Geoffrey Chaucer
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Geoffrey Chaucer's use of irony can be seen in his writings pertaining to The Canterbury Tales. One sees Chaucer's use of irony in the selection of his characters and in his presentation of their descriptions and in their tales. The stories reveal much about the narrators and the times (fourteenth century medieval England) and serve as links between the stories and the storytellers themselves. Here again one sees Chaucer's irony. He wants the reader to see the tension between what he is saying and how these characters should be behaving.
Among his pilgrims Chaucer has those belonging to the medieval church (The Roman Catholic Church). There is the Parson, the Summoner, the Monk, the Prioress, the Friar, the Pardoner and the clerk. These are the people expected to set examples for others. Yet, the Prioress loved her cats, not humanity, had beautiful and expensive clothes and jewelry, and admired her own beauty. All these traits were to be sacrificed in vows to love the church...