Attempt a comparison of the following lines: (a) Allas! Allas! that ever love was sinne. (b) Woman is mannes joy and all his bliss. (MEG 101 CHAUCER)

 Attempt a comparison of the following lines:

(a) Allas! Allas! that ever love was sinne.

(b) Woman is mannes joy and all his bliss.

Also refer them to their contexts.

The two lines are from different tales in Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" and express different sentiments about love and gender.

(a) "Allas! Allas! that ever love was sinne" is spoken by the character of the lovesick Troilus in the poem "Troilus and Criseyde". Here, Troilus is lamenting the fact that his love for Criseyde has caused him pain and suffering, and that his desire for her has led him into sin. The line reflects the tension between the secular ideals of courtly love and the religious strictures against lust and illicit desire that existed in medieval society.

(b) "Woman is mannes joy and all his bliss" is spoken by the character of the Knight in the General Prologue. Here, the Knight is expressing a chivalric ideal of the role of women in society, as a source of joy and happiness for men. This sentiment reflects the courtly love tradition in which women are idealised as objects of admiration and devotion for men to pursue.

In terms of their contexts, these lines reflect different genres and tones within Chaucer's work. The line from "Troilus and Criseyde" is a more serious and melancholy reflection on love, while the line from the General Prologue is a more idealistic and romanticised portrayal of gender relations. Nonetheless, both lines highlight the tensions and contradictions that exist in medieval attitudes towards love, gender, and social roles.