Bradie Breedlove
Mrs. Adcock
6th
English IV
December 9, 2015
The Corrupt Characters In Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales he writes the tales of pilgrims on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. Although there are many religious characters in the work, many people view it as a work of satire because of how the religious characters break their vows. The work remained unfinished after Chaucer’s death, however, we still learned about most of the characters. As Chaucer Wrote the prologue to the Canterbury tales some of his characters broke the vows they had earlier sworn by. Although many of the religious characters broke most of the vows the vow of stability was broken only by the monk. As Chaucer explained "was he to leave the world upon the self? …show more content…
Chaucer explained how the nun did not abide by this vow with the line "greatest oath was only "By St. Loy!" (124.) The nun had jewelry, particularly, a pendent. The nun also broke the vow with the fact she had pets to accommodate her. "and she had little dogs she be feeding/With roasted foolish, or milk, or a fine white bread." (150- 151.) She had multiple dogs that she fed with fine food on the pilgrimage. The parson was the second religious character to break this vow "Both from church offerings and his property/He could in little find sufficiently." (499 – 500.) He was distraught with the fact he could not live lavishly with the church’s funds or his own. The monk was also breaking the vow of poverty by owning pets “ This monk was there for a good man to horse/Greyhounds he had, as swift as birds, to course."(193-194.) The monk had great greyhounds who were trained well. The monk also dressed very well for someone who had sworn to live in poverty” I saw his sleeves were garnished at the hand/With fine great fur, The finest in the land, slash and on his hood, to fasten it at his chin, he had a wrought-gold cunningly fashioned pin." (197-200.) The monk dressed as well as he possibly could, however, his money should have went to either the monastery or the church. Although many religious characters broke the vow of poverty, many also broke the vow of …show more content…
Chaucer writes that the parson breaks this vow with the line “Both from church offerings and his property/ He could in little find sufficiency.” ( 499-500.) the parson was corrupt in the church and was not being obedient by using his church funds for his own personal gain. Chaucer wrote the monk breaking the vow of obedience with the lines "Hunting a hair or riding at the fence/ Was all he's fine, he snared for no expense." (195-196.) The monk was not supposed to leave the monastery, yet, he went hunting and was a fine traveler. The monk continued to break the vow of obedience "He let go by the things of yesterday/And took the modern world's more spacious way." (Chaucer 179-180.) The monk was not supposed to be embracing new ways, he was supposed to be keeping things traditional. Chaucer wrote how the friar broke the vow of obedience with the following "Sweetly he heard his penitents a shrift with pleasant absolution, for a gift." (225-226.) Later Chaucer write the following about the friar "therefore instead of weeping and of prayer/One should give silver for a poor Friar's care." (235-236.) The friar was breaking the vow by making people pay for prayers instead of just praying for them. Although many religious characters broke the vow of obedience, few broke the vow of
Mrs. Adcock
6th
English IV
December 9, 2015
The Corrupt Characters In Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales he writes the tales of pilgrims on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. Although there are many religious characters in the work, many people view it as a work of satire because of how the religious characters break their vows. The work remained unfinished after Chaucer’s death, however, we still learned about most of the characters. As Chaucer Wrote the prologue to the Canterbury tales some of his characters broke the vows they had earlier sworn by. Although many of the religious characters broke most of the vows the vow of stability was broken only by the monk. As Chaucer explained "was he to leave the world upon the self? …show more content…
Chaucer explained how the nun did not abide by this vow with the line "greatest oath was only "By St. Loy!" (124.) The nun had jewelry, particularly, a pendent. The nun also broke the vow with the fact she had pets to accommodate her. "and she had little dogs she be feeding/With roasted foolish, or milk, or a fine white bread." (150- 151.) She had multiple dogs that she fed with fine food on the pilgrimage. The parson was the second religious character to break this vow "Both from church offerings and his property/He could in little find sufficiently." (499 – 500.) He was distraught with the fact he could not live lavishly with the church’s funds or his own. The monk was also breaking the vow of poverty by owning pets “ This monk was there for a good man to horse/Greyhounds he had, as swift as birds, to course."(193-194.) The monk had great greyhounds who were trained well. The monk also dressed very well for someone who had sworn to live in poverty” I saw his sleeves were garnished at the hand/With fine great fur, The finest in the land, slash and on his hood, to fasten it at his chin, he had a wrought-gold cunningly fashioned pin." (197-200.) The monk dressed as well as he possibly could, however, his money should have went to either the monastery or the church. Although many religious characters broke the vow of poverty, many also broke the vow of …show more content…
Chaucer writes that the parson breaks this vow with the line “Both from church offerings and his property/ He could in little find sufficiency.” ( 499-500.) the parson was corrupt in the church and was not being obedient by using his church funds for his own personal gain. Chaucer wrote the monk breaking the vow of obedience with the lines "Hunting a hair or riding at the fence/ Was all he's fine, he snared for no expense." (195-196.) The monk was not supposed to leave the monastery, yet, he went hunting and was a fine traveler. The monk continued to break the vow of obedience "He let go by the things of yesterday/And took the modern world's more spacious way." (Chaucer 179-180.) The monk was not supposed to be embracing new ways, he was supposed to be keeping things traditional. Chaucer wrote how the friar broke the vow of obedience with the following "Sweetly he heard his penitents a shrift with pleasant absolution, for a gift." (225-226.) Later Chaucer write the following about the friar "therefore instead of weeping and of prayer/One should give silver for a poor Friar's care." (235-236.) The friar was breaking the vow by making people pay for prayers instead of just praying for them. Although many religious characters broke the vow of obedience, few broke the vow of