Chaucer Canterbury Tales essays

Chaucer Canterbury Tales essays Some say the things we most desire are these: Freedom to do exactly as we please, is an excerpt from Geoffrey Chaucers Canterbury Tales that directly correlates with the books easily recognizable thematic idea. Mankind will bring about his own fate by his behaviors. Within the three tales of The Franklin, The Merchant, and The Wife of Bath, the fortunateness of the characters marriages comes from each of the individuals' actions. The human nature of love and courtship is revealed through each marriage and can be easily understood when analyzing every couples selfish or selfless behaviors. When a pretentious Knight takes advantage of a young girl at his discretion, a selfish demeanor of this character is revealed. The Wife of Baths Tale shows the successfully progressive behavior of this Knight. To save from being punished from this deed he is set on a journey to find what women desire most. Last in the story, he is forced to marry an old hag who helped him discover that women want control. Basic nature for this knight would be to shun the objectionable courtship, but instead he gives his new wife the choice of how to better herself. You make the choice yourself, for the provision Of what may be agreeable and rich, is a contrasting attitude the Knight has then from before. At this point the wife becomes beautiful and good. The knights selflessness shone through to bring him the good fortune he deserved. The Merchants Tale on the contrary to the other two tales, portrays all of mankinds poor attributes. An old man has set out to find himself a young wife, and in the process of doing so, he looses sight of what is important in his future wedlock, Flesh should be young though fish should be mature. And with his repeated misperception of satisfactory love, he continues to be mistreated by the youthful wife he obtained. The old man had a selfish attitude, as...