Chivalry In The Canterbury Tales

T he Canterbury Tales is significant not only as the first great piece of English literature but also and a realistic piece of literature that shows the 14th century England more clearly. The description of pilgrims in the General Prologue is like a virtual art gallery that gives a vivid picture of 14th century English society including people from all ranks, classes, both sexes, the good and the bad. The prologue tells and shows us people’s way of life, their food, dresses, table manners, hypocrisies and many other details that give us ideas about !4th century English society.
In Chaucer’s prologue he has presented real life people with their activities, tendencies, weaknesses, individual and professional behaviors, their passions and their

The knights held social and political power as Chaucer said, “A knyght ther was, and that a worthy man.” The influential role the knights held during the Middle Ages was not achieved by chance, but by education, faith, and by strictly following the rules of chivalry. The knights used to be chivalrous, religious, honest and courteous. This is very similar to Chaucer’s description of the Knight. As he said, “he loved chivalrie, Trouthe and honour, freedom and curteisie.” The article also says that the main duty of knights was the military service. And the best way to acquire the highest level of combat skills was competing in various battles and tournaments (“Knights in Middle Ages”, 2011). As Chaucer has described that the Knight has taken part in many significant battles such as, “At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne”, “In Gernade at the seege eek hadde he be” and “At many a noble armee hadde he be.’ Chaucer also mentioned in prologue that the Knight took part in one to one combats and killed his foes “In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo.” The same article also mentions that the knights of 14th century used to be good horse riders, faithful, kind and supportive. Like in prologue, “He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.”
The second character is the Squire which is a type but also has some personal characteristics. The Squire is just the typical man of any day. As Chaucer

Despite enforcing the laws of the church, the summoners themselves were thought to be immoral sinners. Chaucer constructs a representative picture of the condition of the Church by depicting characters like the Friar, the Summoner and the Pardoner. The Church had then become a hotbed of immorality, corruption, and rank materialism (Aslam, 2017). The Summoner fully signify the hypocrisy and moral decay that had crept into the Church. As Chaucer described in the prologue that the Summoner had used his position for his own profits, and he would gladly accept a bribe "for in his purs he sholde ypunysshed be." Equally, because of his position, he was capable of blackmailing, especially the young members of the church for he knew all their secrets, and could thus make them do anything he wished, “And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed.” It is ironical how such a foul man could have been entrusted in the task of bringing sinners to justice. In spite of his position in the church the Summoner 's actions were motivated by greed or lust, “As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe.” Chaucer has also given the summoner some personal touches like “fyr-reed cherubynnes face”, “visage children were aferd”, “loved he garleek,oynons” and “gentil