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Social Classes In The Canterbury Tales

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In the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer wrote about the difference between the social classes and how they are corrupted. Chaucer did this through each of the characters introduced in the General Prologue. Some of the characters he uses to show this are the squire, the monk, the sergeant of the law, the doctor, and skipper.

Chaucer first shows the flaws of society with the upper class with characters like the monk and the squire. The squire’s appearance is one of great honor. He wears nice clothes and is in training to be a knight, one of the most noble jobs in the kingdom. However, he is not so noble. At night the squire like meeting up with lady friends and having a good ole time with them. He is way too focused on the women to stay concentrated …show more content…

First, the sergeant of law is described as one of the best lawyers in the land. He dresses simply and tries not to draw attention. However though, he avoids eye contact with everybody, and is always trying to look busy. The sergeant seems like he is fake. Then there is the doctor. Chaucer first describes the doctor as the best in the land and can cure anything. Later on chaucer says that the doctor isn 't so much a doctor but more of a scam artist. The doctor is one of the more greedy characters in the story and has a friend tell people they 're sick so they buy charms from him. Finally, Chaucer shows the flaws of the lower class with characters like the skipper. First the skipper is noted as smart and well-skilled.but soon he is described as a pirate. The skipper wears a wool coat, dagger, and a beard. The skipper is noted as being ruthless and heartless, having no morals. Basically the skipper does whatever he needs to do to survive and keep going.

In conclusion, in the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer wrote about the difference between the social classes and how they are corrupted. Chaucer did this through each of the characters introduced in the General Prologue. Some of the characters he uses to show this are the squire, the monk, the sergeant of the law, the doctor, and

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