Woke Controversy Erupts After University Puts Trigger Warning On ‘The Canterbury Tales’

A heated debate has erupted after Nottingham University placed a trigger warning on Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales for containing “expressions of Christian faith.” The university’s move has sparked outrage from critics, who argue that issuing such a warning on a foundational piece of English literature is both unnecessary and damaging to education.

The warning, part of a module titled Chaucer and His Contemporaries, cautions students about themes such as violence, mental illness, and Christian faith. Critics are baffled by the need to flag religious elements in a work that revolves around a Christian pilgrimage, especially one written in a time when Christianity was central to everyday life.

The Canterbury Tales, written between 1387 and 1400, is a collection of stories about pilgrims traveling to the tomb of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The characters, including the Wife of Bath and the miller, share stories filled with references to lust, anti-Semitism, and violence, but the university chose to focus its warning solely on the religious content.

Frank Furedi, emeritus professor at the University of Kent, criticized the decision, calling it “weird” to warn students about expressions of Christian faith in a medieval work. “All the characters are immersed in a Christian experience, so expressions of faith are expected,” Furedi stated, adding that the real issue seems to be academics trying to signal their virtue rather than educate.

Nottingham University defended the warning, stating that it promotes diversity and inclusivity, even suggesting that practicing Christians might find medieval worldviews strange or alienating. However, many believe the decision undermines the academic study of historical texts and caters to unnecessary sensitivities.

Historian Jeremy Black labeled the move as “demeaning to education” and suggested it was driven by the need to meet modern “tick-box” criteria rather than prepare students for critical engagement with historical works. Critics argue that students studying medieval literature should expect to encounter faith-based themes, as these are integral to the period.