Canterbury Tales

In the book Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, gives us a stunning tale about a

rooster named Chaunticleer. Chaunticleer, who is the King of his domain in his

farmland kingdom. Like a King, he quotes passages from intellectuals, dreams

vivid dreams, has a libido that runs like a bat out of hell, and is described as

a very elegant looking Rooster. He has every characteristic of a person

belonging to the upper class. Chaucer's hidden meanings and ideas make us think

that the story is about roosters and farm animals, but in reality he is making

the Aristocracy of his time period the subject of his mockery by making the

reader realize how clueless the Aristocracy can be to the way things are in the

real World. Chaucer describes Chaunticleer in many different ways. One of them

is his language. Chaunticleer's language is that of a scholar. He quotes many

different scriptures in a conversation with Pertelote, such as, Saint Kenelm,

Daniel and Joseph (from the bible), and Croesus. From each author he tells a

story about an individual who had a vision in a dream and the dream came true.

He may have been making all the stories up in order to win the argument with

Pertelote, but, this seems unlikely because he does not take heed to his own

advice and stay away from the fox that encounters him later. He is educated

enough to know these supposed quotations but not intelligent enough to

understand the real meaning of them. It is if he simply brings because they help

him win the argument with his spouse and not because he actually believes what

they say. Chaucer is using the idea that the Aristocracy has schooling

throughout their childhood, but it is only done to have seemingly important but

empty conversations. His physical appearance is also described with such

beautiful passion that it makes us think Chaunticleer is heaven on earth.

"His comb was redder than fine coral, and crenellated like a castle wall;

his bill was black and shone like jet; his legs and toes were like azure; his

nails whiter than lily; and his color like the burnished gold." Chaucer

describes Chaunticleer as the quintessential Cock, so perfect that his

description is no longer believable when we realize he is describing a Rooster.

Chaucer is setting up Chaunticleer to be as regal and grandiose as a King. Even

though he looks like a million dollars he is still very shallow inside. He lies

to his spouse just to keep her happy and his every thought is of fornication.

Like the Aristocracy he takes many pleasures of the flesh with no real

commitment to his duty as a rooster. Chaunticleer's character appears to be that

of a shallow used car salesman. He lies to his spouse about