[Un]Licensed Riot: Prodigality, Hypocrisy, and Guild Discourse in Chaucer s Cook s Tale

Chaucer’s Cook’s Tale demonstrates the characterization of a riotous apprentice, narrative depiction conflict between that apprentice and his master, master’s issuing questionable “papir” “acquitance” (4404 & 4411) to suggest provocatively linked definitions class depictions order transgression specific guild-oriented mercantile culture fourteenth-century London. Considered within context General Prologue’s Roger Cook who tells tale, description Four Guildsmen employ him, suggests emergence binary pairing prodigality hypocrisy, both which contribute breakdown social cohesion concept “degree” so important Canterbury frame tale. against backdrop what William Woods’ (1996) analysis The describes as “social structure defined by commerce” (190), in relation general work on use language (Cannon 1998) terminology (Blenner-Hassett 1942; Call 1943), it becomes clear fragment indicts laterally mobile prodigal decadent hypocrisy Master through subversion license guild authority.