Christianity has always been one of the main topics we've focused on throughout the stories we've read so far: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Dream of the Rood, Beowulf, etc. This is unsuprising, because religion has always universally been one of the most-discussed topics, as well as favorite of poets in particular. In Canterbury Tales, an interesting aspect that I noticed was that, though all the characters in the story are deeply flawed, they are making a pilgrimage to (ostensibly) honor God and to receive spiritual healing. While this may seem paradoxical, it is in fact a parallel to humankind's relationship to God. We are all inherently flawed and overflowing with sin. The Wyf of Bath is controlling and promiscuous, the men of God are lecherous, most of the others are greedy or attention-seeking. Perhaps the journey to Canterbury symbolizes the Christian struggle on Earth; in the face of our sins and shortcomings, we still journey on to get to a place where we might be washed clean.
-Lauren NuDelman
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