Identity
The Squire’s Identity
“Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde.
He koude songes make and wel endite,
Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write” [1]
“Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable” [2]
The Squire was a young, chivalrous, and well-dressed man on the road of becoming a knight. In his description from the General Prologue, he was tall, agile, and strong. Furthermore, he was incredibly skilled in courtly pastimes such as writing songs, jousting, and riding horses. At the end of his description, he was characterized as courteous, humble, and servant-hearted.
Controversies Over the Squire’s Character
“And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie,
In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Pycardie,
And born hym weel, as of so litel space,
In hope to stonden in his lady grace” [3]
While the General Prologue illustrated the Squire to be a young and chivalrous man on the road of becoming a knight, there were points in his description that revealed blemishes in his seemingly idealistic character. By comparing the Squire to the Knight, Chaucer revealed the stark contrast between their priorities and values in life. One example would be the Squire’s only intent on embarking on army raids was to impress and win his lover with his sacrificial action, not to actually defeat an army and bring glory and honor to his king.
“He was as fressh as is the month of May.
Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde.
Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde.
He koude songes make and wel endite,
juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write” [4]
In his analysis of the Squire, Craig Taylor argues that impressing a lover was a poor reason to engage in such brutal raids that took the lives of many innocent civilians, and Taylor attributes the Squire’s poor judgment to his immaturity and youthfulness. While the General Prologue portrayed him as chivalric and well-trained for his age, his motivations to perform such violent deeds was less than charming and extremely pathetic. Furthermore, unlike the Knight who knew his place and duty, the Squire was distracted by his privileged life, material goods, and courtly pastimes. Taylor states that the Squire drastically “contrasted the ascetic and serious figure of the Knight” (66). [5]
While the comparison of the Squire to the Knight showed the difference in age, priorities, and maturity, it also prompts the readers to recognize that the Squire has not yet had the time grow out of his adolescent tendencies and gain the necessary exposure that the Knight had already experienced. The Squire can be an empathetic and relatable character who reflects the characteristics of modern day youth. While some authors have harshly criticized the Squire for his ignorance and that being young is a weak excuse, others recognize him as an innocent and helpless romantic.
The Squire’s juvenescence is also seen in the way he narrates his tale: He sporadically introduces new topics and points but fails to actually finish a complete thought. Carol Heffernan defines his jumping back and forth from one idea to another as “interlacing.” The Squire begins talking about “the world of kings and knights” then jumps to the magical gifts and then to “world of Canacee and her ladies.” According to Heffernan, the tale lacks structure and was considered messy and confusing because the Squire did not control his own narration. Not only was the naivete and inexperience of the Squire evident when compared to the Knight, but also the themes of his story and the ways it was told. The “Squire’s Tale” centered itself around the themes of romantic pursuits, orientalism, and magic while the “Knight’s Tale” focused on the wise and noble Theseus. [6] [7]
The Franklin’s Interruption
“I have my sone snybbed, and yet shal,
for he to vertu listeth nat entende; but for to pleye at dees,
and to despende and lese al that he hath is his usage.
And he hath levere talken with a page than to comune with any
gentil wight where he myghte lerne gentillesse aright” [8]
The Franklin’s interruption praises the Squire for his noble character and views him as the ideal role model for his own incompetent son, who lacks “gentillesse” and loves to indulge in frivolous activities. In comparison to the Franklin’s son, the Squire is the perfect image of what he desired his son to be. Assuming that both of are around the same age, there is a stark contrast in the ways they lived their lives. In the Franklin’s eyes, the Squire is an admirable character who possesses remarkable traits at a young age.
The Franklin’s interruption is also controversial as some medievalists argue that it was intentional and meant to stop the Squire from further telling a tale about the ludicrous and incestuous relationship between Canacee and her brother. As will be discussed later in the Orientalism section, it was hard for the West to accept and read Eastern works due to their exotic and strange content.
The Squire’s character and personality can be read and interpreted in countless ways. By comparing him to his experienced father, the Knight, he is noticeably less accomplished and immature. There is a lot of room for growth and improvement. However, by comparing him to the Franklin’s son, The Squire now becomes the standard for what a knightly young man ought to be.
Footnotes
1. Chaucer, “The Squire’s Tale.” V. 94-96.
2. Chaucer, “The Squire’s Tale.” V. 99.
3. Chaucer, “General Prologue.” I. 85-88
4. Chaucer, “General Prologue.” I. 92-96
5. Taylor, “Historians on Chaucer.” 66.
6. Bleeth, “Orientalism and the Critical History of the Squire’s Tale.” 25
7. Heffernan, “Chaucer’s Squire’s Tale: Content and Structure.” 10
8. Chaucer, “The Squire’s Tale,” V. 688-694
Works Cited
Bleeth, Kenneth. “Orientalism and the Critical History of the Squire’s Tale.” In Chaucer’s
Cultural Geography. Edited by Kathryn Lynch, 21–31. New York and London: Routledge,
2002.
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales, edited by Jill Mann. London: Penguin Books, 2005
Heffernan, Carol. “Chaucer’s Squire’s Tale: Content and Structure.” The Orient in Chaucer and
Medieval Romance. 1-17. Rutgers University. Boydell and Brewer. 2003
Taylor, Craig. “The Squire.” Historians on Chaucer: The ‘General Prologue’ to the Canterbury Tales.
63-76. Oxford Scholarship Online. 2014
