The Knight And The Nun In Canterbury Tales - 742 Words

Comparing the Knight and the Nun in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales The Knight and the Nun are two significant pilgrims in Geoffrey Chaucer’s famous poem The Canterbury Tales. The Knight is respected by many and his main job was to defeat enemies successfully. The Nun had a lower social position than the Knight and her overall job was to praise the Lord and serve others. While the Knight appears to be a more respected pilgrim in comparison to the Nun, Chaucer uses both of the characters to contribute to the overall theme of humankind’s tendency to strive to be accepted and respected by their peers. While the Knight is true to his character and is honest throughout the poem, it is apparent that the Nun tries to act like somebody she is not†¦show more content†¦The Nun is not viewed in the same light, and as a result she wishes to gain the respect of others. The Nun is described as â€Å"a counterfeit of a courtly kind of grace† (Chaucer 148.143). The author views her as a fraud of courtliness because although she possesses a low position in society as a nun, she tries to act in a worldly fashion. Chaucer uses both of these pilgrims to contribute to the overall theme of one’s need to be liked by others by showing how the Nun goes out of her way to look sophisticated to gain others’ respect and fondness of her. Although the Nun holds a lower position in society than the Knight, she tries to act similarly to the Knight by attempting to show good manners and a sophisticated attitude. Chaucer writes that the Knight is â€Å"ever honored for his noble graces† (Chaucer 146.50), demonstrating how the sophisticated way the Knight acts results in him being liked and honored by many. Chaucer describes the Nun’s usage of manners by writing â€Å"no morsel from her lips did she let fall† (Chaucer 148.132). Here, it is made apparent that the Nun did her best to act in an experienced, worldly manner, even though at the time it was unusual for a nun and a knight to have similar manners due to the large hiatus between their positions in the social hierarchy. Chaucer uses both of these characters’ manners to contribute to the overall theme of The Canterbury Tales by giving a specific example ofShow MoreRelatedThe Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer Essay1115 Words   |  5 Pa ges The Canterbury Tales is a set of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the fourteenth century. The stories were told by a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury Cathedral, in hopes to see a shrine of Saint Thomas Becket. To make time go by the host recommended each pilgrim tell a tale. The tale that each character gives, reveals that person’s background and life. Some pilgrims matched their stereotype of that time but most do not. 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