Monday, February 24, 2014
Wait a minute...
While reading the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, we learned and examined about a character's physiognomy which is defined as a person's facial features or expression, esp. when regarded as indicative of character or ethnic origin. While listening to other people present their projects and while I examined my own character, I thought "isn't this what we're taught NOT to do?" because I know everybody has gotten the "Don't judge a book by it's cover" cliche thrown at them more than once, but this is what Chaucer is doing! He is telling us about each pilgrim and telling what they are or what he thinks they are and the type of person they are based on their outward appearance! I'm not criticizing Chaucer because he's using this sort of "judging" as a literary device to depict what's wrong with society in some cases, but it's funny that he gets credited for something most of us were taught not to do! :)
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The characters remind me of caricatures. All of the characters are people with exaggerated appearances and personality traits. I think it is Chaucer using satire through physiognomy, if that's possible ... Like you said, judging people by their appearance isn't cool.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading The Canterbury Tales, I also couldn't help but think how, like you said we are taught not to judge a book by its cover, yet that is what Chaucer seems to be doing. Because the Wife of bathe was dressed a certain way and wore a lot of read she was automatically seen as promiscuous women. I had to keep reminding myself that this was Chaucer's way of showing a picture of society and the kinds of people in England you would meet during this time.
ReplyDeleteGood point Brianne, I think its easy for people to judge a book by its cover because it is the first thing we notice about a person. You physically see them before you speak to them in depth and learn about what kind of person they are. Chaucer I think wants people to see the characters for what they are, before you get caught up in their lies.
ReplyDeleteContrary to what we're taught people will always make assuptions based on our physical apperance. Brianne argues a valid point that I didn't realize while studying the physignomy of the pilgrims. Thanks Bri!
ReplyDeleteWow! That is so interesting. I did not think of this when I read the Canterbury. I believe that's why a "first impression" is so important. A person has a sense of who you are by the way you present yourself. But it makes sense for him to critize the nun who is focusing so much on trying to be a classy French women, than doing her duty as a nun. Thank you for the blog it defiantly was food for my brain :)
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