Austin Coulling

ERH-205WX

Col. Miller

30 January 2018

 

 

 

The Canterbury Tales

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help Received: Writing Center- internal citation and works cited, Oxford Guide to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales

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In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, there are many stories that talk about the people in that time period.  When I say this, I mean that each tale in the book talks about a lesson or narrows down on a group of people.  In this time period, there are huge gaps in people from being a minority and majority.  There are many groups and sub-groups of people that are characterized by status and wealth.  The one theme that remained constant was religion.   During the tales, religion was brought up and caught my attention.  This time period is much different in terms of the social structure of which we live in today.  Society in the medieval era was based around serving the kings, being loyal, and following religion

When reading the Canterbury tales, the way Chaucer identifies many of times the theme of religion.  Religion was a major factor in people’s lives as it was how the people based their lives off of.  It served as a reference and everyone who knew the Bible.  In the Clerk’s Tale, religion is brought up.  The thing that stood out the most to me would be how Walter used the idea of divorce to see how loyal his wife was to him.  I know from history classes that I have taken that remarrying is not allowed and the pope can only grant permission to re-marry.

Above is only one of the trials that Walter had put Grisilde through.  While researching the Clerk’s tale, I found how the tests were perceived in a religious point of view.  The text says that Walter was tempted by Satan and couldn’t resist from the trials that he had put Grisilde through (Cooper 194).  In Grisilde’s eyes, “his actions are self-justifying, as God’s are by definition good (Cooper 194).”  What this text implies is that she views herself as a servant to Walter because he is the king.  The king at this time was given his power through divine right.  This means that God has chosen a ruler such as the king to look over and rule the people.  So in the quote “as God’s are by definition,” it is implying that she sees the tests as okay because they are the words of a king, who is selected by god.

The only evidence of Walter being compared to God in the text is coming from Grisilde, for she says her will is his, he can do what he wishes with his own, and she is not worthy to be his servant (Cooper 194).  This evidence not only shows what her thoughts on the king were but as a society as a whole.  Grisilde was a poor girl, who wore raggedy clothes.  She was in a position to question the king and question the church and its authority because of what her life was like.  This is evidence that at the time and age religion was a way of life and almost no one questioned the king or the bible.

The book, and in The Clerk’s Tale, religion is a common theme.  This book was based on the medieval time period and portrays a variety of characters.  All the reading’s we have done in class have clashed with the theme of religion in some way.  Even the wife of Bath includes knowledge of the bible to portray her meanings.  Christianity was a major part of life and has influenced a lot of people.  The Catholic church had lots of power and contributed to that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

Cooper, Helen. Oxford Guide to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1987. Print.