Chaucer's Portrayal Of Women In The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer was able to portray the lives of women in medieval Europe vividly in The Canterbury Tales. There were so few opportunities that were given to women in the middle ages; it is a surprise the entire gender did not become extinct. Granted that women were subservient to men and society’s dictates to a very high degree, they were not completely without recourse either. They had intelligence and inner strength to fight back many of the obstacles that were placed in front of them if they chose to use them. Women were never considered to be an important member of the social hierarchy by the Church and the royal court in Europe during the 14th and 15th century, but ironically they one of the key players to shape the history of