The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer

Essay by penguin78High School, 12th gradeA-, June 2009

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In the novel The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, the tales were told to amuse each other while travelling on their pilgrimage. Most of the tales consist of relationships and the courtly love. Although most of these tales have love in common, a few have female characters that are objectified. In "The Merchant's Tale", "The Miller's Tale", and "the Franklin's Tale" they all have female characters that are objectified, but in many different ways. Some are objectified in a passive way and some in an active way. When it comes to passive, the female doesnt have any emotion towards their significant other, and when it comes to active, they do.

In "the Merchant's Tale", Januarie, a 60 year old man desided that he wanted to get married, to a teenage girl named May. May agrees to the marrage because he is rich and when he dies she will inherit the money.

As soon as Januarie confessed his love for her she desided that she wanted to have sex with him. Shortly after, Januarie loses his sight, guessing because of his old age. As soon as May found out Januarie was blind she started to take advantage of him. Since he could not see what she was doing she decided to cheat on him with his very own squire, Damien. Then one day when januarie takes May out to the garden that he made for her hoping for a little action of his own. May lies to January about the whole cheating insident, as she continued to tell him that he was hallucinating about the whole thing and how dare he acuse her of such a sin. This act of passive is indicating that she has no reall emotion or feelings towards her husband. May is...