Use Of Irony In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales is a series of stories told from the view of different characters. Chaucer uses irony to describe how characters from different social rankings are not defined by their positions and jobs but by their hearts. In the “Wife of Bath’s Tale” the Wife does not let the label of “wife” guide her actions. During this time, wives were inferior to their husbands and tended to stay home because they were dependent on others. However, the Wife of Bath is described in the prologue as being independent because she travels on her own and “[knows] much of wandering by the way” (467). In her tale, the wife says, “women most desire… sovereignty/ [over] their husbands or the ones they love” (1038-1039). Based on her label as wife, readers

In addition, a pardoner during this time was a licensed person who sold pardons or relics from the church. Although the Pardoner sold relics, he was in it for the money as the relics that the pardoner sold were phony. Like the friar, the Pardoner is a church official who “[preaches], and not with an awkward tongue” about the importance of staying away from materialism, while he does not follow his own sermon (712). The Pardoner follows his heart when he choses to be materialistic and not follow his own teaching. In general then, Chaucer seems to suggesting through these ironic characters that one’s position in life does not necessarily decide how the person will act. The Friar and the Pardoner are examples of how being associated with the church does not always mean that the person lives a life without sins. Also, the Wife of Bath is an example of how someone can be told to live a life but follow her desires for the better. Chaucer uses different characters to demonstrate how someone’s position in life will not declare what the person wants and how they