Chaucer's view of fourteenth century English chivalry as seen through The Canterbury tales and through the contemporary socio-political viewpoint of the Hundred Years War : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

摘要

This thesis is a discussion of how Geoffrey Chaucer uses four of his Canterbury Tales to show how the Hundred Years War brought a decline to the chivalric values of fourteenth century England. This paper explains how Chaucer uses the public opinion of his day to describe the feelings of the war with France as an influence to the king. It will explain how Chaucer uses satire in the "Knight's Tale" to show how knighthood had become mercenary and had lost all of it chivalric flavor. He continues with the "Squire's Tale" to explain how the exotic East had influenced the young men hoping to become knights. Finally, this thesis will discuss how Chaucer makes a plea for peace with France through the "Tale of Sir Thopas" and through the "Tale of Melibee."