The Theme Of Emotions In The Canterbury Tales - 1027 Words

Depression, anxiety, and anger; all familiar emotions that constantly win the battle of someones life. In todays society, mental issues are glorified with alcohol and drug addiction. However, in Anglo-Saxon times, many people didn’t know how to deal or cope with their emotions, which led to the creation of many pieces of literature still utilized today, with the theme of consumption through emotion and its vividness through multiple pieces of writing. To begin, the Wife of Bath tale, in the Canterbury tales, features a knight who becomes so overcome with greed that he makes a foolish decision that changes his life. Greed is first seen in the opening when the knight is caught and charged with the rape of an innocent girl. The queen is†¦show more content†¦Her husband faced a quick death, leaving her as a widowed mother to their only son, being young and naive he became very fond of visiting Federigos farm; it happened that this young boy became friends with Federigo and began to enjoy birds and hunting dogs; and after he had seen Federigo’s falcon fly many times, it pleased him so much that he very much wished it were his own, but he did not dare to ask for it, for he could see how dear it was to Federigo (Bocacchio 173). Sadly, Monnas son fell very ill, Monna told her boy that she would do anything for him, his request was simple, and asked for the falcon of Federigo. Once Federigo heard that his ageless love reque sted to meet with him, he scrammed throughout his house in search in something worthy enough to serve Monna. He then caught eye of his falcon, with his lust being so powerful and overwhelming, Federigo had his loyal companion prepared immediately. he set his eyes upon his good falcon, perched in a small room; and since he had nowhere else to turn, he took the bird, and finding it plump, he decided that it would be a worthy food for such a lady. So, without further thought, he wrung its neck and quickly gave it to his servant girl to pluck, prepare, and place on a spit to be roasted (Bocacchio 175). As seen throughout these stories, Federigo along with the knight, both were consumed with so much emotion which caused them to make rash decisions leading to harsh consequences. Furthermore, MacbethShow MoreRelatedEssay on Chaucer and the Seven Deadly Sins723 Words   |  3 Pagessloth, greed, and gluttony are themes that Catholics should stay away from and not abide to. In the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer the tales expose a common, universal truth which is the seven deadly sins. In the Tales the characters in the stories struggle with the temptation of not obeying the sins which incorporates and suggest why the pilgrims telling the stories are in fact on the pilgrimage. The pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales are on a pilgrimage to Canterbury to seek spiritual renewal forRead MoreTones, Moods, and Irony in the Canterbury Tales833 Words   |  4 Pagesinformal, formal, serious, angry, playful, intimate, etc. Similar to tone is mood, which is the created atmosphere with the intention of coaxing a certain emotion from the audience, and is created through setting, theme, and tone. Irony, however, is a tone in which the real meaning is contradicted by the words that were used. 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Two such examples following this concept is The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1478, and Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley 1818. Three characters in The Canterbury Tales (The Wife of Bath, The Pardoner, and The Knight) and The Monster in Frankenstein have developed a talent for successful storytelling, proven by their abilities to engage the audience with their pathos and passion. While storytelling is used differently in The Canterbury Tales (as aRead More Pardoners Tale, Chaucer, Canterbury Essays1312 Words   |  6 Pages The Pardoners Subconscious Character nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;quot;The Pardoners Tale,quot; by Geoffrey Chaucer, makes evident the parallel between the internal emotions of people and the subconscious exposure of those emotions. This particular story, from The Canterbury Tales, is a revealing tale being told by a medieval pardoner to his companions on a journey to Canterbury. 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It is Chaucer s intent in her presentment to show that the nun is inconsiderable, irreligiousRead MoreThe Changing Face of Love in English Literature1528 Words   |  7 PagesLove is a common theme in most literature, as either an underlying theme or as the stimulus for the story, as it is an emotion that has great power and is also universally understood. The writers we have studied have written about love in its many forms, from the cerebral to the visceral and they have used this complex emotion to propel their stories and their sonnets. As we progress forward in time we see a distinct change in the freedom writers had as they addressed this theme and a change in theRead MoreAuthority And The Canterbury Tales1825 Words   |  8 PagesAuthorit y and The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer, widely known for his influence in medieval literature, expresses a fourteenth century literacy concept of authority and gentility in The Canterbury Tales. There are two forms of authority and gentility that will be covered in this discussion: authority and gentility in Chaucer’s personal life and the one in his two tales, â€Å"The Wife of Bath’s Tale†, and â€Å"The Clerk’s Tale†. Chaucer himself loses a sense of authority over his writing after his death