| 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.
TOP
|
The
Wife of Bath's Prologue And Tale
