Ecclesiastical Characters in the Prologue

In spite of the fact that in Chaucer’s age, religion had control over the personalities and soul of the individuals, yet lamentably, its impact was degenerate. The cloisters were advertising debasement, misusing the blameless people and were gaining cash under the cover of religion. Moralities and morals were blurring. The ministers had gotten famous for their covetousness, defilement and deceitfulness. They had overlooked their consecrated obligations and had gotten declined.

 

Of the thirty-one pilgrims of the Canterbury Tales, twelve were attached to religion in some way or other, and the manner in which Chaucer depicts them gives us some idea of the slack condition of many Church officials at the time and the poor opinion which the average man of education had of them. The bishops of the day were mainly shrewd men of business, quite respectable and hardworking; all of them English, owing their position to the joint efforts of King and Pope, but their energies were often devoted to public affairs rather than to the interests of their bishoprics. This was no new thing, but Wycliffe spoke and wrote fiercely against the corrupt clergy.

 

William Langland and John Wycliffe, as well as Chaucer, derided the practices of summoners, pardoners, and friar confessors, who were persecuting blackmailers protected by the law courts. How Chaucer exposes the corrupt clergy we can see it in his Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.

 

The Prioress is the first ecclesiastical figure in “The Prologue”. She smiles amiably and sings in her nasal tone. Chaucer says ironically that she is aware of the manners of the society and knows how to carry morsel to her mouth.

 

He says:

Wel koude she carie a morsel, and wel kepe

That no drope ne fille upon hir brest.

 

She wears fashionable dress with a golden broach, engraved with the words: “Amor Vincit Omnia” i.e. “Love conquers everything”.

 

She truly signifies high-class religious-minded ladies of the 14th century. She is not an ideal Nun and typifies the traits of the contemporary prioress.

 

The Monk is a pleasure-loving fellow. An outridere, that lovede venerie,

 

He is fat like a lord, for he leads a relaxed life and passes his time in eating, drinking and merry-making. He is entirely misfit to his profession. He is fond of fine dresses. He wears fur-lined sleeves, gold pins and love-knot. A love knot in the gretter end there was

 

He does not like to study the strict rules and discipline of the cloister. He likes hunting and has fine horses and hounds in his stable.

 

The Friar is a wanton, greedy and corrupt fellow who neglects his duties and does not bother about religion. He is fond of singing, merry-making, drinking and visiting inns and public places. He builds relations with the rich Franklin and worthy women. He is a rogue, seducer of women and scoundrel. He encourages sins by setting an easy solution of apology, misuses his authority and exploits others in terms of their sin. He was also very expert in the art of begging.

 

For thogh a wydwe hadde noght a sho,

So plesaunt was his In principio

Yet wolde he have a ferthyng, er he wente

 

The Summoner is a nasty figure. Children are afraid of him. Of his visage children were aferd.

 

He loves garlic, red wine and onion. He is a hypocrite who allows people to carry on their sins and forgives them for a small donation to him. He knows the secret of young women and men and exploits them to his own interest.

 

The yonge girles of the diocise,

And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed.

The Pardoner is a thorough cheat. His bag is full of relics which he sells to housewives and earns a lot.

 

He hadde a croys of latoun, ful of stones,

And in a glas he hadde pigges bones.

 

He deceives the simple folk. He sings merrily, sweetly and attracts the people in this way. Chaucer has a poor opinion of him and ironically calls him “a noble ecclesiastical”.

 

In contrast to these corrupt religious characters, Chaucer gives a pleasant picture of the poor Parson, a shepherd, who protects his flock from the wolf.

 

A good man was ther of religioun,

And was a povre persoun of a toun;

 

He preaches sincerely, correctly and tries to practice what he preaches. He leads a simple, virtuous life of devotion and service. A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon ys;

 

The Clerk is not an ecclesiastical character but he is studying at church. The Clerk is one of the idealized characters. He is well-versed in logic.

 

He does not run after showiness and worldly grandeur. He is a miser and poor. He is quick and meaningful in his talk. He is glad to learn and glad to teach. He is the picture of the poet’s learning.

 

A very notable point in the portrayal of Chaucer's ecclesiastical characters is that the good ones are dull and drab; they are not as alive and interesting as the bad ones. This indicates that Chaucer was much more at home among real people who had their share of faults and failings which he enjoyed describing with all the artistic means at his command.People like the poor Parson and oxford clerk are idealized, unsubstantial figures whom we find without the warmth and vitality of the Friar and the Pardoner. Likewise, the Wife of Bath is a much more flesh and blood character than the Prioress.

 

To conclude, the profiteering clerics in the Prologue are easy going who lack spirit of sacrifice, respect for authority, acceptance of discipline, and at least a modicum of other world liness. The principal characteristics of Chaucer's monk, friar, pardoner and Summoner are greedy self-seeking, contempt for authority, evasion of discipline self-imposed in the vows of their orders, and a thorough-going worldliness, which not only sought the good things of life, but sought them at the expense of the needy. This great organization, with its wealth, its power, and its conservative traditions, might have been expected to offer a safeguard against social decay but it was itself a fruitful breeding ground for the very things which were disorganizing feudal society.

 

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