Lively Ludicrous Life
Stories of laughter, love, and fart jokes can be found within the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. The types of poems found in Chaucer’s book range from convivial comedy to charming romances. In these poems consisting of crazy characters, hilarious scenes, and ironies, Chaucer shows a zest for life and an understanding of its fullness.
Characters found in the poems are full of life in many different ways. They are described colorfully with descriptions regarding their looks and personalities. For example, Chaucer describes a merchant in his prologue: “There was a merchant with a forking beard and motley dress; high on his horse he sat, upon his head a Flemish hat and on his feet daintily buckled boots” (10). Chaucer gives an image of a huge man with a silly hat, dainty little feet, and funny colored clothes, which provides a comical scene that contributes greatly to his stories. Chaucer clearly enjoys describing unusual characters, but also serious ones. Chaucer describes the knight: “There was a knight, a most distinguished man, who from the day on which he first began to ride abroad had followed chivalry, truth, honor, generousness, and courtesy” (4). There is every kind of person in the world, and the author tries to show that comedy is not a necessity for having a full life: as long as a person lives out that one life in his or her own way.
Geoffrey Chaucer shows his different views pertaining to life not only in his characters, but in his actual stories. In the Millers Tale , the author shows his love of comedy and silliness that are a part of human nature.  In this instance, Absalon the priest has just kissed his lady love’s bum, and his love for her is quickly fading: “The fiery heat of love by now had cooled, for the time he kissed her hinder parts he didn’t get a tinkers curse for tarts; his malady was cured by this endevour and he defied all paramours whatever” (103). This quote suggests that Absalon has quickly lost his love for Alison and wants to get even. Chaucer is making fun of how people think that though they know what they want, it does not take much for them to change their ever-changing minds. Also, occurrences like these keep life interesting.
Interesting experiences are not always found in comedies, however; hilarity can even been found in a serious romance. In the Knight’s Tale, for example, The two knights find themselves in dire circumstances: they are imprisoned! Their own imprisonment does not stop them from fighting like small children over a lovely lady. “ No, false Arcite! That you shall never do! I loved her first and told my grief to you”(34). Here are two fully grown men, Arcite and Palamon, fighting over a girl in much the same manner as a five year old: “ I saw her first,” “ Yeah? Well I loved her first,” “ did not,” “did too,” and so on. Chaucer is laughing at the fact these men are fighting on something that they most likely cannot have even though there are much bigger things to worry about. This story truly brings out the part of human nature that, while crazy, really does occur.
Geoffrey Chaucer certainly does not believe in a dull moment, and shows his zest for life in his remarkably possible stories. After all, funnier things have happened in everyday life.  Who is to say that some of these things haven’t really happened and that life is not full of humor. These stories, even just pieces of them, had to be inspired by something!