Criticism on Canterbury Tales
... K. Hagen, she states that the Clerk views Griselda’s behavior in no way as a model for women to act (Hagen 1). Although this idea is the basis for his entire tale, I tend to agree with Dr. Hagen. In the very end of the tale, the Clerk proclaims that all women should stand up for themselves. If someone gives them a hard time, they need to retaliate, not allow themselves o be pushed around. She states that perhaps this is just a method in which Chaucer attempts to give the tale more vitality (1-2) and complexity. I must again agree. Perhaps in some twisted way, this is a mirror as to how the men in Chaucer’s day viewed women. The noble in this tale didn’t trust his wife, claiming she was much too virtuous. Was this the main factor in the testing of his young and obedient wife? Hagen seemed to think this was the case, claiming there to be “no textual reason as to conclude that Griselda is anything other than...