Diction in The Canterbury Tales
Chaucer demonstrates his mastery of both language and diction throughout his work, The Canterbury Tales. Through use of these elements Chaucer successfully expresses more about a character or situation, by simply writing less. At first glance this appears to be somewhat of an oxymoron, however through intentional exclusion of certain superfluous words and inclusion of other essential words Chaucer is able to portray, in great detail, all of his contemporaries. The portrayals of these characters often show scorn, which at times can be quite scything. Few members escape the satirical views Chaucer held above the hierarchy present during his time. By examining Chaucer's use of both language and diction the reader is also able to examine Chaucer's views on the clergy, urban class, and feudal society.
One would expect Chaucer description of the clergy to be moderate and only slightly sarcastic, however quite nearly the opposite is true. Religion during Chaucer's time was the single means by which one could rise through the social caste. Thus there was much corruption and hypocrisy throughout the church. Chaucer, able to observe this from his position in the court, fiercely opposed such dishonorable acts. For example, when one examines the description of the nun he finds both harshness and irony. One expects a nun to be both humble and living in poverty, but this is not the case. Chaucer immediately begins describing her as coy, dainty, and elegant; scarcely adjectives one would expect to see in the description of a woman of the cloth. Not until half the passage is over, in the lines As for her sympathies and tender feelings,/ She was so charitably solicitous (Chaucer 7), does Chaucer finally uses adjectives such as tender and charitable in her description. However, these adjectives are only in reference to the nun's actions towards mice and dogs. The placement of such descriptions is also important; their placement toward the end of the passage displays their lack of significance in the portrayal of the nun. Here it is also important to point out the lack adjectives one would commonly associate with a nun. In using this method Chaucer successfully remarks more about the nun without actually writing it. Chaucer goes on to describe both the monk and the friar in similar style, therefore showing his overall disgust with the status of the clergy. Chaucer's descriptions in the prologue clearly reveal his disdain of the clergy, but also do much to describe his view of the urban class.
The urban class consisted of many individuals whom constituted the rising middle class. Throughout the prologue it becomes clear that members of this class are harsh and unrefined. In the description of the miller Chaucer describes him as stout, knotty, and a buffoon (18); all adjectives associated with a barbarian. Chaucer's description of him is primarily focussed around his physical attributes. Chaucer boasts the miller's strength in the following line: He could heave any door off hinge and post,/ Or take a run and break it with his head (18). This is clearly not the description of an intelligent human being. When focusing on the miller's beard Chaucer's description becomes very sharp:
And broad as well, as though it were a spade;
And, at its very tip, his nose displayed
A wart on which there stood a tuft of hair? (18)
By using such sharp language the reader gains a precise and accurate portrait of the miller's appearance. Chaucer then goes on to relate the miller's fondness of telling "filthy" tavern's tales and boasting of his "master-hand" at stealing grain. Examining the miller and other members of the urban caste makes it apparent that many were unrefined, this however is completely opposite of the feudal caste.
The prologue actually begins with the description of the knight. This is not unusual for the knight is of the feudal class, the highest level in the caste system. It is not surprising then that reader sees a noble description of the knight. Chaucer immediately begins to sing the knights praises in the following lines: ?To ride abroad had followed chivalry,/ Truth, honor, generousness and courtesy (4). The reader then continued to be told of the knight's valor in battle, and of his travels abroad fighting for Christianity. Nearing the end of the passage Chaucer then goes on to describe him as wise, modest, and even the perfect gentle-knight (4). It is quite clear that Chaucer has much respect for the knight and his caste. This too is not surprising for they represent the ideals of the medieval period. By strategically placing dignified descriptive adjectives throughout the description of the knight the reader is given the impression that the knight is perfect. Through Chaucer's mastery and utilization of both language and diction the reader is given a beautiful description of the noble knight.
Chaucer is a master of literature. His work is quite humorous, although sometime only subtly. By conquering the arts of language and diction Chaucer successfully wrote the greatest satire of his time. Not only is his work appreciated by the general population, but also by scholar. As one reads, and rereads his work, minute details and descriptions become significant attributes to character development. Chaucer purposely chose his words when writing The Canterbury Tales, and therefore it can be expected to be very rich in irony, satire, and wit. Without Chaucer's use of language and diction what the world knows as The Canterbury Tales would surely be much less interesting.