, Pardoner, Canon

Probably influenced by French syllable-counting in versification, Chaucer developed for The Canterbury Tales a line of 10 syllables with alternating accent and regular end rhyme — an ancestor of the heroic couplet. The stories and links together offer complex depictions of the pilgrims, while, at the same time, the tales present remarkable examples of short narratives in verse, plus two expositions in prose.

It has been suggested that the greatest contribution of The Canterbury Tales to English literature was the popularisation of the English vernacular in mainstream literature, as opposed to French, Italian or Latin. Although perhaps incomplete, The Canterbury Tales is revered as one of the most important works in English literature.

“People can die of mere imagination.” “If gold rusts, what then can iron do?” “No empty handed man can lure a bird.” “Youth may outrun the old, but not outwit.”

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