Allegory and Exemplum in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

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A 3 page essay that discusses Geoffrey Chaucer's medieval masterpiece The Canterbury Tales, which offers a series of narratives and character studies that open a window on English society during the fourteenth century. In creating these portraits, Chaucer uses a variety of literary devices, which include both allegory and exemplum. Examination of a few instances in which Chaucer employed these devices shows that these literary devices add nuance and depth of meaning to what otherwise might be considered to be a simple story. Bibliography lists 4 sources.