Arthur W. Hoffman "Chaucer's Prologue to Pilgrimage: The Two Voices"
Hoffman W., Arthur "Chaucer's Prologue to Pilgrimage: The Two Voices" The Canterbury Tales; Fifteen Tales and the General Prologue, 2005, pp. 492-503.
In this criticism, Arthur talks about the commonplace of each of the portraits of the pilgrams. When he talks about commonplace, he is saying that all the portraits have an underlying connection to each other that makes all the tales connected in some way. He compares two portraits to each other and views them as opposites on a spectrum. He first compares March and April in making the transition from Winter to Spring and how that sends the energy for everyone to make the pilgrimage and how that is the determining factor for the journey to be made. He compares the Knight and Squire's portraits in their draws to the pilgramage, the Prioress and Monk and Friar's portraits in their draws to the pilgramage, and ends with Summoner and Pardoner's portraits for the same comparison. The point Arthur is making is what the two different voices are that call each pilgram to make the journey to Cantebury. One voice is the wordly voice of materialistic values such as the Summoner. The other is supposed to be the supernature voice that calls for spiritual relief such as being called by the saints by the Knight. The entire criticism focuses on what voice calls each pilgram and comparing two portraits for their respectice callings.
available in the back of The Canterbury Tales; Fifteen Tales and the General Prologue
Patrick Cogar
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