PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Pilgrim in the prologue
. The Man Of Law- A successful lawyer commissioned by the king. He upholds justice in matters large and small and know every statute of England’s law by heart.
MAIN CHARACTERS IN THE TALE
- Constance- she is a devout christian woman whose faith is constantly tested.
- The Sultan Of Syria- this young ruler’s life is ruled by the love of a woman, constance.
- King Alla- he is the king of northumberland who marries constance.
- Donegild- she is the malicious mother of King Alla, who contrives to split up her son’s marriage.
Significance of tale's
. The tale fits into the work by showing that you should always believe in what you want to believe in, even if things get hard.
Purpose of the tale
. The purpose of this tale was to teach the lesson of having faith. If you have faith in something then you will always have something to look forward to.
Type of tale told
. The tale is a romance
Did Chaucer finish the tale?
. Yes
Social commentary
. The Man of Law decides to get around the problem of being compared to Chaucer by telling his tale in prose, and leaving the verses to Chaucer. He then proceeds to tell a tale in verse.
Summary
. "The Man of Law's Tale" has a motif that's pretty common in medieval literature. It's all about a virtuous princess whose great faith allows her to keep her virtue intact, despite terrible adversity. The romance Emaré, another medieval tale, has a fairly similar plot. In both stories, the heroine ends up in a rudderless boat. The Man of Law's Tale" is no exception. For example, the second part of the tale is set in Northumbria, a part of ancient Britain. This setting provides an opportunity for the tale to mythologize (or "make a myth out of") its own cultural history.
