Superlative

Our last class together we put a Canterbury Tales superlative together, and got me thinking about all the different characters and text we read this semester. So, I made a list of different rankings I had for some of the characters and text. I'm only going to do a few since this could be a really long post other wise.

My Favorite Tales

3.) The Nun's Priest's Tale - I originally hated this story, but this was one where class discussion helped it come along way, and for me that means it became my top three favorite tales this semester. This was surprising to me because I generally do not like stories about animals, but the complexity and the layers to this tale with being able to relate it to political stations, and comparing the tale to the actual book, made tho particular tale fascinating for me.

2.) The Wife of Bath's Tale - Interestingly enough, I was not as amazed by her as I think many people were (especially in my Brit Lit class), but I did love her story, and I thought it was a great representation of her. I thought her story was well told, and interesting, and include elements like quests and magic, with a moral lesson for the knight. I believe this represents the Wife Bath well because she wan;t looking for power in her marriages, but equality, and that is what the old woman got from her husband the knight before she turned into a beautiful maiden.

1.) My Top Favorite Tale: The Pardoner's Tale - I loved this tale. One idea, I stumbled on between this class and my Magic in the Middle Ages class, is death cannot be cheated and there is a balance to life. For this class reading a Pardoner's Tale reminds me of that, and seems to be the tale that lays the framework down for other fairytales and folklore.

Characters

The Most Disliked:
There were many villains in The Canterbury Tales, in fact one tale just list demons, but when I think of who I dislike most, I cannot help it. It is still the Knight from "the Wife of Bath's Tale". I tried after the classroom discussion, to like him, but I just can't. There was not no consequence from any behavior, and he only had a brief moment of revelation. His action would need to prove himself as a worthy person.

Influential Female Characters

2.) Alison - from "The Miller's Tale"- this girl is extremely influential, much like a puppet master in my opinion. She is the only one in her tale that came out without any serious consequences for her part.

1.) The Wife of Bath is the most influential female character, and possibly the most important in the story. She knows how to be in control of her life and her situation, and use the law to her benefit.

The Most Virtuous Character
2.) Custaunce - from "the Man of Law's Tale" - This girl is shipped place to place, and faces picture perfect definitions of "Monster-In-Laws", and she still remains patient.

1.) Griselda - from "The Clerk's Tale"- She is clearly he winner for the model of virtue, even though she's patient to a fault. Walter tries to mentally torture her to prove her loyalty, and she remains virtuous through all being obedient to her husband even though his behavior towards her is terrible.


My least favorite tales…..
They're tied; "The Canon's Yeman's Tale" and "The Tale of Melibee". Both of these tales just took a long time to move forward. In "The Canon's Yeman's Tale", it felt like the narrator was explaining how  the processes didn't work. I understand the significance to the process, it was just difficult to read. And as discussed in class "The Tale of Melibee"was difficult to read because of all the scripture to read.