In the Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer describes the actual practice of alchemy as a ruse. In Canon Yeoman's Tale and Franklin's Tale, transformation is simply an illusion when attempting to go against the forces of nature. In The Wife of Bath's Tale, an old lady is transformed into a beautiful young wife only through magical forces. The principle of alchemy, however, becomes reality in these three tales when the individuals themselves change. The only transformation that human beings are capable of exerting must come from within. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the canon Yeoman's Tale, the audience is immediately informed through the yeoman's warning that alchemists are false, deceiving liars for their practices. The farmer begins his tale by discussing the debt he owes for taking part in this sinful occupation. As Frank Schleicher writes, "He reveals the truth about his former employer and the canon leaves 'for verray sorwe and shame'" (63). Alchemy is a "smooth science" because alchemists take pilgrims' gold and turn it into nothing. Putting gold in the pot only creates the illusion that the gold is purified. The easily fabricated illusion then introduces the complication that nothing is what it seems. The long expression of the farmer. of penance, however, indicates that a transformation has occurred within his character. In these terms, the Canon is a legitimate alchemist, because his sinful teachings lead to the epiphany of the farmer who must abandon his lifestyle and repent after separating from his employer, Schleicher argues: "He took the first step towards authentic conversation. He has renounced the sin in which he has lived for so long and has begun the movement towards full and complete penance" (63). Yeoman's character begins with his confession to all the traveling pilgrims. He is eager to reveal the truth about alchemy because he is ready to leave this lifestyle of sin: Yet, for all my smile and all my pain, / For all my suffering, toil and trouble, / I could never leave it in peace. not wise. / Now you want God to grant me my suffix / To tell everything that aspires to that art! / But nathelees, yes, I said a part. / If my lord goes, I will not; / Whatever I know, I will declare (VIII 712-19). The Yeoman reveals the difficulty of leaving the occupation thus far, but his confession remains genuine. Schleicher points out the interesting way in which the narrator begins to react to his Tale: “No less than three times in the second part of his tale, the Yeoman interrupts himself to proclaim that he has grown weary of his Tale” (66). These interruptions suggest that the guilt and shame are too heavy for his heart, so much so that "the rhyme tires me." He seems desperate for forgiveness after realizing that he has spent much of his life serving the false Canon and lies of alchemy. Schleicher's statement -- “The planned retelling of his sinful art has worn down the narrator. He wants to go out. He wants to end it” (67) – is effective in illustrating the internal transformation of the yeoman. The guilt resulting from the sinful practices the canon taught the farmer brings about this change, as well as the change in his desires. In Franklin's tale, the completed task of moving rocks onto the shore is nothing more than an illusion created by a magician. Dorigen jokingly gives this task with the intention that it is as impossible assatisfy Aurelio's request to be with him. Aurelius fervently prays to Apollo, god of poetry, to transform the scenery of the shore so as not to have rocks. Apollo refuses to answer her prayer, as it is, as Sandra McEntire states, "an act completely contrary to the process of nature" (150). Aurelio immediately turns to his brother, a clerk, for help in achieving this transformation. Aurelius' brother takes him to a clerk whose specialty was practicing the science "by which men appear different." This science is comparable to the practice of alchemy, as both create false illusions for monetary profit. McEntire argues: “In their game of creating illusions, the clerks and the squire take from the woman the basis of her experience: what she can see with her own eyes. What men want women to see, not what actually exists, or the meaning of this existence, is the new agenda” (151). The employee does not possess the power to go against the processes of nature, nor does he understand them. “He does not gather herbs, roots or rocks, does not engage in any activity, does nothing to effect a change in the created reality. He just speaks words, does equations, calculates the stars, and "by his magic," whatever it is, makes it seem as if "all the rocks were aweyee"" (151). The clerk is not a real alchemist ; is capable only of creating a false illusion voluntarily Dorigen with her husband) shows that a. the transformation within him has taken place. When Aurelius returns to Brittany, he wastes no time in notifying Dorigen of the completed task. When Dorigen tells Arviragus what happened while he was away, he advises that keeping his promise is more important than the shame that he will do it. Aurelius learns how well Arviragus accepted Dorigen's promise and how he sent her to keep it, he is amazed “He states his concern for her honor, and soon after holds her to a standard that he himself has failed to maintain. Honor itself is illusory, a perception of oneself by others, an appearance” (153). McEntire argues that Aurelius' nobility is simply an illusion. However, some transformation must have taken place within Aurelius for him to pass his opportunity with Dorigen. He realizes that he should be noble because it is the right thing to do: “Thus kan a squire doon a gentil dede / As wel as kan a knyght, withouten drede” (1543-44). At the beginning of the story, Aurelius paid no attention to the couple's marriage vows. He was eager to be with Dorigen and was ready to "work hard to repay his debt to the wizard to the shame of begging" (155). At the end of the story, however, he rejects Dorigen's submission because he has realized the importance of her marriage vows to her husband. Now he is willing to endure the same suffering as Arviragus. It is Arviragus' nobility that changed Aurelius, making Arviragus the alchemist in this tale. In the tale of the Wife of Bath, the transformation of the old lady into a beautiful wife is not a reality because it is performed through the forces of magic. No other character inflicts this transformation on her. The only true alchemy that occurs is the purification of the knight, a former rapist: And so bifel that this king Arthour / Had in his house a lustful bachelor, / That one day cam ridynge fri ryver / And it came to pass that, all as he was born , / He saugh a mayde walkynge hym biforn, / Of which mayde anon, maugree hir heed, / By verray force, he. 3 (1986): 60-77.