Question

What makes the story Hercules appropriate in the Monk's tales is that despite Hercules's godly strength and ability to defeat monsters, he still suffered from unexpected misfortune at the hands of his own loved one.

a) Hercules's godly strength
b) Defeating monsters
c) Unexpected misfortune
d) Loved one's betrayal

Answer 1

The story of Hercules is fitting for the Monk's tales primarily due to the unexpected misfortune he encounters—his suffering and tragic downfall at the hands of a loved one, illustrating the vulnerability of even the mightiest heroes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The story of Hercules fits into the Monk's tales within Canterbury Tales particularly because of the unexpected misfortune that befell him, despite his godly strength and heroic deeds. This facet of the narrative underscores the vulnerability and the potential for suffering of even the mightiest heroes due to personal betrayal or tragic flaws, a recurring theme in classical mythology and literature.

Hercules' life was marked by tremendous feats such as slaying the Nemean Lion and the Hydra, and capturing Cerberus. However, it is the human aspects of his story—his mistakes, subsequent atonement through the Twelve Labors, and the downfall through his loved one’s actions—that resonates with the themes of the Monk’s tales.

In Sophocles' tragedies and the legends of other Greek heroes, we see a similar pattern, where heroic figures are deeply flawed and ultimately meet with tragic ends due to fate or personal choices, highlighting the complexity of human nature and the capriciousness of fate.