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Society During The Middle Ages

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Society During The Middle Ages
Within the unorganized masses of the middle class, there are a few that shine above the rest. In the society of Piers Plowman, a poem by William Langland, the Canterbury Tales, a poem by Geoffry Chaucer, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a poem by Pearl Poet, this is revealed. All three took place during the Middle Ages were society is quite dull and was densely populated by the middle class. It had many people doing the same repetitive jobs and having quite similar lives. However, throughout all the masses, there are a few who are extraordinary. These people are the ones who are praised within their society. The three poems reveal that their society is revolved around a group of people who are honored and accomplished. The society from …show more content…
There are many journeyman along the pilgrimage. However, there are some that stands out and are praised above the others. These people are the well accomplished. One of them is the knight who was the "most distinguished man" (Chaucer l. 43). He had accomplished great deeds and was "honored for his noble graces" (Chaucer l. 49). The author said, "he had joined our ranks to do his pilgrimage and render thanks" (Chaucer l. 80). He was glad that a person such as the knight came along on the journey since he had accomplish great deeds in his past. He respected and thanked the knight. Another respected member was the Sergeant of Law. He was "a man to reverence" (Chaucer l. 322). His actions, intelligence and "his high position had won him" (Chaucer l. 326) the respect of other people in the journey, including the author. He is praised similarly to the knight. And finally, the plowman. He was depicted as a gentle giant. A person that everyone loved in the group. The plowman "was an honest worker, good and true, living in peace and perfect charity" (Chaucer l. 543-544). He did tasks that nobody else wanted to do like "make a ditch" (Chaucer l. 550) for the poor for quite little return. He was respected for his generosity. All three show that their work is praised within the group. It shows that this society revolves around the people that

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