Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer. Specifically, It Term Paper

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 1108 words ( 4 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 1+

Page 1 of 4

Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer. Specifically, it will compare and contrast the element of a love triangle in several texts: The Knight's romance, the Miller's fabliau, and Franklyn's lai, and discuss how the treatment of each triangle is appropriate/inappropriate for its genre. Each of these triangle tales is unique, and fits its genre quite well; which shows Chaucer's great skill as a storyteller.

Love Triangles in The Canterbury Tales

Each of these tales within "The Canterbury Tales" takes a different look at love and love triangles, which seem to have existed as long as man has. The Knight's romance is an example of courtly and romantic love, where two strong and vital men vie for the hand of a beautiful woman. It has all the elements of chivalry that were so common at the time, and so, the Knight and his fight to win the beautiful Emelye are historical examples of how the class of knights and their ladies lived at the time. This is one reason so many legends have built up around the time of knights and chivalry in medieval Europe. Their stories were romantic and compelling, for what woman would not like to have two handsome, strong men fighting over her? However, there is more to this love triangle than simply courtly love and chivalry. All of the characters suffer bouts of good fortune and bad fortune, and the ultimate moral in this triangle seems to be "what goes up must go down." The knights are imprisoned for many years before they are released, and then, Arcite is despondent when he cannot have Emelye, and just when it seems he has finally won her, his fortunes change again, and he dies. The fortunes of each of the members of the triangle change several times throughout the tale, until Palamon and Emelye are happy at last. This shows that life's fortunes change, and how one must suffer for another's good fortune.

Stuck Writing Your "Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer. Specifically, It" Term Paper?

View All Our Example Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer. Specifically, It Term Paper

Have A Custom Example Essay Written

Thus, this tale is an excellent representation of its' romantic genre, for it is a tragic tale, it has a moral, and the two remaining lovers live a long and happy life. It is an early romance novel in the form of a Canterbury Tale.

The Miller's fabliau is quite another matter. The Miller is gross and unappealing, and so is his love triangle. He does not describe courtly love; he describes the cuckolding of an old man by two young and vital lovers. This love triangle is the more typical kind of relationship we think of today, so the bawdy Miller was ahead of his time. He says it is not his business who his wife sleeps with, and this is certainly far removed from the romantic and courtly ideals of the knight and his lady. The Miller shows there are several different classes of people on this journey, and they all have different ideals and morals. In addition, the Miller's fabliau follows a long tradition of comic and bawdy tales with set characters. Nicholas is the clever cleric in the story, while John is the ultimate loser because of his jealous nature. If he was so jealous, why did he marry such a young and beautiful girl? Thus, John has paid for his jealousy by losing what he feared most, his lovely wife.

The Miller's Tale is….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer Specifically It" (2003, December 17) Retrieved July 3, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/canterbury-tales-geoffrey-chaucer-specifically-160973

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer Specifically It" 17 December 2003. Web.3 July. 2025. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/canterbury-tales-geoffrey-chaucer-specifically-160973>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer Specifically It", 17 December 2003, Accessed.3 July. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/canterbury-tales-geoffrey-chaucer-specifically-160973
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example