The Canon's Yeoman's Tale is about an alchemist named the Canon and his assistant, the Yeoman. The Canon was once wealthy but lost everything pursuing the mythical Philosopher's Stone through alchemy. His failed experiments left him penniless. Due to their misplaced faith in science, the Canon and Yeoman trick a priest by falsely claiming they can turn objects into silver, robbing the priest who believes due to his faith in God. The tale criticizes how faith can lead men astray whether in religion or pursuits like alchemy.

1. The Canon’s Yeoman’s
Tale
A critical analysis of the critical analysis.

2. Thesis
The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale is Chaucer hiding
his view of religion and its results in a tale
denouncing Alchemy.

3. Characters
•
The Canon. An Alchemistis a man who by trade
has lost all his money in search of the
Philosophers Stone. He starts off as a man of
high ideals led by his faith in science.
•
The Yeoman. The Canon’s servant. He tells the
Tale and the Canons fall from grace.

4. The Tale part I
The Canon and the Yeoman’s Alchemy always
fails, and they become penniless due to their
pursuit of the Philosophers Stone. They were
once rich and thriving, but their faith has led them
to despair.

5. The Tale part II
Their faith in science having led them to ruin,
bring them to a rich priest. The once virtuous
Canon, then tricked the priest three times. Each
time he told the priest he turned various objects
to silver, which was a lie. A man of faith in
science tricked and robbed from a man of faith
in God.

6. Reason and Faith
•
Canon and Priest both start out with noble
intentions
•
Both are guided by faith
•
Both are shown to be foolish
•
So, if they are foolish, aren’t their professions as
well?
•
Both are driven by a mixture of Faith and Greed.

7. Meaning of the Tale
•
I would argue that Chaucer suggests that men of
faith give up reason for knowledge. In the
Canon’s case his faith leads him penniless and
dishonest. In the priests case, his greed leads
him to be easily deceived because of his
misplaced faith. I believe Chaucer is comparing
a foolhardy profession of the time to a
chastisement of a belief, comparing Alchemy to
Religion.