Essay about What it Really Means to be Noble in the...

The franklins tale raises issues about what it really means to be noble Consider how this tale forms an examination of the values that held medieval society together and how this is subtly questioned by Chaucer. INTRODUCTION Chaucer raised many questions through the Canterbury Tales dealing with events of the time including marriage, a woman’s place in the world and changing attitudes. In the Franklins tale the most prominent issue he raises is to deal with what it means to be noble. Chaucer is questioning the social class system throughout England in Medieval society and raises many questions for the reader about it. To be a noble in Chaucer’s time you had to be born into nobility. To be a noble meant you were able to†¦show more content†¦The Franklin is not aristocratic, but rather a member of a newly emerging class of landowners who aspire to the aristocracy, but are not high born. It is evident the Franklin would like to be a real knight. Chaucer shows this by choosing to make the Franklin rather self conscious and insecure. It becomes clear that the Franklin is obsessive by the notion of gentillesses. As the prologue begins the Franklin apologies for the fact that he is uneducated and a plain speaking man who is unaccustomed in the art of public speaking. However, I believe this to be a pun. It is a contradiction and he is just toying with the so called nobles. The Franklin actually displays extensive learning in the introduction, citing numerous classical references. The Franklin effusively praises the squires’ scholarship and affected language. This is also another sly joke, because although the squire can go on to be a noble and have gentille qualities, his tale is bogged down in rhetoric language. The Franklin knows he is mastered in the art of speech and rhetoric language and this is. Another indication as to how Chaucer feels that gentillesse should be acquired rather than heredited. Marriage is another major theme throughout the Franklins tale. During the middle ages many changes were taking place. For example in 1388 while Chaucer was working on the tales, a change occurred in the way that Christianity was perceived and practiced. When John Wycliffe,Show MoreRelatedThe Wife of Bath from Geoffrey Chaucers Canterbury Tales Essay592 Words   |  3 PagesChaucers Canterbury Tales In Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, a collection of tales is presented during a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral. The pilgrims on the journey are from divergent economic and social backgrounds but they have all amalgamated to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas. Chaucer uses each pilgrim to tell a tale which portrays an arduous medieval society. The values, morals and social structures of the society can be examined through the fictitious tales, unravellingRead MoreEssay on the Knights Tale1622 Words   |  7 PagesQuestions The Knights Tale. 1. 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