A decision by Nottingham University to add a trigger warning to Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales for its “expressions of Christian faith” has sparked widespread criticism. The university has been accused of diluting the educational experience for students by alerting them to themes that are intrinsic to medieval literature.
The trigger warning was issued as part of the Chaucer and His Contemporaries module. It includes references to Christian faith, violence, and mental illness. Critics find it odd that students would need to be warned about religious themes in a work that centers on a Christian pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral, a key site of religious significance during the Middle Ages.
Written between 1387 and 1400, The Canterbury Tales features a diverse set of characters, each telling stories during their journey. These include elements of lust, deceit, and anti-Semitism, but the university’s warning focuses primarily on the Christian content, sparking confusion among scholars.
Frank Furedi, a professor of sociology, remarked that it is “weird” to single out Christian themes in a work written during a time when Christianity was dominant in society. He expressed concern that the warning reflects an attempt by academics to appear politically correct rather than to properly engage with the historical context of the text.
Nottingham University defended the decision, claiming that the warnings promote diversity and inclusivity for students who may find certain aspects of the medieval worldview strange or uncomfortable. The university insisted that even Christian students might find some of the content challenging.
However, many scholars believe this approach diminishes the value of studying classic works like The Canterbury Tales. Historian Jeremy Black criticized the university for “demeaning” education by prioritizing modern sensitivities over understanding the text’s historical context.
