Moslem And Constance A Christian example essay topic

The Lawyers Prologue In, The Lawyers Prologue, by Geoffrey Chaucer, Chaucer mixes and tries to differ himself in telling the story, by making it seem that the tale is being told between the actual author and the narrator, by giving the lawyer some critical reference to Chaucer. Chaucer is writing this trying to show as if the lawyer were to be telling the tale, and not Chaucer him self. The majority of what the Lawyer says is not important or not of significance with the story. The Lawyer is portrayed as dignified and formal, addressing the diverse crowd as if he were speaking to the court. Introduction to The Lawyers Prologue The host speaks to the rest of the travelers, telling them that they can regain lost property but not lost time. The host suggests that the lawyer tell the next tale, and he agrees to do so, because he does not want to break his promises.

He also says that the people should keep the laws they give to other people. The host refers to Chaucer who works shallow and writes poorly, but at the least he does not write of tales of lust. The Lawyer prepares to tell of a tale which will include poverty, and talks of it in an affectionate and formal way. The Lawyers Tale In Syria there was a company of wealthy traders who made a journey to Rome. After a certain time there encountered Constance the emperors daughter, who was famous for her goodness and beauty. When the merchants returned to Syria, they reported to the Sultan what they had seen; the Sultan was immediately filled with lust for this Constance.

The Sultan met with his advisors and told them of what he was told and his intentions. They could find no way for the Sultan to marry Constance. The Sultan is a Moslem, and Constance a Christian, for no emperor would allow his daughter to marry a Moslem. Th Sultan then decided to convert to Christianity in a heavy intent to marry this beauty. With this in change, the em per or gave Constance away to the Sultan for he was full of joy, but Constance left in sorrow for she did not wish to live in a foreign country.

She understands the connection with a women being made to be a mans subject, and lives on with her life. This tale commends the sacrifice and honor of Constance the daughter of the Roman Emperor who will suffer a num ber of injustices during the years to come for her with the Sultan. It is a religious tale which does not reach for the subtlety of allegory. Constance depends on her religious faith for her survival throughout her life with the Sultan. The people who do not share the Christian faith with her are evil and cruel to her. This tale takes a small view into humanity in which Chris tia nity represents clean purity and any other religious tradition is evil.

Her virtue and honor differ from her devotion to Christian principles, while those who posses other religious beliefs are doubtful of her. This holds true for the Syrians and the Sultan, for which she has her life revolved around. The Lawyer describes them as jealous ans the Sultan, lustful. He demands to marry Constance hearing only of her beauty, which leads him to marry for lust. He desires the power that comes from her status as a Roman royalty. The only instance where the Sultan is redeemed is when he converts to Christianity.

Even though this conversion happens, Constance is faced with the evil of the Sultans mother which is shown through her devotion to her faith and the unwillingness to accept Christian principles. Remember that the Sultan converted to Christianity, not his mother. The Sultans mother and her confidants agreed never to renounce their Islamic faith, and she compared Constance with Eve, tempting her son to sinful action. The mother of the Sultan and her advisors will pretend to accept Christianity and host a feast for the Sultan and his new wife. During the feast, the mother had her followers massacre all the attendants.

Only Constance survived, and they put her on a boat with enough food to survive, but no navigation gear to help her get back to Italy. Constance remained on this ship for many years. Through her prayer she remained safe. The ship finally crashed on the shores of the Northumberland. The warden of a nearby castle found Constance and gave her shelter, but she refused to give her identity. He and his wife, Dame Hermengild, were pagans, but Con stance secretly converted her to Christianity.

Christians could only practice their religion pri vs. ately and secretly. One day, Constance, Hermengild, and her husband were walking on the beach, and were approached by a blind Christian who identified her. Although Hermengild feared her husband would ask her about her conversion, he to converted. The King of the land was Alla. A young knight, who was influenced by Satan, fell in love with Constance and had lust for her. He wanted to be with her, but she refused.

In an act of revenge, he one night went to where she slept, aside Hermengild and her husband, split Hermengild throat and placed the knife next to Constance. When the husband found out of this, Alla blamed the murder on Constance. The people did not believe she would do such a thing, but she was to be put to death. She prayed for a miracle, and moved by her pleas, Alla decided to make the knight swear on the bible. When he did so, he was struck down, and his eyes burst. Seeing this, Alla decided to convert to Christianity.

Alla took Constance to be his wife. Donegild, Alla mother did not like the situation and was distressed. When Alla was in Scotland, Con them and change the letters, saying the new child was foul and wicked. Alla sends a letter back saying he vows to love the child. Donegild intercepts it and replaces it with one that with a letter that banishes her and the child, Mauritius, on the boat they came on. When Alla returns back home, he heres of this awful action, and kills his mother in danger.

Constance has already sailed away, and ended up in another foreign kingdom. She came to met the wardens steward to attempted to rape her, but fell of the boat and drowned. The emperor of Rome had sent an army to Syria in accordance with the massacre that hap pene d. On their way home, the senator who led the army, met Constance. They brought her back to Rome, but nobody remembered her, not even the senators wife, who was Con stances aunt. With all this going on, Alla made a pilgrimage to Rome to make repentance for what happened with his mother and his wife.

The senator went to feast with King Alla, who saw Mauritius and barely recognized him. Constance and Alla were reunited and Con stance and her father were reunited. Alla and Constance returned to England, and Mauritius later became Emperor of Rome. Although Constance is compared to Eve, this is wrong. Constance does not tempt others to sin, for those are their actions. Seeing Constance survive through all these evil ac tions of people show her survival to be a testament of her Christian faith.

This tale of the Lawyer shows that one who glorifies Christianity and its values will overcome evil in its so city. The warden and his wife prove their worthiness by conversion. It is made clear that Christians were persecuted in England for their beliefs. Their ability to remain faithful to Christianity becomes a loyal sacrifice, because they risk their lives by becoming Christians. Both the Sultans mother and Donegild share similar characteristics.

Both prevented Constance from marrying their sons, fearful of the Christian religion that Constance brings to their lands. Both are led to commit evil and murderous acts, to prevent their interference with this religion which does not blend with their pagan religion. Again, it is shown how powerful the Christian faith is for Constance as she survives an attack by a rapist through divine faith. Fate can always be found revolving a religious story which has religious context. The examples are when the knight swears on the bible, he suffers divine harm, and Constance is saved by prayer when attacked by the rapist. Not only is she rewarded by God for remaining faithful by being reunited with her family, her son is made emperor of Rome..