Chaucer Lie Theme
Overall Purpose/Theme:
In the physician’s tale Chaucer shows how sin or lie can only lead to disbelief and heartbreak. The preeminent message depicted by the tale is that sin or lie will not go unpunished.
Evidence to support the theme:
1. Judge Appius meets a girl while walking and he said he would do anything to marry her so he hatched out a plan to get her to the court the father knows what is happening so he tells the daughter you can either be shamed or dead and she says "Bless God that as a virgin I'll be dead! Give me my death before I'm given shame” (Chaucer 248-249). So because of Judge Appius’s lying to the people the court Virginius’s daughter, girl he wanted to marry, dies
2. Virginius states “Accept your death, for this is my decree. For love, and not for hate, you must be dead, My ruthful hand must now smite off your head” (Chaucer 224-226). This is happening because the judge is trying to marry Virginius’s daughter by abusing his authority and lying to everyone both by hiring someone to carryout the plan and by coming up with this actual plan because of this lie the girl that he wanted as his wife is now facing her death.
3. …show more content…
Chaucer states “The way the churl had challenged for his part, that it was by assent of Appius Whom they knew well as being lecherous. And so they went to Appius that day and threw him into prison right away” (Chaucer 264-268). Now Judge Appius will be going to prison for abusing his power and for lying to the people about case. This just shows how sins and lies will never go unpunished.
Historical context: Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is still popular today because of its relevance to the middle ages. Although this was not Chaucer’s intention its popularity is mainly because of its relevance to the middle ages. Another reason for its massive popularity is that it was the first collection of short stories. Chaucer may have intended that it would be massively popular mainly because of it contents but it is beyond that.
In the physician’s tale Chaucer shows how sin or lie can only lead to disbelief and heartbreak. The preeminent message depicted by the tale is that sin or lie will not go unpunished.
Evidence to support the theme:
1. Judge Appius meets a girl while walking and he said he would do anything to marry her so he hatched out a plan to get her to the court the father knows what is happening so he tells the daughter you can either be shamed or dead and she says "Bless God that as a virgin I'll be dead! Give me my death before I'm given shame” (Chaucer 248-249). So because of Judge Appius’s lying to the people the court Virginius’s daughter, girl he wanted to marry, dies
2. Virginius states “Accept your death, for this is my decree. For love, and not for hate, you must be dead, My ruthful hand must now smite off your head” (Chaucer 224-226). This is happening because the judge is trying to marry Virginius’s daughter by abusing his authority and lying to everyone both by hiring someone to carryout the plan and by coming up with this actual plan because of this lie the girl that he wanted as his wife is now facing her death.
3. …show more content…
Chaucer states “The way the churl had challenged for his part, that it was by assent of Appius Whom they knew well as being lecherous. And so they went to Appius that day and threw him into prison right away” (Chaucer 264-268). Now Judge Appius will be going to prison for abusing his power and for lying to the people about case. This just shows how sins and lies will never go unpunished.
Historical context: Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is still popular today because of its relevance to the middle ages. Although this was not Chaucer’s intention its popularity is mainly because of its relevance to the middle ages. Another reason for its massive popularity is that it was the first collection of short stories. Chaucer may have intended that it would be massively popular mainly because of it contents but it is beyond that.