Canterbury Tales and Religion
Gilbert Ruiz Great Texts
Dr. Coleman Fannin Essay 3
Satirizing the Greed of the Holy Church “The Canterbury Tales” was written during a time of religious unrest. Corruption and greed infiltrated the Church beyond the point of correction. Chaucer would have been well aware of these issues growing up as a diplomat in fourteenth century England. His familiarity of the systems and interactions between high-ranking officials in the court and the church make him a reputable source of criticism of the church and its affiliates. At a time when indulgences and monetary incentives were at a peak in Christian churches, Chaucer used his poetic prowess and political understanding to critique and ridicule how perturbed the Church had become over greed and money. In “The Canterbury Tales,” Geoffrey Chaucer satirizes how society has perverted religion and the roles of religious authority for monetary gain through his description of the appearances of the Prioress and Pardoner, and through careful construction of “The Prioress’s Tale” and “The Pardoner’s Tale.” In Chaucer’s description of the Prioress, he goes to great lengths to exemplify how backwards and petty her life is. She dresses ornately with fine clothes and jewelry, despite holding a religious position that requires modesty because she lives off of money from the church. Her appearance is incredibly important to her so she makes sure that her manners are always polite and courteous. “She never let a crumb from her mouth fall; /She never soiled her fingers, dipping deep /Into the sauce; when lifting to her lips/ Some morsel, she was careful not to spill.” In this description, we can assume that the Prioress has been taught how to behave in front of the noblest of nobles as if she was surrounded by them at all times. A lady this practiced in the art of nobility surely does not have enough spare time to devote to God. Any spare time she had may have been invested in learning her fancy French, which “…she
Dr. Coleman Fannin Essay 3
Satirizing the Greed of the Holy Church “The Canterbury Tales” was written during a time of religious unrest. Corruption and greed infiltrated the Church beyond the point of correction. Chaucer would have been well aware of these issues growing up as a diplomat in fourteenth century England. His familiarity of the systems and interactions between high-ranking officials in the court and the church make him a reputable source of criticism of the church and its affiliates. At a time when indulgences and monetary incentives were at a peak in Christian churches, Chaucer used his poetic prowess and political understanding to critique and ridicule how perturbed the Church had become over greed and money. In “The Canterbury Tales,” Geoffrey Chaucer satirizes how society has perverted religion and the roles of religious authority for monetary gain through his description of the appearances of the Prioress and Pardoner, and through careful construction of “The Prioress’s Tale” and “The Pardoner’s Tale.” In Chaucer’s description of the Prioress, he goes to great lengths to exemplify how backwards and petty her life is. She dresses ornately with fine clothes and jewelry, despite holding a religious position that requires modesty because she lives off of money from the church. Her appearance is incredibly important to her so she makes sure that her manners are always polite and courteous. “She never let a crumb from her mouth fall; /She never soiled her fingers, dipping deep /Into the sauce; when lifting to her lips/ Some morsel, she was careful not to spill.” In this description, we can assume that the Prioress has been taught how to behave in front of the noblest of nobles as if she was surrounded by them at all times. A lady this practiced in the art of nobility surely does not have enough spare time to devote to God. Any spare time she had may have been invested in learning her fancy French, which “…she