Tag: canterbury tales
-
History Contra Poetics in The Physician’s Tale
There is no introduction to “The Physician’s Tale.” We begin en media res. The tale cites its source as Titius Livius (“Livy”) the great Roman historian, though Chaucer likely borrowed sections from The Romance of the Rose which he also partially translated from French into Middle English. Unlike other tales, “The Physician’s Tale” is not […]
-
Pity and Promises in The Franklin’s Tale
The test of a great story is whether or not it carries a true representation of reality. The various themes explored in The Canterbury Tales point us to enduring questions: what is a good marriage? What is the most fitting employment in life? What is the nature of knowledge, and can a good clerk also […]
-
A Story of “Joy after Woe” in The Man of Law’s Tale
The Man of Law’s Tale is an episodic story of “Custance” (or Constance) that can trace its literary origins to the Anglo chronicles of Nicholas Trivet, as well as in the poetry of John Gower. In his tale, The Man of Law presents the group with a more noble tale than the bawdy stories from […]
Great Books Guy 