The Paradox Of Chaucer's Marriage Ethics In Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?-1400) was the "father of English poetry" and he was one of the greatest narrative poets of England. In Canterbury Tales, one of the most famous works in all literature, Chaucer has given us a picture of contemporary English life, its work and play, its deeds and dreams, its fun and sympathy and hearty joy of living such as no other single work of literature has ever equaled. There are 15 stories concerned the marriage and the conjugal relationship in Canterbury Tales, Those stories has reflected the marital status of Britain society in the Middle Age and the author's attitudes toward love, marriage, women's status, etc.Focused on the marriage stories, this thesis analyses the conjugal relationship in Canterbury Tales, points out that paradox is the most important character of Chaucer's marriage ethics, and delineates the social and cultural background of the paradox. On the one hand, Chaucer criticized the marriage in men's society at his time;on the other hand, his ideal marriage in Canterbury Tales also was influenced by the view that men were superior to women. There are many different views about marriage in the poem, but each view was questioned, even negated by the openness of the framework of the poem and the structure of the dialogue, because each view was determined by the unique social and cultural background at Chaucer's time. Chaucer lived in a time which was strong on morality, and he himself insisted on the traditional faith that super natural power participated daily life, while his work seldom shortened of respect for individual intelligence, liberation, justice and humanity spirit. Influenced by the thought of humanism, Chaucer showed much concern of the different situations in real life, praised the sanctification of love and marriage. But Chaucer was also influenced by the ethics of feudal society and Christianity, so he was afraid that the love to the real life would affect his struggle for immortality. That is the reason why paradox is the most important character of Chaucer's marriage ethics. Though both the Christianity ethics and the feudal ideas influenced Chaucer, Italian Humanism provided guidance for him and enabled him to break the medieval bondage and became the great forerunner of British Renaissance. Chaucer serves as a historical connecting bridge between the medieval Britain and Renaissance.