Gender Roles In The Canterbury Tales

Gender Roles in the First Fragment of the Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer lived in an age where gender constructs were very much ingrained in day-by-day life, predominantly by the church. In The Canterburry Tales, Chaucer takes these constructs and pokes holes in them, doing something entirely revolutionist for the time. This essay will strive to show the ways in which Chaucer goes against the views of the norm in The Knights Tale, The Millers Tale, and The Reeves Tale. The Knights Tale is told by (you guessed it) the knight in the group, who very clearly admires Theseus without ever once commenting on his actions negatively. This brings nearly the first comment on male masculinity in Chaucers work which closely follows that of courtly love and knighthood. The sample knight (and ideal m an) in courtly life follows the principals of the unconditional defending the weak, maintaining honor, and waging war upon evil. These qualities Theseus does possess, however he also slews strays from his heroic masculine code.

While on the one halt he wins wars and conquers, on the former(a) its against the women Amazonians where it is hinted that he forces the move oer of Ypolita and the obediance of Emelye. On one hand Thesus is compassionate to the widows he encounters on the road and vows to avenge them, on the other he razes Thebes to the compressed coat and strips many citizens of their homes and live s. On one hand he mourns Arcite and cannist! er only be consoled by his father Egeus, and on the other he initially threw Arcite and Palamon into prison without ransom or remorse. This antonymous behavior calls into question the knights virtue; because there is a wish of consistency one must question the rightfulness of his ceaseless chivalry. This brings us to the realization that if a knight who is supposititious to be the cream of the crop of men is not rightfully chivalrous, therefore no man is. It...If you want to get a respectable essay, order it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.com

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