Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is a story told through framed narrative. Due to it's structure, the story allows for an endless amount of different interpretations varying from reader to reader. Because of this, the story has lived on for generations. It explores the theme of irony as it's characters contradict themselves in variety of ways. This idea is stressed even further into reality's own society. Society sets its standards of what is to be considered normal as oppose to abnormal amongst it's people. Chaucer's use of juxtaposition, irony, and characterization blend to make the perfect story of human nature revealing common flaws among us all.
We all try so hard to fit in with our peers. Why? we live in a work that stresses uniqueness and originality, and yet when we feel outcasted, we change who we are to find belonging. The characters in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales are all not only contradicting, but all try to impress the group through their stories. Now, on the reverse, we see the story through the eyes of the narrator. This becomes an important aspect to the story. He symbolizes the opposite, he is neutral in the fight and does not try to be someone he is not, and does not try to stand alone, but instead is accepting of all. This connects back to society in every way. We have the "popular" ones, the outcasts trying to fit in, and the people in between. The idea of this social ladder is portrayed within Chaucer's characters and their strong characterization.
The Canterbury Tales are a prime example of irony. From the character's, to their actions, to their won tales. This story is drenched in irony. Consider the chef. He is obese, oily, gross, and not the person you want handling your food; And yet he is a cook! A closer look at the miller reveals that he is greedy, a thief, and shrewd. But yet he is producing grain to be shared. Also, the Knight, he is the symbol of honor. But yet he is at times cowardly and without confidence. The biggest truth of life is that even it is filled with irony. When we think of a fulfilled life, we think of love, happiness, and success. Such vague definitions for such idolized things! And more importantly, just like Canterbury Tales, irony can be found in all of them. Life is ironic.
If you take away the humorous tales the characters tell, your left with the root of the plot; A journey. Well, life is also one big journey. Chaucer's characters one by one are all on a journey, metaphorically and literally. They are all literally going somewhere for a common purpose, but they are all individually living for a purpose. Whether it be to just die later, to find success or happiness, or to just get through the days. Everyone and everything has a purpose one was or another. Any person you see out on the street is living proof of this theme. From students attending college, to adults getting careers, to the elderly finding a place to settle down at last. Life is a competition from person to person, but take all these people and put them together and they will all have a journey. Now look at how each individual lives, now they have a purpose. Life is about finding a purpose, finding meaning, the journey is what we all take to find it.
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales explores the dark and bright side of human nature. The dark being the search for acceptance and belonging. The light being the finding of purpose and meaning. And it's all done through a journey. The Canterbury's characters model this very journey. Due to its framed narrative perspective we are able to draw connections from a neutral standpoint as if we are in the story ourself. We are no different than the character's in Chaucer's story. The social ladder, irony, and human nature are in all of us. We are all just along for the journey that is life.
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