Satire in The Canterbury Tales
← The Hurricane movie | Representation Changes the Story → |
The Canterbury Tales is a perfect example of Chaucer’s methods of using satire to criticize certain estates and show moral degradation of some characters. He uses different forms of satire, both mild and very expressive, but the general purpose of this device is the same – to highlight the negative aspects of human character and with the help of satirical descriptions of people’s actions to expose stupidity and vices of the society in general.
Chaucer frequently uses satire on the clergy. In the “General Prologue” he pays much attention to the behavior of the Prioress and the Friar. Although the Prioress seems to be more sophisticated and educated than the Friar, she is much more interested in behaving like a court lady than a nun. Chaucer (n.d.) writes, “A little mouse caught in a trap would be enough to make her cry”. The writer highlights the same qualities, inappropriate for a church person, in the Friar saying that no one “was a better one at idle talk” and suggesting that he may have some affair with “the worthy women of the town” (Chaucer, n.d.).
In addition to criticizing the church, Chaucer uses his satire to expose the vices of common people. It is especially evident in “The Pardoner’s tale. The writer argues that for all estates greed is one of the most corrosive sins. In fact, the Pardoner is a very greedy person and criticizing the way the youths live – “their parties, gambling, brothels, bars” – he shows an extreme degree of hypocrisy (Chaucer, n.d.). The satire in “General Prologue” and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is slightly more playful and subtle. It mostly relates to some social and interpersonal aspects of common people’s lives.
To conclude, Chaucer mainly uses satire in The Canterbury Tales to expose the corruption that is prevalent in the society. He shows the vices of the church representatives, such as the Prioress and the Friar. The writer also criticizes the lowest estate – common people, such as the Wife of Bath and the Pardoner for their greed and hypocrisy.
Buy a successful paper on any topic you need!
Tiffany E.
Monroe, LA
|
|
|
I am 100% satisfied with the writer that you assigned to my project. This person understood exactly what I needed, even though I’m not the best communicator and the instructions were tedious and difficult. I felt certain I would have to send my paper back for a number of revisions, but I didn’t. The writer was able to convey exactly what I wished to express and he did it in record time!Thanks for everything. EssaysEmpire.com is the greatest! |
Steve C.
Marion, NE
|
|
|
Thank you so much! I was assigned a paper that I found impossible to write. I did the reading. I did the research. However, regardless of my weak attempts, I could not formulate a cogent paper. I needed help, and EssaysEmpire.com’s writers were there for me. Customer service even arranged for me to speak with the person who was working on my paper personally. I had a lot of concerns, because my professor was very picky. However, EssaysEmpire.com was able to handle the order with no problem |
Tommy Davids
Singapore, CH
|
|
|
EssaysEmpire.com knows how to do the things that it takes to instill confidence in their customers. They can be counted on every time, to deliver high quality service and high quality writing at prices that we can afford. I would never use any other writing company. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It ain’t broke! |
Grace G.
London, UK
|
|
|
I was quite satisfied with the results of my paper order. EssaysEmpire.com sure has some good writers! I thought it might just be some college kids who were writing in their spare time to earn some extra bucks. No! EssaysEmpire.com hires legitimate writers. They all seem to be well educated and intelligent, too. My paper was terrific! |
Quincy S.
Cambridge, MA
|
|
|
You guys did a super job on my paper. The work definitely exceeded my expectations and eased my anxiety. This was the first time I had hired a writing service. The transaction was seamless. I would use you guys again in a heartbeat! No questions asked. You’re the best, hands down. |
Shirley R.
Casper, WY
|
|
|
I would be honored to recommend your writing service to all of my friends. I don’t usually recommend anything unless I truly believe it to be a good thing. EssaysEmpire.com is a good thing! |
Mark R.
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
I am so happy with my term paper. The writer did a spectacular job!! Thanks to the writing team and also to the customer service team. |
Rob B.
Tulsa, OK
|
|
|
I needed APA formatting, EssaysEmpire.com’s writers gave me APA formatting. I needed 2000 words. EssaysEmpire.com’s writers gave me 2000 words. I needed an A+ on my paper to bring up my GPA. EssaysEmpire.com gave me a paper that got an A+. I am a happy person, thanks to EssaysEmpire.com! |
Delaine A.
Taos, NM
|
|
|
I had a question about the pricing. As I glanced through the EssaysEmpire.com website, I noticed that they were offering a lot for not all that much money. I spoke to a customer service person and she told me that the prices I saw on the website were accurate. Therefore, I ordered my first paper, not expecting all that much. What I got back was a brilliantly written essay that earned an A+ mark! Wow! I am impressed! |
Emily H.
Norman, OK
|
|
|
My writer revealed to me that when he isn’t working for you, he is teaching at a major university. He also told me that a lot of the other writers who work for you are professors. That is impressive! No wonder I got an A+ on my paper! |
Katy A.
London, England
|
|
|
Your writers are very good at what they do. I would recommend your service to anyone. It is impressive and it doesn’t cost too much. |
Kaylie B.
Casper, WY
|
|
|
Thank you, EssaysEmpire.com, for being the one writing service that I can always depend upon. You are reliable, honest and you do great work. I have been happy with every order I have placed with you |
Celeste H.
San Francisco, CA
|
|
|
EssaysEmpire.com always gives me a plagiarism report to prove that the work they wrote for me is authentic. I appreciate this. It helps eliminate worry. |
Philipa W.
Rome, ITALY
|
|
|
The paper that your writers did for me on the topic of, The Psychological Effects of Fluorescent Lighting in the Workplace,” was right on the money! They included my long list of customizations and did not charge extra for them. The formatting was just right. There were no grammatical errors. The length was what it was supposed to be. I am so happy that I chose to let the EssaysEmpire.com writers take care of my paper for me. I will choose this writing service again without hesitation. |
Bruce R.
Tulsa, OK
|
|
|
Thanks for everything. You guys know how to write so well! I will call on you again in the future. |
Hannah B.
Tulsa, OK
|
|
|
I am happy. I am happy because I got an A+ on my research paper. I did this by hiring the professional writers at EssaysEmpire.com to write it for me. It was everything I had hoped it would be. Thanks, EssaysEmpire.com! |
Benjamin P.
Beaumont, TX
|
|
|
Thank you for your diligence! Your writers got it right down to the last word! I appreciate how closely they paid attention. |
Tom J.
Jackson, MI
|
|
|
Many thanks to your writers and customer service representatives for helping me get through a very difficult time in my college career. I needed writing assistance and your crew came through for me, big time! My papers were written impeccably. Thanks so much! |
Doreen A.
Malibu, CA
|
|
|
Due to a family emergency, I was unable to complete a very important paper. Thanks to EssaysEmpire.com, I was able to hand in a well written paper and not sacrifice my grade. I will be forever grateful to your writing service for providing such outstanding work. Thank you so much. |
Stephanie M.
Bath, ME
|
|
|
This is the fourth A+ in a row from EssaysEmpire.com! Thanks! |