Geoffrey Chaucer Essays (1671 words) - The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer annon ?...I think some of Chaucer belongs to his time and that much of that time is dead, extinct, and never to be made alive again. What was alive in it, lives through him...? --John Masefield Geoffrey Chaucer?s world was the Europe of the fourteenth century. It was neither rich or poor, happy nor sad. Rather, it was the intermingling of these, a mixture of splendor and poverty, displaying both worldly desire and spiritual purity. Chaucer?s travels through it, mostly on ?the King?s business,? or civil service, shaped his writing, offering the readers of today a brief glimpse into the world in which he lived. Chaucer lived from approximately AD 1340 to 1400. The world in which he lived was not one of peace or stability. Born the son of a London vintner, he remained a Londoner for most of the rest of his life, leaving the city only on ?the King?s business?. The city of London was thus Chaucer?s environment for most of his life. Aside from brief visits into other countries or areas of England, he remained in the city, and it?s affects on his writing was immense. London of that time was not the London of today. It was a walled city, guarded against invasion, but long enough time had passed since such a threat had approached that the defenses had loosened. Houses perched upon the walls, and Chaucer in fact, lived for a time in a house built over Aldgate, (one of the gates of the city). London was a city less than three-quarters of a square mile in size: It ran east and west along the Thames less than one and a half miles, and extended northwards less than half a mile. Over 20,000 people were packed into this small area; the diversity of the inhabitants was overwhelming. Londoners ranged from wealthy to impoverished, from small to large, from shoemaker to blacksmith to minstrel to priest. The city was thus fairly close. Stone building mingled with tile, wood, and thatch. While the major streets were fairly wide, small shops and stands often spread out into the road, effectively narrowing it by up to half it?s width. London Bridge (the only bridge in the city) was home to a multitude of homes and shops, perched on top of the span to conserve space. Waste was disposed of simply. It was emptied out the windows into the alley or street and slaughtering was done in he streets as well, with scraps being tossed underfoot. Hogs were often used to keep the streets clean, but were assisted by wild dogs and scavenger birds. Open sewers ran through the streets and into the Thames. Most of the rest of Chaucer?s life was open at the courts of the king of England. Here a startling change was apparent. The filth of the streets disappeared, to be replaced by the splendor so often associated with royalty. The royal court of England was home to many in Chaucer?s time. Courtiers, pages, knights, nobles, princes, and of course the King and Queen. Chaucer rose through the ranks of the king?s men, experiencing all aspects of court life. He was a page, squire, court-bard, counselor and finally courtier to various monarchs. Many kings rose an fell in his lifetime. Chaucer began his life in the king?s service in the reign of Edward III, and performed his service a long while. He was important enough to Edward that he was personally ransomed after being captured by the French in the war between Edward and Charles, an honor usually reserved for nobles. By 1378 Edward III had died, and Chaucer was the man of Richard II. The country was caught up in a political battle between the nobles of Gloucester and Lancaster. The actions of these two nobles sent Chaucer reeling , his world constantly changing about him. The only stable item in Chaucer?s world was religion. The institution of religion, the church, was quite prominent and visible. Cathedrals dotted the cities of the world, and even the smallest town had a church. The glory of the Church may even have outshone that of the royal court. Cathedrals were brilliant with magnificent carvings, statues of precious metals murals, holy artifacts, and many other gleaming treasures. Even the smallest church was home to some splendor. The glory of the church, and the power it put forth over the population made it a major political power of the time. Chaucer was born in the early 1340?s. Very little is known about the first stage of his life. However, two items are fairly certain. It appears that Chaucer was the

Burning through money Essays

Burning through money Essays Burning through money Essay Burning through money Essay The debater uses statements to arouse commiseration in the readers ( †¦each of those cuts hurt. striping seniors. for illustration. of their full portion of tenants assistance†¦ ) to do them believe that the author’s place is the right 1. Despite the about inexplicable budget job. ( governor ) said. California won’t have to scant on contending fires because of a $ 1. 7-billion modesty built into the budget for precisely this sort of emergency†¦ Schwarzenegger built this year’s modesty on cuts from the general fund. Each of those cuts hurt. striping seniors. for illustration. of their full portion of tenants aid and maintaining counties from being able to prove H2O quality at beaches. Argument in Standard Form P1. This year’s modesty is built on cuts from general signifier. P2. Those cuts made the province bound other disbursals. So. there is still shortage in the state’s budget. and Californians should worry about it. Name of the Fallacy: Scare Tactics Definition: an irrelevant menace of injury to progress one’s decision. Explanation: This statement tries to convert the reader to back up the arguer’s place that the lone manner to restrict budget cuts is increasing revenue enhancements. depicting chilling options to this determination ( ( Cuts ) can be avoided merely by raising revenue enhancements - or by go forthing the province unprepared for an temblor. terrorist onslaught or more fires ) The province now faces deeper and more cardinal cuts. They can be avoided merely by raising revenue enhancements - or by go forthing the province unprepared for an temblor. terrorist onslaught or more fires. Argument in Standard Form P1. The province now faces cuts. P2. They can be avoided by raising revenue enhancements. So. revenue enhancements should be raised in order to avoid budget cuts. Article 2 – Hands-free: no less clang. but more hard currency Name of the statement: Ad Hominem – Attacking the Motive Definition: An onslaught on the beginning of an statement instead than on the statement itself. An effort to sabotage a instance by proposing that its debater merely advances it out of her self-interest Explanation: The debater tries to convert reader that the determination made by California’s authorities to censor drivers speaking handheld phones was incorrect by presuming that the motivation for this determination was to raise budgets by ticketing the drivers California’s new jurisprudence coercing automobilists to utilize hands-free devices has resulted in tonss of new authorities gross from 5. 634 traffic tickets written in four months in Orange. San Diego and parts of Riverside and Imperial counties. At $ 90 a dad after added appraisals. possibly that was the intended consequence . Argument in Standard Form P1. 5. 634 traffic tickets were written in four months in Orange. San Diego and parts of Riverside and Imperial counties. P2. Each ticket brings the authorities $ 90 So. the government’s gross has been raised after accepting the jurisprudence. Name of the Fallacy: Inappropriate Appeal to Authority Definition: An authorization is cited as support for a decision. but the authorization does non hold expertness in the country or is someway non dependable. Explanation: The writer cites psychological science professor David Strayer ( ` [ D ] rending while speaking on a cell phone is every bit bad as. or possibly worse. than driving rummy. ) . The comparing between rummy drive and utilizing phones while driving is the professor’s personal sentiment. no consequences of survey or research on this subject provided. ` [ D ] rending while speaking on a cell phone is every bit bad as. or possibly worse. than driving rummy. which is wholly unacceptable and can non be tolerated by society. ` wrote the studys lead writer. psychological science professor David Strayer. He wants all phone usage banned in vehicles. Argument in Standard Form P1. Professor David Strayer wants all phone usage banned in vehicles P2. He thinks that speaking on a cell phone is every bit bad as. or possibly worse. than driving rummy. So. professor’s Strayer’s sentiment is that phone usage should be banned in vehicles. Article 3 – Agbonlahor should either stand up to Barton or halt bleating Name of the Fallacy: Ad Hominem- Personal Attack Definition: An onslaught on the beginning of an statement instead than on the statement itself. Geting person to accept a decision by verbally mistreating an opposition. Explanation: The debater abuses Gabriel Agbonlahor by naming him a sap to convert the reader Joey Barton does non hold to apologise to him for their bicker Gabriel Agbonlahor is a sap if he thinks Joey Barton is traveling to apologise to him for their recent bicker. The Aston Villa striker’s quarrel with the Newcastle hood led to rumor that he had been racially abused. But Agbonlahor didn’t want to do a ailment and neither did his nine. The FA were forced to drop a proposed probe and Barton denied the allegation. The decision had to be that nil untoward was said – so what has Barton got to state sorry for? Argument in Standard Form P1: Agbonlahor’s quarrel with Barton led to rumor that Agbonlahor had been racially abused P2: Agbonlahor didn’t make a ailment and neither did his nine P3: The FA were forced to drop a proposed probe. Barton has got nil to state sorry for as there is no official ailment. Name of the Fallacy: False Options Definition: Falsely limits picks to two. when in fact there are more. One of the options is normally preferred by the debater. Explanation: The writer insists that Agbonlahor has either do a ailment. or halt demanding apology from Barton. restricting solutions of the incidents to two. while in fact there are more of them. Hatchet Man is no vindicator for the inmate. far from it. but if Agbonlahor thinks something inappropriate was said he has to do his instance and allow the governments decide. Claiming afterwards that Barton’s had adequate bad imperativeness so I decided to go forth it. ’ but that he would take an apology is a coward’s manner out. Agbonlahor should either stand up against something he thinks is incorrect. or halt bleating. He can’t have it both ways . Argument in Standard Form P1. One of the ways to work out the incident is doing the instance and allowing the governments decide. P2: Hatchet Man is no vindicator for the inmate Agbonlahor should do a ailment in order to acquire apologies from Barton.