The Use Of Satire In The Canterbury Tales

Hodges, featured in April 1995 edition of The Chaucer Review, Hodges examines the reasons behind Chaucer's decisions on the clothing of his Knight. After examining the introduction of the Knight's character in the General Prologue of the Canterbury Tales, Ms. Hodges said that Chaucer intended his Knight to be the one true to life portrait of a knight of the 14th century-an every knight of sorts. She also concluded that Chaucer wanted to go against the normal chivalric ideal of a knight by presenting a knight as he really might have been: a basically good person, but with imperfections. I disagree with Hodges about Chaucer's intentions when characterizing the knight. I don't think the knight was meant to be a true to life portrait of "the every knight".

    Chaucer's view of the clergy class is not as positive as his view of the ruling class.  For example, Chaucer describes the Prioress/Nun using a great amount of satire.  He speaks of how the nun has excellent etiquette and manners.  She tries so hard to be respected and viewed as one with higher status.  Her character is best described in the quote:

The Nun is not viewed in the same light, and as a result she wishes to gain the respect of others. The Nun is described as “a counterfeit of a courtly kind of grace” (Chaucer 148.143). The author views her as a fraud of courtliness because although she possesses a low position in society as a nun, she tries to act in a worldly fashion. Chaucer uses both of these pilgrims to contribute to the overall theme of one’s need to be liked by others by showing how the Nun goes out of her way to look sophisticated to gain others’ respect and fondness of her.

Knights are one of the most mistaken figures of the medieval era due to fairytales and over exaggerated fiction novels. When medieval knights roamed the earth, it was known that they were only human and, like humans, had faults. These knights did not always live up to the standards designated by society. However, in The Canterbury Tales, the knight is revealed as a character that would now be considered a knight in shining armor, a perfect role model in how he acts and what he does. Modern day people see them as chivalrous figures instead of their actual role as mounted cavalry soldiers. As time passes, the idea of what a knight is changes from a simple cavalry soldier to a specific type of behavior.

A satire, by definition, is a way of using humor that shows the weakness or bad qualities of person, government, or society (Merriam-Webster). Satires are used in everyday life to make fun of someone or a society. We see it used in newspapers, magazines, and on television shows. This element is used in literature, as well. Many authors have used this element in their books, such as Mark Twain in his classic novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

In Geoffrey Chaucer’s poem, The Knight’s Tale, the author encapsulates chivalrous characteristics in his telling of a battle for love. In its fundamental form, chivalry idealizes a knight’s conduct, both on and off the battlefield (Gregory-Abbott). Chaucer employs this “heroic code [of] bravery, loyalty, and service to one's lord” to illustrate the idillic knight throughout the narrative (Rossignol). Chaucer’s poem, The Knight’s Tale, exhibits the ideals of chivalry in the form of two knights, desperately in love with the same woman, and a wise Duke who embodies the voice of reason. Each knight upholds honor through compassion, troths, and heroism on the battlefield, despite their afflictions with each other.

Satire is a kind of writing that ridicules human weaknesses, vice, or folly in order to bring about social reform. Satires often try to persuade readers to do or believe something by showing opposite view as absurd or vicious and inhumane.

A Squire is a young man who is trying to climb the ranks to become a knight; kind of like an apprentice. The narrator describes the Squire as: a whore who sleeps around, a manipulator toward women for he write songs in hope of grabbing a woman’s heart, and boastful. “A lover and cadet” was some words he used and the narrator used the line “he loved so hotly that till dawn grew pale/ he slept as little as a nightingale” to explain how he slept around (The Canterbury Tales 117). This is a satire description because a squire is suppose to be as chivalrous and honest as a knight for they are training to be one, but instead this squire is sleeping around and causing trouble.

It says in the text that she has two dogs that she feed them the finest meat; however, nuns are only supposed to have the minimum to survive. Basically, the Prioress is very Godly and she is kind of a hoe. Chaucer is trying to show that even though nuns are supposed to be pure and righteous, a lot of them are not.

Although the Knight and the Squire both possess the same occupation, they exhibit disparate approaches in relation to devotion. In regard of battles, it was the main point in the Knight’s description, whereas in the Squire’s, was barely a significant component. All of the Squire’s involvement amidst the military is very shortly revealed saying that “he had seen some service with the calvary/ In Flanders and Artois and Picardy,” (Chaucer 87-88) while the Knight’s list of battles is the focus in his description. The Knight traveled “along the Mediterranean coast” (Chaucer 61) to multiple regions including Russia, North Africa, Anatolia, etc. and also fought in “fifteen mortal battles” (Chaucer 63) and “always killed his men” (Chaucer 65) showing evidence of his devotion to his profession. This is the opposite of the Squire’s distracted attitude as shown in the text when it says, “He could make songs and poems and recite, /Knew how to joust and dance, to draw and write” (Chaucer 97-98). The Squire’s focus is fixated on his own entertainment instead of this profession, displaying how he is not as dedicated to his work compared to his father. Chaucer’s countless descriptions about battles in the Knight’s description shows how the Knight is chivalrous and dedicated, willing to fight solitarily in a moments notice, while in the Squire is more focused on himself than battles, showing how they both exhibit disparate approaches in relation to devotion

To begin with, the first event in the story is an example of situational irony. In the medieval times knights were categorized as gentle and chivalrous men who, for honor and glory, protected the people of their kingdom

Chaucer's use of satire in The Canterbury Tales reveals the aspects of a corrupt Church. In Chaucer’s work, members of the first estate are sycophants; using their advantages granted by their status for personal gain. One pilgrim who disregards the rules of the church is the Monk. Chaucer describes the Monk as a man “Who rode the country; hunting was his sport”(Chaucer 7). Clergymen such as the Monk, were not granted the benefit of living an “uncloistered”(8) life; which demonstrates the Monks ignoble behavior toward the monastery.

Chaucer’s most brutal attack was on the high ranking class and nobility, his use of satire allowed for him to make accusations of their lack of accountability for their actions. This concept was outlined in the Wife of Bath’s Tale, where a young knight physically assaulted a maiden the instance was brought to a court of the king and the knight was then sentenced to execution. The queen, however, chose to spare the knight’s life if he was able to find what women desired most within one year. He returned to the court a year later and revealed that women wanted freedom more than anything, and in return he was forced to marry an old lady that revealed the secret to him. This was what taught him the ultimate lesson. The old lady made a deal with the knight, he could have her old and ugly, but loyal or he could have a young and beautiful wife that he could not trust; when presented with the choice the knight chose to let the woman decide. “The knight thought long, and with a piteous groan at last he said, with the care in life, “My lady and my love, my dearest wife, I leave the matter to your wise decision. You make the choice yourself, for the provision of what may be agreeable and right in honor to us both, I don't care which; whatever pleases you suffices me.” (lines 374-381) The knight has learned that he cannot control his wife and have her love him, as a result of this revelation the lady changes herself into a loyal and beautiful wife. This lesson

Back in Chaucer's time things were very corrupt. The most corrupt part part of the medieval society was that the church was used as a money making business instead of being used for people to worship God. One way chaucer used satire to address this is he Gave the Monk from the story some qualities that weren't

The narrator insists: "He was a verray, parfit, gentil knight," but some modern readers, ill at ease with idealized warriors, and doubtful about the value of the narrator's enthusiasms, have questioned this evaluation. His son, the Squire, is by contrast an elegant young man about court, with fashionable clothes and romantic skills of singing and dancing. Their Yeoman is a skilled servant in charge of the knight's land, his dress is described in detail, but not his character.