The Canterbury Tales

1 Pages 330 Words

When four knights murdered Thomas a Becket under King Henry’s orders in the cathedral, many people began to believe that the clergymen were crooked. Chaucer, author of The Canterbury Tales, represents these sentiments that the medieval church is a corrupt institution that produces corrupt and untraditional individuals. Chaucer puts these feelings on display in the prologue as he mocks and satirizes the clergy members, which include the Nun, the Monk, and the Friar.
The first character that Chaucer satirizes is the Nun. The Nun is described as a tender-hearted, pleasant woman, who is well-mannered. At the dinner table, she refuses to let a morsel fall off her lip and often weeps if she sees a mouse caught in a trap. On top of ridiculing these extreme actions, Chaucer states that the Nun wears “a set of beads, the gaudies tricked in green,” thus showing her fashionable ways. However, the Nun proves to be the anti-thesis of what a nun should be since being both fashionable and a nun is incongruous.
The Monk, on the other hand, is described as a “manly man” as well as a “fat and personable priest.” The Monk enjoys the sports of hunting and riding horses, thus showing his masculine and fancy side. However, a typical monk in the middle ages dedicated his time to copying manuscripts in the monastery and rarely spent time doing outdoor activities. Unlike a traditional monk, this one is robust and ignores the vows that he has taken.
The Friar also defies the traditional clergymen expectations as he proves to be resolutely immoral. At first, the Friar is described as “a wanton one and merry,” who is “glib with gallant phrase and well-turned speech.” However, the Friar, who is supposed to hear confessions, sells pardons for sin for a price, seduces women who ask for forgiveness and spends more time in the bar than helping the poor. Instead of being holy and trustworthy, he is portrayed by Chaucer as a greedy and flirtat...