A Literary Analysis of Structural Techniques and Devices in The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales

There are several structural elements in "The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales." The first structural element is associated with nature and the physical elements. Chaucer states, "When April with his sweet showers has pierced the drought of March to the root,...(so nature pricks them in their hearts): Then people long to go on pilgrimages." April signifies a revival of spirituality in which people feel a need to take pilgrimages because they feel closer to nature and Jesus Christ. Nature is intimately connected with spiritual soul searchings. On the same line, there exists a level of correspondences in which nature and man are linked together towards a common goal.

The characters themselves are built through a concept known as the chain of being. This involves a hierarchy of character structure. The characters are introduced from their highest to their lowest status and rank. For example, the knight is described first for his bravery and honor, following the squire his son, a Yeoman, and so on.

There exists also a level of juxtaposition in which the attributing elements and characteristics are compared and contrasted. For example, one can see in the description of the knight that he possesses honor, courage, valor. In essence, he is a respectful man who wins his glory for what he stands. On the other hand, his son the squire, symbolizes youth, courtly love, romance. He is interested in nice clothes, music, nature and women.

Chaucer also employs juxtaposition involving the comparison and contrast between the knight and the squire. As seeing the knight as a bold and elegant man, the squire is described as a "lusty lover" and 'fresh flowers" in reference to the description of his dress. This is known as alliteration.

Another literary technique is the use of irony. In the description of the squire, irony is based on a gap on what is apparent and what is implied. In the lines "and in this short time he had borne himself well, in the hopes of winning his lady's favor." The reader in this respect, anticipates something bolder and intense more than just "winning his lady's favor."

Chaucer also uses similes and superlatives. When Chaucer refers to the squire's age he remarks, "he was about twenty years old, I guess;" This expresses a realistic statement of the squire's age.

Chaucer also integrates the use of superlatives in describing the squire's romantic nature. For example, "... so hotly did he love that at night he slept no more than a nightingale." Chaucer also uses exaggerated adjectives to describe the squire's body build in the line: "... and wonderly deliver, and of greet strength."

Finally, the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales is built on four distinct levels. The first level is the story itself as a whole, written by Chaucer. The second level is the narrator who participates in the pilgrimage. The third level is the host whose idea it is to create the story line of The Canterbury Tales and on the fourth level, is the character who integrates the story line as they tell their stories in a competitive group manner.