War of Words

After reading the Reeve’s Tale, I feel compelled to comment on the evident structure of the Canterbury Tales as a whole.  My encounters thus far with the Tales have been in very separate instances.  To now experience three stories in a row, as they were clearly intended to be received, is a unique and notable experience in and of itself. I am able to say that these stories were clearly intended to be together because of the unique interplay between the characters in the journey and their own characters within their stories. From the Knight’s Tale to the Miller’s mocking and now the Reeve’s response – I have never read a collection so unique; one where characters can come in and out of their different worlds so seamlessly. Every day is a new experience with Chaucer, and my appreciation for his work in the context of our literary history is growing.

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