Corruption In Chaucer's Hierarchy
Chaucer’s depiction of the hierarchy within the church highlights the inverse relationship between religious “purity” and corruption.
Chaucer’s scandalous nun and monk abuse their power and influence to reappropriate funds in order to fuel their gold-dipped dreams of nobility. The monk and nun are quite prone to ostentatious displays of wealth, this is shown by the fragments ”[the Nun had] a golden brooch of brightest sheen”(164), “[the monk] spared no expense… the finest in the land”(198-99), and “[the monk] had a wrought-gold, cunningly fashioned pin...”(200), the presence of the luxurious metal gold alludes to the corruption of the church. Chaucer’s nun and monk are also immodest of their conspicuous lust for ‘love’ and promiscuity, which
Chaucer’s scandalous nun and monk abuse their power and influence to reappropriate funds in order to fuel their gold-dipped dreams of nobility. The monk and nun are quite prone to ostentatious displays of wealth, this is shown by the fragments ”[the Nun had] a golden brooch of brightest sheen”(164), “[the monk] spared no expense… the finest in the land”(198-99), and “[the monk] had a wrought-gold, cunningly fashioned pin...”(200), the presence of the luxurious metal gold alludes to the corruption of the church. Chaucer’s nun and monk are also immodest of their conspicuous lust for ‘love’ and promiscuity, which