knights in medieval society Religion Religion played a central role in medieval life evident in Chaucer's work Many characters like the Prioress and the Pardoner are associated with the Church The pilgrims are on a religious journey to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket Chaucer describes the Prioress And she was cleped madame Eglentyne It shows her religious title and status Chivalry and Courtly Love Chivalry was the code of conduct for knights It emphasizes bravery honour and respect for women Courtly love was a medieval European literary conception of love that emphasized nobility and chivalry The Knight's Tale one of the stories in The Canterbury Tales is a perfect example In Troilus and Criseyde Troilus is struck with Cupid's arrow Chaucer states For sodeynly he hit him at the full He falls in love with Criseyde This is a courtly love Medieval Superstitions and Medicine The medieval period was also marked by various superstitions and rudimentary medical practices Characters like the Doctor in The Canterbury Tales reflect the limited understanding of science at the time Chaucer writes He knew the cause of everich maladye It shows that the Doctor's knowledge though advanced for the time was still based on medieval beliefs and practices In The Nun's Priest's Tale we get the conversational verse between Chaunticleer and Pertelote They talk about dreams that refer to superstitions Modern Elements We also get sundry modern elements after scanning Caucer's poetry Let us discuss these elements in the following manner Individualism and Personal Stories Unlike many earlier works The Canterbury Tales is notable for focusing on individual stories and personal experiences It reflects their personality and life This individualism is a more modern concept For instance the Wife of Bath's Prologue provides a detailed personal account of her five marriages It shows a modern interest in personal identity and experience Critique of the Church While medieval society was deeply religious Chaucer was critical of the Church's corruption and hypocrisy It is a more modern perspective The Pardoner who sells fake relics is a clear example Chaucer writes For in his male he hadde a pilwe-beer Which that he seyde was Oure Lady veyl It mocks the Pardoner's fraudulent claims Social Commentary Chaucer's work includes realistic portrayals of everyday people and their lives This realism and social commentary are more characteristic of modern literature We know this from The General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales Humour and Satire Chaucer's use of humour and satire to address serious issues is a modern technique He pokes fun at societal norms the Church and even the concept of pilgrimage The tales often include witty remarks and humorous situations In conclusion Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales masterfully combines elements of medieval society with more modern ideas and storytelling techniques This blend provides a vivid picture of medieval life and introduces concepts and critiques that are relevant even today