The Canterbury Tales Essay - 972 Words

The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales, a masterpiece of English Literature, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, is a collection, with frequent dramatic links, of 24 tales told to pass the time during a spring pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. The General Prologue introduces the pilgrims, 29 sondry folk gathered at the Tabard Inn in Southwark (outside of London). Chaucer decides to join them, taking some time to describe each pilgrim. According to the Norton Anthology, the composition of none of the tales can be accurately dated; most of them were written during the last fourteen years of Chaucers life, although a few were probably written earlier and inserted into The Canterbury Tales (Norton, 80).†¦show more content†¦The Prioress, Madame Eglantine, is a character full of denial. Though she is a nun whose duties should be pledged to God, she certainly considers herself a lady first. She speaks bad French, ate and dressed very carefully, and wears a brooch that says love conquers all. She also cares deeply for animals, bringing several along with her on the pilgrimage. Her lady-like behavior seems to stand in direct contrast to the ways of a good Nun. This is Chaucers first criticism of religion, a theme he returns to throughout the poem. Like the Prioress, the Monk is also an ironic characterization. The Monk loved to ride horses and hunt. He also eats well and dresses in nice clothes. He even goes so far as to say that he prefers the outdoor life, hardly a statement one would expect from one whose profession entails sitting inside and copying books. The Friar is a bad guy. He is licensed to hear confessions and uses his position to beg for money, operating under the assumption that penance works better through payment than prayers. He also has the reputation of getting girls into trouble, then helping to marry them to others GRAPH The Merchant knows a good bargain when he sees it. His very smooth behavior helps hide the fact that he is really in debt. The Clerk is soft-spoken student of the thetoric arts. When he speaks, it is with such expression that people readily listen. He is one of the most admiredShow MoreRelatedThe Canterbury Tales832 Words   |  4 PagesThe Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, the stereotypes and roles in society are reexamined and made new through the characters in the book. Chaucer discusses different stereotypes and separates his characters from the social norm by giving them highly ironic and/or unusual characteristics. Specifically, in the stories of The Wife of Bath and The Miller’s Tale, Chaucer examines stereotypes of women and men and attempts to define their basic wants and needs. In the Miller’s Tale, theRead MoreChaucers Canterbury Tales741 Words   |  3 Pagesreference to one of The Canterbury Tales discuss, what means Chaucer uses to create the highly individualized (and often comic) characters and how successful is his creation. The Friar from The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer was a master at creating highly individualized characters who are often comic and realistic at the same time and always have good traits as well as bad ones. The aim of this essay is to demonstrate this ability on the example of the Friar from The Canterbury Tales who is one of theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Canterbury Tales 1189 Words   |  5 Pagessuch examples following this concept is The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1478, and Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley 1818. Three characters in The Canterbury Tales (The Wife of Bath, The Pardoner, and The Knight) and The Monster in Frankenstein have developed a talent for successful storytelling, proven by their abilities to engage the audience with their pathos and passion. While storytelling is used differently in The Canterbury Tales (as a method of entertainment) than in FrankensteinRead More Chaucers Canterbury Tales2103 Words   |  9 Pagesforever immortalized as Geoffrey Chaucer the writer , and the Satirist. The true goal of any Satire is to point out the flaws in certain aspect of society, while also inspiring reform to that very same aspect in one way or another. In Chaucer’s Canterbury tales, Chaucer satirizes the corruption Catholic Church and those associated. Chaucer saw that hypocrisy polluted the pureness of the church and expressed his disillusionment through the use of satire. Fearless of discommunication Geoffrey ChaucerRead MoreMoral In The Canterbury Tales1221 Words   |  5 PagesThe Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales have an ultimate lesson at the end, just as every other literary work does. In some of them, he simply states what it is, or some may have to be inferred. During the time, many social and historical events were taking place, and in some instances, Chaucer chose to base the moral around it. While reading The Canterbury Tales, the audience gets entertainment and a basic knowledge of what life what like through the lessons he presents. All of the tales moralsRead MoreThe Guildsmen In The Canterbury Tales882 Words   |  4 PagesThe Guildsmen of The Canterbury Tales Step 1 Prewriting: The Guildsmen were a group of men a part of a labor union. The carpenter, the weaver, the haberdasher, the dyer, and the carpet maker all traveled together due to their similar trades. They did this so they could increase the prices of their good. These men were all very successful in their respective trades. The men dressed in very fancy attire. The Guildsmen were also very proud of how well they treated their wives. Step 2 Prewriting: ThereRead MoreChaucers The Canterbury Tales1381 Words   |  6 PagesThe Canterbury Tales serves as a moral manual in the Middle Ages. In the tales, Geoffrey Chaucer portrays the problems of the society. For instance, Chaucer uses the monk and the friar in comparison to the parson to show what the ecclesiastical class are doing versus what they are supposed to be doing. In other words, it is to make people be aware of these problems. It can be inferred that the author’s main goal is for this literary work to serve as a message to the people along with changing theRead MoreCanterbury Tales Analysis1934 Words   |  8 PagesUnderstanding the Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer is considered by many scholars to by the father of early English poetry literature. Prized for his literary talent and philosophic disposition, some of his best works include The Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde (Encyclopedia of World Biography). The Canterbury Tales, in particular, shows a remarkable depiction of society during the Middle Ages. Through this piece of literary work, Chaucer provides powerful commentary the church, socialRead MoreEssay on The Canterbury Tales538 Words   |  3 PagesThe Canterbury Tales â€Å"The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales† were told during a pilgrimage journey from London to the shrine of the martyr St. Thomas a Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. This was approximately 70 miles to the southeast. These Tales were told by a group of 29 pilgrims, and a Host who met up with them at the Tabard Inn. They left the Inn on the morning of April, 11. The Nun’s Priest Tale was the first story actually told, this was determined by whoever drew the shortest strawRead More Canterbury Tales Essay646 Words   |  3 Pages Corruption in the Church nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Chaucer lived in a time dictated by religion and religious ideas in which he uses The Canterbury Tales to show some of his views. Religion played a significant role in fourteenth-century England and also in Chauceramp;#8217;s writing. His ideas of the Church are first seen in amp;#8220;The Prologue,; and he uses seven religious persons to show the influence of the religion in his writing. Although many of his characters appear to portray

Humanistic Psychology Essay examples - 1165 Words

In general, human nature consists of three main parts: the mind (intellect), the body (biological makeup) and the spirit (emotional makeup). As the mind and the body are being well explored in behaviorism and psychoanalysis, the spirit of a person has been increasingly popular from the mid-20th century. In the early 1960s, a movement named third-force psychology started as a reaction to the defect of behaviorism and psychoanalysis to deal fully with the human condition (Hergenhahn, 2008). This third-force movement is humanistic psychology, which refers to the combination of the philosophy of romanticism and existentialism. Humanistic psychology instead paid more attention to each individuals potentials and highlighted the importance†¦show more content†¦The major difference between existential and humanistic psychology is that the former views human nature as neutral whereas the latter views it as basically good (Hergenhahn, 2008). There is no right to determine which o ne is correct. I prefer believing that people at birth are naturally kind-hearted. No one is born for being evil, and I think the reason why a man will become evil is their experiences in nurturing. This reminds me of the Three Character Classic that is one of the Chinese classic texts. The first four verses tell us the core of Confucianism: human nature is inherently good, which is similar to the humanistic psychology in the Western country. This idea was written in the 13th century and has come down to us. Although there are many other opposite statements of human nature, I believe that thinking positively is better, especially for health. When it comes back to existential psychology, the first person I want to talk about is Rollo May, an American existential psychologist. May (1967) and other existentialists emphasized the importance of freedom and life meaning. The dual aspect of human nature is that people exist physically in the sense and they also make the experiences meaningful by interpreting, valuing, and making decisions. In my opinion, people have the basic rights to make their own decisions. Because of the participation of humans, the tasks needed to be done become significant.Show MoreRelated Humanistic Psychology Essay1424 Words   |  6 PagesClassical Greece and Europe of the Renaissance, when such affirmations were expressed. Humanistic Psychology is a contemporary manifestation of that ongoing commitment. Its message is a response to the denigration of the human spirit that has so often been implied in the image of the person drawn by behavioral and social sciences. Ivan Pavlovs work with the conditioned reflex had given birth to an academic psychology in the United States led by John Watson, which came to be called quot;the scienceRead MoreHumanistic Psychology Essay1421 Words   |  6 PagesClassical Greece and Europe of the Renaissance, when such affirmations were expressed. Humanistic Psychology is a contemporary manifestation of that ongoing commitment. Its message is a response to the denigration of the human spirit that has so often been implied in the image of the person drawn by behavioral and social sciences. Ivan Pavlovs work with the conditioned reflex had given birth to an academic psychology in the United States led by John Watson, which came to be called the science of behaviorRead MoreHumanistic Psychology Essay1631 Words   |  7 Pagescontributions to psychology, it has influenced the understanding and practices of the humanistic movement, specifically with the therapies for the different mental disorders. Psychoanalysis understands the unconscious behavior, behaviorism focuses on the conditioning process that produces behavior. Humanistic psychology focuses on the persons potential to act as a whole person in a nurturing environment by choice with receiving a positive way of life. The Humanistic Movement and PersonRead MoreThe Values Of Humanistic Psychology767 Words   |  4 Pagesvalues of Humanistic Psychology is its emphasis on human potential for growth. The perspective is hopeful one. It does not mean that humanistic psychologists overlook challenge and darkness in people’s lives (see Hoffman, 2009). I believe that our choice to value individual potential for growth and actualization provides openings for discovering the value(s) of challenges we face in life. Hoffman, E. (2009). Rollo May on Maslow and Rogers: No theory of evil. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 49(4)Read MoreEssay on Humanistic Psychology1101 Words   |  5 PagesAugustine was a saint and philosopher. Some of Augustine’s thought can be related to the practice of humanistic psychology. My professional focus is the psychotherapy category called Humanistic-Experiential. Humanistic-Experiential therapies are, â€Å"psychotherapies emphasizing personal growth and self-direction† (Butcher, et al, 2006). The humanistic approach places primary importance upon human interests, values, and most importantly the belief in human potentials (Schultz Schultz, 2009, pp297)Read MorePsychodynamic And Humanistic Theories Of Psychology1634 Words   |  7 PagesPsychodynamic and Humanistic Personality Theories The study of the human mind is an interesting topic to discuss about, we have many theorists that have come up with many different ideas or theories, in how to evaluate the mind of humans, two main ways to study the mind in psychology are psychodynamic approach and humanistic approach. Even though these theories are to evaluate human minds they have different views in how the mind works. In psychodynamic approach, the way the mind is viewed is thatRead MorePersonality, Psychology, And Humanistic Approach1362 Words   |  6 Pageshuman being (boundless.com). That is one of many ways of defining personality. When examining personality, there are four main approachable theories including: The Psychodynamic Approach, The Trait Approach, The Social-Cognitive Approach, and The Humanistic Approach. The Psychodynamic Approach was first approach by Sigmund Freud; he dealt with the understanding that personality came from our unconscious state of mind. And that unconscious state interacted to determine our thoughts, behaviors, andRead MoreOverview of Humanistic Psychology Essay1399 Words   |  6 Pages Humanistic Psychology is a psychological perspective that highlights the study of a person in whole. These psychologist look at human behavior not just through the eyes of the viewer, but also through the eyes of the client that has the behavior. These psychologist believe that an individuals behavior is associated to his or her intimate feelings and their self image. Humanistic psychologist accepts human beings are not just a commodity of the environment. These psychologist study human meaningsRead MoreHumanistic Psychology : Psychology And Psychology1748 Words   |  7 PagesHumanistic Psychology is a psychological sub-field which became prominent in the 20th century as a resp onse to the limitations of the psychoanalytic theory and behaviorism (Cherry, n.d.). The main purpose is to help patients gain a belief that all people are inheritably good. Its roots starts with Socrates and emphasizes an individual’s inherent drive towards self-actualization. Humanistic psychology utilizes a holistic approach to human existence and focuses on things such as creativity, free willRead MoreHumanistic Psychology And The Other Disciplines Essay1533 Words   |  7 PagesHumanistic psychology was created as a response to the limitations of the two forces already established, psychoanalytic and behaviorist psychology. One of the biggest differences between humanistic psychology and the other disciplines is that it views humanity in a holistic and optimistic manner rather than in fragmentations. One of the most significant and founding theorists of this humanism force was Carl Rogers. His contributions to the field, research on personality, and his psychotherapy te chniques

Value of Friendship free essay sample

Everyone places value on something for very different reasons. The most significant thing is what our values are and the importance we give to those values. So many things that we think have so much value, really have transient value, and we overlook the things of true and lasting importance. We should always place great value on what is real and genuine. Mostly everyone places great value on life. So what’s the value of life? I believe the value of life consists of many qualities. To me, the main value of life is friendship. Friendships bond the world together by the tie of promises and morality between people. It causes the world to connect in so many diverse ways it is unbelievable. For example, long lasting friendships can be created by just meeting in a coffee shop or at a grocery store. The connection with another can give you the ability to see yourself as others see you, and only then you would know how exceptionally special you are. Life is filled and fortified with friendships, from the first friendships with your parents and family, to your childhood friends, and even teachers. The meaningful outcome of friendship made me realize different goals in my life and profoundly shaped me into who I am today. There’s always that one friend that surpasses every other person you’ve ever met in your life. The person who has constantly believed in you with all their heart and soul. The one who can lift your spirits by just saying a few simple words and being there through tenacious struggles that life hurls at you. Typically, that one friend is called your best friend. I would say I have the greatest friend of all time. I know its cliche, but she’s the one person that has made the biggest difference in my life. She’s the person that gave me a whole new outlook on life which caused me to make wise decisions for myself and not others. The effect of my best friend has led me to meaningful aspirations and the ambition to always be the best I can be without losing who I am. So basically, this implicates how friendships benefit the world and creates a humbling connection that bonds people together and can sometimes make you reevaluate life. I believe friends can change who you are for the better, whether negatively or positively, the people you surround yourself with have an evocative influence on where your life takes you. A friend can be one of the most goal aspiring and motivational person that encourages you to be a better person. My best friend now, impacted my life in such a positive way that I chose to change who I am. Specifically, I believe my best friend got me to where I am today. I was a hopeless person that was indecisive of whether to do bad actions or to lose my former friend that never really cared about the true meaning of our friendship. My former friend, which I surrounded myself with was known for the bad habit of shoplifting and theft. I’ve known this girl ever since the third grade and I was great friends with her ever since the incident. Knowing right from wrong, I made the most idiotic and regretful decision of my life, I chose to go in the wrong direction by choosing not to lose her as a friend, and to shoplift. During my friendship with my former friend, our â€Å"hanging out† consisted of going to the mall to rip the tags off items and stuff them in our purses until our purses were too full to fit anything else. The adrenaline of walking through the exits of a store without getting caught really gave my former friend and I a rush. This addicting, yet horrible habit, got the best of me and led me to getting caught at a local store. I had to call my parents and pay a shoplifting fine of $250. Unfortunately, by associating myself with shoplifting, I destroyed my life because of my actions. I’m not putting all the blame on my former friend because, it was my choice to shoplift and I made the decision that led to the outcome of my stupendous actions. I take all the blame for the brainless choices I made. It was my fault that I surrounded myself with a negative person most of my life. One of the worse things was that my family and former friends at school, assumed I was going to steal their things and they kept my mistake in the back of their mind for years. I was left trying to find a way for my family and friends at school to put their trust in me and realize I transformed into a whole different person and I’ve honestly never felt better. Although, the incident led to everyone losing trust in me, the only person who still believed in me was my best friend of four years. She was the only person that still had faith in me and was there for me when no one else was. She was always my number one supporter and ally. My best friend has literally made the biggest difference in my life. I owe it all to her that I’ve developed into a person with goals and ambitions to always improve as a person. I wouldn’t be who I am today if I didn’t have my best friend. I realized that by stepping away from pessimistic people and bad actions, I have become a more structured and overall better person. I honestly believe the greatest thing in life is friendship. The moral importance of friendship is that you bond and connect with other people and that kind of relationship can make an enormous impact on your life. Although, it’s rare to find a friendship that is long lasting, life changing, and true, that doesn’t mean that it won’t be meaningful or genuine. One of my favorite quotes is To the world you are someone, but to someone you are the world. By a random woman named Lisa. This quote really explains how friendship and love isn’t just one sided. We are all important and we all deserve the gift of a true friend that loves you for who you are and brings out the very best of you. We always see the worst in ourselves, that’s why we need someone to prove us wrong. Friendship is the value of life.

Stupidity The Advantages Of Being Stupid Essays - Intelligence

Stupidity: The Advantages of Being Stupid The Advantages of Stupidity Most people say being stupid will lead no where. They claim that it is the worst possible condition in which to spend ones life, and if possible, it should be completely avoided. Yet, perhaps if people took a closer look at some of the advantages stupidity had to offer, they wouldn't have such a negative attitude toward it. Admittedly, stupidity has certain disadvantages. Life isn't a bowl of cherries. And being stupid doesn't make it any fruitier. Being stupid can annoy even the most sensitive people. If one acts stupid, and does it in the wrong crowd, like a group of adults, it will seem more immature than funny. If one is forced to act stupid while dealing with lower life forms, one may encounter barriers such as cruelty and insensitivity. Yet these are all true, there are still many advantages to stupidity. The first advantage is very easy to understand. Stupid people are never asked to do a lot. Many have noticed that people tend to steer away from someone they feel may be stupid. This is for a very good reason. The stupidity which they posses makes a name for themselves, a name which can be very difficult to shake. Yet, this creates a positive situation for the stupid person. They will have a lot of free time on their hands for more of life's truly meaningful pleasures. Now, there has been a rumor going around that suggests that stupid people have low expectations. This is true. They are so stupid that they donut realize great from O.K. They could have a cordless phone, but would probably choose instead an alarm clock telephone, because it comes free with their sensamatic folding bed. Someone with the 93advantage94 of stupidity might have a hard time doing certain tasks, or setting things up. Yet this isn't all bad. For example, if a stupid person leaves the chore, and comes back to it later, no one will be able to understand it. Would they get fired from their job? No. For the very simple reason that no one would understand their work except for them. The job would have to be given back to the stupid person, perhaps with a higher salary, or someone would do it for them, leaving them with even more free time! Free time is great for brainstorming. Yet the ideas stupid people create tend to be original. For example, when was the last time someone stupid said something, and made you think about it? It seems that people are always talking about someone else's dumb idea. This would suggest that stupid people may have the upper hand when it comes to thinking up original ideas. In fact, the next time someone wants an original idea for something, they should try talking to their local community stupid person. The reason for this is that while a stupid person thinks with his head, he does not do so in an organized manner. This is why they have so much creativity. By thinking in this fashion, theirideas have a natural tendency to flow more easily, without the interruptions which occur from the editing of thoughts that logical people would have normally. Thus, if someone else should say to you, That was a stupid idea!, you should merely look that person straight in the eye, and say, Thank-you!. This also means that the claim, Stupid minds think alike, is not true. All stupid minds have different ideas, each idea being original. One of the final advantages of stupidity is that stupid people are always remembered. It has been noticed how a quiet person is always hard to detect, and often remains anonymous. There is a very good reason for this. The mind has a hard time keeping quiet people in its memory track. But it is much easier and pleasing for the mind to remember someone really stupid. Anyway, when was the last time you laughed at an idiot at your school? When was the last time someone laughed at the little kid at the back of the room? The evidence here proves how stupid people last longer in someone's thoughts. Thus, stupidity clearly has many advantages, as long as someone is smart enough to use them! It is important to understand that stupid people are like all other humans,