In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer explores the common medieval theme of fate versus free will. This revolves around the question of how much of human life is dictated by providence (of God or fortune) and how much is the responsibility of human beings who make free choices. The balance can be difficult to find.

“The Monk’s Tale,” for instance, offers a selection of examples of great men and women who have fallen low by a turn of Fortune. Some of them, it seems, have little choice in the matter. They are innocent victims, perhaps, who simply have to accept what they are given. Queen Zenobia lives a primarily virtuous life yet is captured by the Romans. Ugolino of Pisa starves to death with his innocent children. Yet most of the examples in the tale are actually experiencing the consequences of their choices and actions when they fall from favor. Lucifer and Adam both choose sin over obedience. Sampson makes the wrong decision to confide his secret. Men like Holofernes and Antiochus carry out unspeakable evils. Arguably, they deserve what they receive.

Other tales also explore the delicate balance between fate and free will. For instance, Lady Custance in “The Man of Law’s Tale” has no choice when she goes to marry the Sultan or is set to sea twice, but she can choose how she will respond to these events, and she chooses faith, hope, and love even in the face of the worst suffering. Custance cannot escape her fate, but she can and does respond to it in such a way as, perhaps, to change it for good in the end. The balance is delicate indeed as well as mysterious.