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Dante Alighieri And Chaucer Analysis

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Dante Alighieri and Geoffrey Chaucer Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) and Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?-1400) both lived and experienced the many changes happening during fourteenth century Europe. Although their life spans did not overlap, they used their talents to depict and feature societal hypocrisies targeting not only politics, but the established church, as well as human behavior. Both authors can be credited for exploiting the proverbial “white elephants” in their society, however, they cannot be compared equally concerning their ability to thrive in such an ever-changing time period. Each one held and expressed strong religious and political views. Nevertheless, the method by which they expressed those opinions left one in exile for the…show more content…
While Dante ripped into society out of anger, pride and bitterness towards the leadership and the monarchy of his time, Chaucer states that he is basically the lowest of all of the characters, only a mere lower-class citizen that happened along, so to speak, this journey of mixed fortune, and who has decided to share the stories of the other pilgrims on the journey. “Our interest in the pilgrims is held from the start by our relationship with one of them, the pilgrim narrator who claims to be Chaucer himself, an objective observer yet also involved in the action.” (Hodgson) However, it is with keen deception that Chaucer plays more than just this meager role, allowing himself to be in control of the entire group of pilgrims, symbolically demonstrating his own ability to control the members of society he so successfully kept the favor of his entire life. Not every critic would agree, but some have suggested that Chaucer also played a second role, the role of the host. “The Host preferred to act as a master of ceremonies and adjudicator and made preparations to accompany the party to Canterbury.” (Hodgson) The Host seems to represent the true second side of Chaucer’s personality, which was to stay aligned with the powerful members of society, all the while letting them believe he is their servant, when…show more content…
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