my maid of honor speech for my sisters wedding!
14 years ago
Thursday, November 6, 2008
All Humanity Runs Through Its Pages...
Nevill Coghill argues that Chaucer's General Prologue "is the concise portrait of an entire nation, high and low, old and young, male and female, lay and clerical , learned and ignorant, rogue and righteous, land and sea, town and country, but without extremes." He continues that "apart from the stunning clarity...of the characters presented, the most noticeable thing about them is their normality." Of all of his characters presented -- from the Prioress to the Wife of Bath, from the Merchant to the Parson, from the Knight to the Miller -- which character do you most relate to? Explain why this character is the truest to your own humanity.
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The character that I most relate to is the Squire. He is described as an optimist, ambitious, serviceable being, which I believe represents me. He seems very innocent at his youthful age, not corrupted like the others, and doesn’t seem to mind other people’s business. He is happy at youth, a romantic, and on his way into becoming a knight like his dad. He is obedient and helpful to his father, and he seems like he hasn’t gone through many hardships in life yet. The narrator doesn’t mention a lot about his life’s history, but his life seems almost one-dimensional because the narrator only lists the things that he enjoys doing and his youthfulness. The squire only does what he loves to do, which is like me. He appears to have a love for music, art, and writing, which I enjoy doing on my spare time. We have a lot of similarities based on our limited experiences in life and our immeasurable aspirations in life. He seems like he has already chosen the path he will lead his adult years into, and has prepared himself into becoming what he wants to be: a knight. I am like that, I usually have everything pre-determined before I make my own decisions. I am always prepared in whatever I do, I don’t like getting behind, I always want to have my next movement in life already determined. I am one of those people who focus too much on the future that I miss out on everything that is going on around me. I don’t consider opening my eyes at what’s in front of me at that moment but I do consider opening my eyes at the next step I take afterwards. That’s what I depict the squire’s personality to be because he has borne himself well into becoming a gentleman who has the sense to know what he aspires in the future. He is learned, privileged, and righteous. Based on what the narrator knows about him, he hasn’t done anything wrongful that would consider him to be one of the immoral, corrupted beings in society. He is privileged because he is youthful and blameless. He is educated because of his talent and the way he courteously presents himself. I have done many mistakes in life, but I at least have admitted them instead of ignoring them to myself and to others. In my opinion, ignoring a mistake is a immoral, corrupted act to do. Therefore, I consider myself a sinless and blameless person who is still young, and I am still learning my way through life and considering new obstacles that might bring me down or up. The squire’s personality seems to have some very feminine characteristics to him because the narrator describes how “he knew how to sit his horse well, and ride beautifully;”. It seems like he is very proper and gracious with his movements, which is sort of advancing his own youthful self into maturity. I consider myself to be a little more mature than my age because I am very well-mannered and I am very keen at every move I make or at every word I say. I like studying at everything that is being taught to me, I even make time to put thought to it. And I present myself amiably to others in a very respectful manner. Therefore, the squire’s nobility to care for others, devotion in what he aspires and righteous behavior, mirrors the type of person I truly am.
I have to agree with Marvi to a certain extent. I can’t pick just one character because I’m not completely like them. But I would say that I mostly relate to the Squire and the Plowman for different reasons. The Squire is portrayed as an optimistic and ambitious person, which represents me. Also, he seems to love writing, art and music, which is basically my life. It says in the book that he is very kind and serviceable to his father. Whenever I have the time to, I help out my parents with the daily chores as well. He also doesn’t seem like he has been through many difficult times in his life, because he is young. This relates to me since I am also young and haven’t experienced much in life. On the other hand, I have to say that I relate to the Plowman mostly because of his good heart and Christian life. I am also a Christian who tries to lead a good life but I do make mistakes and learn from them everyday. Additionally, I go to church every Sunday and pray everyday. In the book it also says that he loves his neighbor as himself. Similarly, I don’t hate anyone nor do I have any enemies. Therefore, the Squire’s optimistic and ambitious personality, his love for the arts, and the Plowman’s good heart and Christian life reflect my true self.
It is very difficult to do so, but if I were to choose one character from the General Prologue that I most relate to, it would most likely be the Prioress. Although she is a member of the church, she is one of the few characters described to not be corrupt. However, as we discussed in class, her religious piety is never mentioned in the prologue. Instead, the narrator dwells over her laborious dedication to achieving perfect etiquette. She is said to be young, and it can be inferred from her wearing of a medallion that reads “Love Conquers All” that she believes in love. She also weeps whenever she sees an injured beast.
I am usually blissfully oblivious to the negative goings on around me and (try) to refrain from entering in any sort of “corrupt dealings”, although I have to admit to being guilty of enjoying listening to stories about my peers. In that regards, she and I are both naïve about dishonesty in our lives. (Although it is not explicitly stated that she doesn’t notice the badness around her, I am going to draw that assumption. Muahaha. -maniacal cackle-) I also tend to be a hopeless romantic and believe that if ever love is true, it will always prevail. When I see an “injured beast”, I won’t go so far as to weep, but I often do feel bad. My emotions are more heavily concentrated towards people than animals, however, and I would feel much worse if I were to see a wailing child with a broken arm than a cat that was squirted with water for misbehavior.
I believe our greatest similarity is our love of etiquette, or, more specifically, looking good in the public eye. I strive to be a respected member of the community instead of one that is looked poorly upon, and try my hardest to do well in school and interact appropriately in social settings. I tend to have a pathological fear that I am not well liked and that whatever I do is not good enough, and so, I just try even harder to do well. My main goal is to achieve “greatness” – whatever “greatness “ is (where is Mr. Concannon when you need him to define a word?). As such, the prioress and I both seem to have unhealthy obsessions with people perceive us. However, when I mess up, I acknowledge my mistakes and just try to fix them. On the other hand, I got the impression that she would throw a hissy fit if she accidentally let a drop of grease land upon her breast and “weep”.
You know what? I'm not going to sit here and tell you why i'm such a good person and how i am so open-minded and try to be good and I'm a true catholic and blah blah blah blah blah. no offense, but who wants to read that? yeah i do try to BE all those things, but come on really... Those characteristics don't make me the person i am. I can't be catorgized. I'm not wallpaper.
Our group is doing the Pardoner and the story is very intense. It really put things into perpective for me. And that's why i think i am most like the Pardoner.
Quick question: have any of you ever felt like you were completely alone in some belief and then out of the blue you read something and your heart races and you start getting all excited and you're like "THATS EXACTLY WHAT I THINK!"
its like you know him or something.
well thats what happened with me when i read the Prologue... now im being totally serious when i say this so dont laugh.. (well you can cuz i cant see you..) but i AM that one person that's going to grow up and go their entire life without drinking. I am that one person that will be at church (under most circumstances) every sunday. Those are two things i can promise you. and those are two of his focal points. I could pick one of the depressed characters and go on an on how my life is really difficult compared to most people, but why depress you? that's not accomplishing anything.
Having faith in God and how drinking kills. yeah sure he focuses on gambling too but i cant really talk about that (we all know im such a gamblahoic.. lol).
I didn't always have faith in God, and yeah sometimes i question Him, but that's what happens when you seem like you're falling off the edge of the earth. that's what happens when you are lonely. but i learned you aren't. (sorry for going all Catholic) With faith you are never alone. and i did learn that. and that's why i sing in the choir (the Pardoner also sang, aka connection), and that't why ill walk to church and sit in the pew all by myself. that's where i find my hope.
gambling, greed, and yes wine kill the members in our tale. wine. beer. it's all alcohol. The Pardoner even quotes this person Senaca who says there is "no difference b/w a man who is out of his mind and one who is drunk, except that madness, occuring in an ill-natured man, lasts longer than drunkenness does". It's right there people! Now I'm not going to spill my guts out to you and tell you my reasons, but you can trust me that i won't ever do it. and if you really want to know why then ask but be prepared for a novel..
i cant promise that ill always be an optimist. nor maintain good etiquete. nor excellent. nor truthful. nor anything for that matter. my humanity can't be based on simple descriptions. you don't know me if i tell you i'm happy just like you don't know if a car works if it says "really works" in the window. My humanity is based on belief. it's based upon passion. it's based on faith. it is based on me, Katie D.
In my opinion none of the characters truly fit me exactly because of the way morals and ideals have changed but if I had to pick one person that i feel seems the most like me it would be the plowman or shipman. Neither man is perfect and I also have my flaws. Characters such as the Prioress seem to perfect which is not me. I am however, good hearted and have good intentions similar to the plowman and sometimes the shipman. Both characters seem to have a past that may not be squeaky clean but that makes them all the more human. Of the two I think that the plowman is the "better" or less evil but both are no where near as bad as the monk. Therefor I am in the middle with the plowman just working hard and living life.
Based on my current status as a student and not to sound to full of myself with good deeds, I would have to say that the character that I relate to the most is the Clerk. While not a character with much depth, I believe that his situation and mine coincide. This is because the Clerk is a student of learning, thus we both go to school. It is said that he dresses poorly because he spends all of his money on books. I can relate because I don't care much for fashion and I feel like I am spending all my cash on school projects. And who doesn't like to go on a shopping spree in Barnes & Nobles? Though it is said that he is wise, I know that I do not have enough experience in life to make such a claim.
The Clerk seems to be the truest to my own humanity, however scarce the description is. However, at this stage of life, I don't think anyone can make an accurate judgment about their character. Plus, no one likes to admit their flaws.
Based on my current status as a student and not to sound to full of myself with good deeds, I would have to say that the character that I relate to the most is the Clerk. While not a character with much depth, I believe that his situation and mine coincide. This is because the Clerk is a student of learning, thus we both go to school. It is said that he dresses poorly because he spends all of his money on books. I can relate because I don't care much for fashion and I feel like I am spending all my cash on school projects. And who doesn't like to go on a shopping spree in Barnes & Nobles? Though it is said that he is wise, I know that I do not have enough experience in life to make such a claim.
The Clerk seems to be the truest to my own humanity, however scarce the description is. However, at this stage of life, I don't think anyone can make an accurate judgment about their character. Plus, no one likes to admit their flaws.
Okay...really I don't remember the characters and what each is like, and I don't have my book right now. So the first thing that I thought of was to use Google. "Which canterbury tales character are you?" Yes...I did the quiz, no matter how inaccurate online quizzes are, and according to the quiz, I'm most like the Prioress. "Everything I do is with pride and dignity. I am the neatest eater because I cannot stand to be dirty. I'm the soul of courtesy and have never uttered a swear word in my life." I got a kick out of how ridiculous that was. Obviously, I CAN stand to be dirty. I'm not the neatest person...just look at my "folder", which is basically two pieces of paper with more papers in between. And I've certainly sworn once or twice..or more. But I do have courtesy and do things with pride and dignity. That's the way I was raised--respect everyone, and bless everybody (filipinos know what i'm talking about) even if you've never seen them before in your life.
Off the top of my head, I think I relate the most to the Knight. The Knight's main goal is to gain everyone's respect and trust. That's why he fights. I really don't like it when people don't like me for any reason. I want to be trusted, and I don't get mad easily. If I do, it's mostly at teachers. Don't worry Miss Winkler, you're not one of them. ;)
By the way, there's definitely an extreme character in this book. The Squire who's can't sleep at night because he's full of passion. That's not that normal.
Truthfully, most of Chaucer's most memorable characters (those who have longer and more descriptive introductions) are really representations of the extremes. The friar and the monk show greed and corruption in religious people, which the Prioress and the Knight are shown as "good" people.
I cannot relate much at all to the Merchant, whose entire story is about the evils of marriage and women.
If I had to choose, I can probably say that I agree with Marvi's analysis of the Squire, and Angela's analysis of the Prioress. I can see how both of them decided on those characters, but I cannot choose just one. I can find a little of myself in other characters such as the Wife of Bath, not because of her array of husbands, but because of her hopeless romantic-esque outlook on life.
There are certainly individuals who possess characteristics that I would like to possess, such is the case in real life. This is why even though I cannot fully relate to any one pilgrim, I agree with the idea that "All humanity runs through its pages". Chaucer didn't confine himself to majorities, but he included minorities of the time as well.
Although none of the characters fits me perfectly, I would have to say that I would be a combination of the squire and the clerk. The squire is described as a youthful character with a love for the arts. He enjoys music, poetry, drawing, and writing, which are all activities that I adore doing. The squire seems like a character that is dreamy and hopeful which very much describes how I act when I am not completing tons of homework. The clerk is also similar to me because he is a man that has dedicated himself to learning. The fact that I am in this English class demonstrates that I have attempted to do well in school and increase my knowledge. The clerk is logical and is constantly studying and reading. My love of reading and learning is clearly similar to the clerks personality. Although I am similar to these two characters, I would have to say that in general there is not one character who describes me best. Although Chaucer’s writing may have included all classes and people in the Middle Ages, it does not seem as though all of the personalities are covered by today’s standards.
Jeez Miss Winkler, you just had to make me pull out my book. :P
Skimming through the prolouge, I can't really completely see myself in any of these characters. Or rather, I see a little bit of myself in all of them. I think Chaucer did a decent job portraying "normal people," but I think it's safe to say that he had to exaggerate them just a little to make the story more interesting.
I don't think I'm as corrupt as the monk, the summoner, the friar, etc., but there's some corruption in all of us. I like the Wife's romantic outlook on life, but I like to hope that I wouldn't contradict myself like she did by marrying five husbands. I like to live easily, like the Franklin, but I'm not as particular about my food.
Chaucer meant to represent the society that he lived in through these characters, and no one is a complete carbon copy of them. Everyone is like these characters to an extent, but no one can say that one character completely resembles them.
As many people have said before me, it is difficult to find a character to relate to completly, and it is more of a mix of characters to relate to. Therefore, I can relate most to the plowman. The plowman has a simple life that he seems to enjoy. He works for what he has, is faithful, loyal, and believes in God. He is also very respectful of other people. I do understand what it's like to work for what you have, and I consider myself to be an honest person. I do respect other people as well. But, I don't relate to him because he seems almost too perfect. His life is simple and he doesn't have much to worry about. I can't say that my life is simple, nor can I say that I have nothing to worry about. The good characters seem too good, and the bad characters seem too corrupt, and this makes it hard to decide on a character to be most like.
So like pretty much everyone else said before me, it really is hard to find one single character who truly represents me. But I guess if I had to pick one character, it would be the Monk because he's just so fat and corrupt.
Hah jk! Yeah i know, cornyy :D
Anywaysss, I guess I would say that I relate to the Prioress (to an extent). The Prioress was a very religious person, and she was pretty much known for her religious beliefs. Now obviously I'm not saying that I'm a saint, but I can really say that my faith has gotten me through some tough times and made me the person I am today.
One of the main reasons why I picked the Prioress was because she was a very emotional person when it came to animals. And anybody that knows me well can pretty much say that I'm one of the biggest animal lovers they know. I volunteer taking care of animals every week and a really do feel a connection to them whenever I'm around them. The Prologue mentioned that the Prioress wept whenever a mouse was caught in a trap or one of the dogs that she took after died. This really does describe my personality. Now like most people, I get very emotional when one of my pets passes away. But unlike most people, I get very depressed even when somebody else's pet is ill. I tear up every time one of the animals at my volunteer work passes away because I really do consider them to be important beings in my life.
Basically, the Prioress seems to relate to me because of her religious background and her love for animals. The prologue also mentions that she is very etiquette and proper, which isn't really an accurate definition of myself. But all in all, her cheerful and caring heart really does seem to relate to myself.
The character that i'm the closest to is probably the squire. He seems sentimental, which I'm guilty of from time to time (though it may not be apparent). Because of his youth, he seems to like to look on the bright side without getting too hung up on unimportant things, and i think that's a big part of my own personality. Despite that similarity, I do have some differences from this character. I am obviously not on the way to be a militaristic noble, and I'm not as consumed by emotion as he seemed to be. That doesn't mean i disapprove of his emotional way of life; that's just not who I am. I think I look at things more logically, but is that always the right way?
I beleive that none of us (i.e. anyone) can actually relate to any character shallow enough to be explained in a few short paragraphs. The town fool and the town wiseman have more in common than most people think. They both are described by one word, yet the fool has his epiffanies and the wiseman has his lapses in jugejment. They both express thoughts and dreams, hopes and fears.
But let's assume that I'm wrong...personally each and every one of us displays (or at least has) the qualities of the characters Chaucer lays out. We are all wise like the clerk, brave like the knight, and greedy like the squire. Every character represents one aspect of our humanity. Only together can I connect with them.
Something to add to what I posted:
we must also take into account that these are by no means actual descriptions of the characters. We must remember that these are only how they are seen through the eyes of the narrator. One may even surmise that he saw the pardoner (for example) in the wrong place at the wrong time and THAT is why he is assumed to be shifty
i guess the character i most relate to is the wife of bath =] i certainly am not exactly like her, but just somewhat.
even though she's a diva and only cares about herself, she still had a purpose for all of her misdeeds. she wanted to have control and didn't want to be a part of that stereotype that women must be subordinate to men. well why should they? i understand why she acts that way. she's independent and a strong person inside. i'm an independent and strong person as well, who's determined to achieve the dreams that i have. i want a good future and a great life. also, i agree with the wife of bath about the whole control and authority thing. i don't think that anyone should be in a situation where the men are in a higher "level" compared to the women. although she believed that women should be in control, i think that there must be a balance. yet, i do see her point of view.
I don't really think of myself as any of the characters, but some I can rule out right away with their excessive corruptness (pardoner, miller) and their excessive innocence (prioress). To find a balance between all of the characters and the one that fits most of all (right now) would probably be the squire. He is young, innocent, not corrupt, and has good intentions. But, like all, it is assumed he has his minor flaws. They are probably not mentioned because they are so minor compared to the others. He is also so young, he probably doesn't have any major flaws as well. Going back to the description of the squire in relation to myself I would say that his youth gives him his innocence and his good nature. His hobbies include what I enjoy as well such as music and art. I would consider myself the squire and not the knight (very similar) not only because of the age similarities but because of our strong aspirations. I have big goals for myself including getting good grades, going to a good college, etc. just like the squire aspires to become the great, noble, knight that his father is. So, although I did say that I really am not like any of the characters, I just blogged about the similarities I share with one of them. =)
I could see how it could be difficult to pick one character to be most like myself, but I would have to say the Prioress. I'm sure this is a popluar character to be chosen amoungst the girls because she is to be very handsome and quite compassionate as well as caring. Also being a strong member of the church highlights her likeness to me. I am much like her in those ways but I also possess characteristics of the merchant, the wife of bath, and maybe every single other character. I cn be deceitful in appearance like the merchant, and I often fantasize like the wife of bath(not in those kinda ways, way to have a nasty mind guys!) One can find a little bit of every pilgrim in all of us.
No one can give a solid description of a person, it is nearly impossible because of the many characteristics and talents that were divinely given to us. But the pilgrim most like me would have to be the Prioress due to her sense of care and love. I have an emotion-driven goal to help all poor people rather than animals. I am determined to travel to third world countries to cure and bring joy to those who are needy and deserve a good life.
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