A Review of The Canterbury Tales: The tale of Meliboeus

 

                                                                              The Prologue 

In the prologue, Chaucer and the host briefly bicker before Chaucer goes on to tell a new story. The host complains of Chaucer's rhyme, but this seems to hardly drive back the English poet. Indeed, Chaucer has the full intention of now telling a moral tale. Nevertheless, the story that Chaucer is about to tell would not be unique to his imagination. In fact, Chaucer translated the story from one written by the French. Despite drawing from an earlier story, Chaucer understands the the moral importance of the upcoming text: 

''Gladly,'' quoth I, ''by Godde's sweet pine, 

I will tell you a little thing in prose, 

That ought like you, as I suppose, 

Or else certes ye be too dangerous. 

It is a moral tale virtuous, 

All be it told sometimes in sundry wise

By sundry folk, as I shall you devise. 

The prologue certainly sets the stage for a poem of great religiosity. Concerning its message, Chaucer seems to have had in mind a more serious tale here. On the other hand, some have interpreted it as more comical for its long length over the original French text. It has been suggested by some scholars that this tale is a companion to Chaucer's unfinished, The Tale of of Sir Thopas. Nevertheless, modern scholars generally see The Tale of Meliboeus as Chaucer's most boring work. 

                                                                        The Tale*1

Meliboues was a powerful and wealthy young man. He had a wife known as Prudence, and a daughter, known as Sophia. 

One day several men came into Meliboeus's house and beat his wife and daughter. When he found out about this he did greatly weep. 

Meliboeus's wife, Prudence, recalled lines from Ovid about suffering. In return, her husband spoke of how Christ did weep. His wife then spoke of the importance of weeping. Additionally, Solomon is quoted, and the sufferings of Job are discussed. 

Meliboeus then assembled many folks to his aid. Desiring vengeance, he asks his companions for wisdom. The young people encourage him to take vengeance while the old encourage him to refrain from such anger. Prudence then encouraged him to not go to war. He acknowledged her wisdom after she gave a long discourse about women helping men for guidance. Eventually, she even persuades him to not be angry and hasty to war. After agreeing with her wisdom, he asks her what thinks of his advisors. She tells him that these folks are folly and for him to follow his own rules of peace. Realizing his faults of angriness and hastiness, the text gives one of my favorite lines in all The Canterbury Tales: 

Granting that he erred, Meliboeus says that he is all ready to change his counsel right as she will devise; for, as the proverb runs, to do sin is human, but to persevere long in sin is work of the Devil. 

The wife then rebukes those among the counselors that had urged her husband to hastiness. Instead, she encourages peace to undo war. Likewise, she turns her husband towards Christ. For a woman that has been beaten along with her daughter she has an amazing strong attribute of self-control. Indeed, her husband is much graced by her strong faith. 

Prudence also reminds her husband of the authority of the judge to carry out justice. She is against those that attempt to carry out vengeance without trusting in the legal system to carry out justice. A few times he pridefully resists her pleas for him to be humble and patient. Nevertheless, he continues to listen to her as he knows that she is right. 

Next, the wife then met the men that had injured her family. She warned them of war and told them of the great hurt they had done to her family. Perhaps surprisingly, the men were surprised that she was not more scolding of them. Alas, Meliboeus and his wife were forgiving to those that sought their forgiveness. Indeed, Meliboeus encouraged them to obtain an indulgence*2. Last, all end with peace towards one another. 

Later, Meliboeus had the intention of punishing the men but his wife again turned him away from this. The story ends with him speaking about Christ will forgive us of our sins if we repent. 

                                                                           My Analysis: 

The theme of this story is that we should trust in God and not seek vengeance. As hard as it may be, we should never seek to punish those that have done us wrong. We have no room for hatred as Christ loves us even though we are far from perfection. 

The Tale of Meliboeus also exhorts husbands to listen to their godly wives. Meliboeus would have been driven by his own madness if Prudence had not directed him towards Christlike virtues. 

Finally, repentance is necessary for salvation. All Christians sin and fall, but a lifestyle of sin without repentance brings serious questions to an individual's walk with God.  

While some may find The Tale of Meliboeus to be boring, I think that this is hardly the case. The story maybe less colorful than some of the other Canterbury Tales. However, it leaves an impregnable message about forgiveness that is more important than entertainment. For this reason, I disagree with the modern consensus of this being one of the boring tales. 

                                                                                     Notes:

1*I noticed that unlike other Canterbury Tales, The Tale of Meliboeus is largely written in prose. I found that both odd and surprising. 

2* What was Chaucer's point here? Did he believe in indulgences? It should be remembered that Chaucer drew this story from another. Considering that this story was not an original work from Chaucer, how much authority does it represent of his views? Much or little?