Honesty and Humor in The Canterbury Tales

“Here begins the book of the Tales of Canterbury…” The Canterbury Tales is full of intrigue and sheds light on the life and times of the Middle Ages. These were times where hierarchy, feudalism, and chivalry were in effect. The tale is of twenty-nine individuals who set out on a pilgrimage and happen to chance upon each other by Tabard Inn. The Host of the inn and narrator of the story proposes that each person tell two tales on the pilgrimage to Canterbury.

In the prologue, Chaucer takes this opportunity “…to inform you of the state of every one of all of these, as it appeared to me, and who they were, and what was their degree, and even how arrayed there at the inn…” In other words, Chaucer describes each character’s personality and dress with imagery and true honesty.

Chaucer’s ability to capture each character with fairness and in a humorous way, allows us to see the true light of each individual and creates an almost tangible image of each personality. There were twenty-nine characters, each individual so different from the other with individual strengths and flaws. Chaucer’s honesty gives us the ability to see the character as a whole and their full character and dynamics are brought out. By using humor, Chaucer indicates to the characters flaws but does not show them as a negative, rather as a fact. The reason being that the purpose of humor in Chaucer's poem is not to hurt others, but just to enlighten and illustrate who and what they are. Pinpointing on Chaucer’s ability to integrate humor and honesty, there are few descriptions of different characters which bring these traits.

That being said, there are three particular individuals which the host describes in detail and humor. These three individuals are the Squire, the Merchant and the Wife of Bath. Each so different and unique, yet, share that same humorous way of description regarding their flaws and not such straight ways.

For starters, there is the young Squire, son of the knight. This character is young, handsome, strong, and talented, yet, all his energies are focused on getting the ladies attention. He is a real lady’s man. In the description, he is defined as “a lover and a lusty bachelor.” Chaucer describes in detail all the squire’s strengths, yet with humor he brings out the negative aspect of how he is using these strengths. Rather than using them to help the people or his country like his father, he uses it to get women’s attention, as he states, “…and borne him well within that little space in hope to win thereby his lady's grace.” In other words, all the strengths and talents he possesses is used just to win over the women. Chaucer ends off his description of the Squire with “So hot he loved that, while night told her tale, he slept no more than does a nightingale. courteous he, and humble, willing and able, and carved before his father at the table.” This line is almost comical. This is the son of a prestigious and honorable knight whose strengths and courtesy were used to fight for his lord, yet his son, who is “carving before his father at the same table”, focuses all his strength and everything he possesses from his father on getting his maiden. Chaucer’s ability to pinpoint the negative in a more humorous way, brought this point across.

The next character who is described in the same humorous manner is the Merchant. He is described as someone dressed very up to date. He has a “forked beard, and girt in motley gown, and high on horse he sat, upon his head a Flemish beaver hat; his boots were fastened rather elegantly.” This way of dress was of the current fashion at that time. However, although he appears wealthy and prosperous, we know that the Merchant is actually very much in debt and the only way he keeps on going is by borrowing money, which, in medieval England, to be in debt was a sign of weak morals. As the description of the Merchant continues on, Chaucer’s humor was point-on when he tells us that the Merchant was a 'worthy man withal,' which obviously is not the case.

Finally, there is the Wife of Bath who is a bold and free-spirited as described, “bold was her face, and fair, and red of hue.” We see that she is free-spirited by the fact that she traveled the world as described “three times she'd journeyed to Jerusalem; and many a foreign stream she'd had to stem; at Rome she'd been, and she'd been in Boulogne, in Spain at Santiago, and at Cologne.” Additionally, we see more of her “free-spirited” nature from her many affairs before and after her five husbands. Chaucer describes this horrible trait in such a humorous way by creating a sort of oxymoron. He described this trait as “she'd been respectable throughout her life, with five churched husbands bringing joy and strife, not counting other company in youth; but thereof there's no need to speak, in truth.” (Every time I read this line I laugh so hard) He starts off saying how she is “respectable” and then continues to state her marital status. The irony is blatant and clear, yet rather than it said in a harmful or mean way, it was turned into a merely humorous fact.

This way of characterization is a lesson for life. Honesty and humor are very much correlated. In life, there will be many people with flaws, yet if we point out negatives in a harsh manner, we are burning bridges and creating enemies. The way Chaucer is able to pinpoint both positive and negative in such a way that the characters themselves could read the negatives, laugh and readily agree. This is a huge advantage with people skills and throughout life. With this attitude and by adding humor to our lives, we can take any negatives aspects and just turn them into a more humorous fact.

In life there will be many different personalities, with many strengths and imperfections; no one is perfect. But if we take this lesson of humor and apply it to life, we can view each and every individual in a different and more positive light. Sometimes we say things to people that may seem to be beating around the bush in order not to create enemies or hurt people’s feelings. But, at the end of the day, people want to hear the truth and by learning how to apply Chaucer’s method of implementing humor and truth into everyday life, we can speak in a way that will not offend people while speaking truth. At the end of the day what matters is that 'it's not enough to speak, but to speak true.'