Chaucer the Joker(An analysis of Chaucer's use of satire to reach his intended audience) How the great Jonathan Swift once said, “Satire is a kind of glass, in which the spectators generally discover everyone's face but their own. In Chaucer's writings he uses satire to describe many different ideas. First of all, Chaucer is trying to trick people and make them laugh. In the three sections, general prologue, Pardoners tale and Wife of Bath Tales, there are all specific examples of satire. Satire is the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize the stupidity or vices of people, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. Chaucer is very witty when it comes to using satire. In The Canterbury Tale Chaucer uses satire to reach the intended audience in three different parts of the writing, the general prologue, the tale of the Pardoners, and the tale of the Wife of Bath. To start, in the general prologue there are many examples of satire that are displayed. He begins this prologue with the discussion of spring and how everything comes back to life during spring. Spring is supposed to be the time of rebirth, when all the leaves grow back, the flowers sprout, the grass turns green and the puppies are born. This is ironic, because all the people gathered in this square are about to be robbed. Although there are some characters who don't agree with the whole getting caught thing. “Riding abroad he had followed chivalry, truth, honour, generosity and courtesy, he had borne himself nobly in the war of his sovereigns.” (pg;.98) This quote expands on the type of person the Knight was. You could tell all these things about him... middle of the paper... l, Every tale of Chaucer's Canterbury Tale refers to satire, with which he intends to reach his audience. To begin with, in the general prologue there are many examples of satire that are shown. Secondly, the Pardoners' tale also contains an excessive amount of irony and satire. Finally, the prologue to Wife of Baths is the one that most people are offended by. Satire can be used in a positive or negative way, it just depends on how you apply it. The way Chaucer applied it, he wanted to drive many people mad and he succeeded. All in all, Chaucer did a great job when it came to using satire to reach his intended audience. Chaucer's General Prologue is a masterpiece of satire due in large part to his frequent and often brutally funny use of verbal irony. Henry Kewt says here that he is the king of irony when it comes to The Canterbury Tale.