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Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales -- The Friars Tale
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Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales -- The Friars Tale
Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales -- The Friars Tale, showing the corrupt Summoner, the Devil and the Widow. Date: 1845
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Media ID 23215214
© Mary Evans Picture Library
Canterbury Chaucer Corrupt Corruption Devil Good Horseback Narrative Poem Poetry Satan Tale Tales Widow 14th Summoner
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print depicts a scene from the "The Canterbury Tales" by the renowned English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, specifically "The Friar's Tale." The image, dated 1845, showcases three central figures: the corrupt Summoner, the Devil, and the Widow. Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales," a collection of 24 interconnected stories, is considered a landmark work of Middle English literature. In "The Friar's Tale," the Summoner, a character known for his power to issue legal summonses, is portrayed as a hypocritical and greedy figure. Here, we see him in the company of the Devil, who tempts him with wealth and worldly pleasures. The Widow, who is depicted on horseback, is an innocent victim of the Summoner's deceit. In the original tale, the Summoner convinces the Widow to give him her ring as collateral for a loan, which he then loses. The Devil, taking advantage of the situation, appears to the Widow in disguise and offers to retrieve the ring for her, leading her into a dangerous and supernatural encounter. This intriguing print, with its vivid details and rich storytelling, transports us back to the 14th century, inviting us to explore the complexities of human nature and the power of narrative in Chaucer's timeless work.
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