Narrator: Now listen to part of a talk in an English literature class.

Professor: There have been many famous pieces of literature written that have used satire. One of the more famous authors who used satire in his writing is Chaucer. You might recognize this name. Chaucer used satire when he wrote the famous Canterbury Tales. But first, what is satire? Satire is a technique used to make fun of or ridicule someone or something. It is not a direct attack, but more of a subtle, often less noticeable way to criticize. Satire is usually used with the intent of bringing some sort of social change about.

In the opening of the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer describes several types of people. One of them is a prioress. A prioress is supposed to care only about other people and not themselves, right? A prioress is a person who is supposed to travel around with little or no money and do good deeds and care for the poor. But this prioress travels with some pet dogs that she feeds expensive food to. While there are poor people out in the world starving, that she should be caring for, she feeds her little dogs only the best of food: roast meat, milk, white bread. Only the rich had these things back then, and this prioress gives them to her dogs. Who does she love more, people or pets?

She also wears jewelry. She wears a beaded bracelet with gold. The prioress’s appearance is described as being very clean and neat and proper. Now, do you think a person who is supposed to have no money and who only lives to help others has mind to think about her own appearance? It appears that this prioress cares more about spending time and money on her appearance than helping others.

Narrator: Now get ready to answer the question.

 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Answer

Satire is a literary device used to criticize someone. It is not used to directly criticize someone. Umm...with satire, you couldn’t say “This person is very bad.” You would say things about the person that makes you think they are bad. Satire is often a less noticeable way to criticize someone or something. Sometimes, the person doesn’t know they are being criticized. In the description of the prioress there is satire. The woman is supposed to be nice and care for the poor. She is supposed to have devoted herself to helping other people, but she helps her little dogs more than she helps poor people. While poor people have nothing to eat, she feeds her dogs really good food. Also, this woman wears expensive jewelry and is always clean. A person who travels around and helps the poor should give whatever money they have to help the poor, but this woman has used her money to buy jewelry.