1. WOMEN IN THE GENERAL PROLOGUE OF CANTERBURY TALES
... But to speak of her tender feelings: she was so charitable and so full of pity that she would weep if she saw a mouse caught in a trap and dead or bleeding. Here Chaucer criticizes her foolish sentimentality over the sight of a dead mouse. This behavior contradicts the sophisticated and ... drinking, which is clearly not her true nature, but is conformity to the rules of etiquette. Through this paradox Chaucer satirizes the manners of women. On the outside they appear poised and elegant in compliance with the convention of the times, but their genuine disposition is the complete opposit...
- Word Count: 1279
- Approx Pages: 5
- Grade Level: Undergraduate