Also about the Yeoman

Though I agree with Tara in that alchemy in Cannon's Yeoman's tale is metaphor for writing, along with the art of storytelling, I am hesitant to say that Chaucer is subtly making a reference to himself in the tale. Reason being is that there the language referencing alchemists is often scathing. The Yeoman claims that the alchemist seem to always fail, "We faille of that which we wolden have,/ And in oure madnesse everemoore we rave" (958-959). I doubt Chaucer considered himself such a failure, and think that this tale is more to serve as a critique on many of the pilgrims in the story. I say that simply becasue of the recurring concept of money in the tale.

In the second part of the tale, a Canon makes money off of trickery and decet, and in the end escapes any and all punishment. Who's to say that any of the pilgrims aren't wrongly profitting from their crafts. Physicians from Chaucer's day based their medicines off religious teachings, and characters like the Pardoner made a living from swaying people from sin. These acts were just as treacherous as alchemy, but still were highly profitable. The Yeoman says that nothing is what it seems - "He that semeth the wiseste, by Jhesus,/Is moost fool, whan it cometh to the preef;/And he that semeth trewest is a theef" (967-969) - so it seems like Chaucer is presenting the question of what exactly constitutes decet and what is considered honest.