The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer portrays medieval society and norms by describing various characters. The general idea of the book is to present stories told by pilgrims who decided to visit the tomb of St. Thomas Becket in Canterbury. Chaucer’s narrators include representatives of various social classes of English society at the time, and their diverse stories provide different perspectives on medieval life (22). The Canterbury Tales reflect Chaucer’s attitude about society by portraying corrupted and selfish characters using irony and satire.
The Canterbury Tales reveal that Chaucer was aware of how corrupt and greedy people could be. For example, the idea of prioritizing one’s own benefits is discussed as the writer presents such characters as the miller and the reeve (Chaucer 119). They both put their own profit above anything else, which emphasizes their selfishness. Interestingly enough, the author describes their appearance as unattractive: the miller’s “nose displayed a wart” (Chaucer 38). In other words, the author linked physical features to inner traits and believed that ill intentions and selfish nature could show in one’s appearance.
Another example of Chaucer’s attitude toward the society that he was a part of includes his description of the Catholic church. One of the most important themes in the book is a satirical depiction of the abuses of the church representatives. For instance, the monk is portrayed as a person who is most interested in “hunting a hare or riding at a fence” rather than serving God (Chaucer 27). Besides, the friar is depicted as someone who accepts bribes, which is improper for priests.
Overall, it is evident that the author’s attitude toward society is negative based on the portrayal of selfish and negative characters. In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer presents various social classes and uses irony and satire to convey his perspective on life in the medieval world. Pilgrims’ stories are diverse and often related to the themes of love and betrayal. The writer’s attitude toward the church and other institutions emphasizes that society is generally greedy and dishonest.
Works Cited
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Translated by Nevill Coghill, Penguin Classics, 2003.