The Religious Life of the Fourteenth Century in the Prologue of The Canterbury Tales

Chaucer was the first great English poet who presented a realistic picture of men and women of the latter fourteenth century England in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales. The religious life or the ecclesiastical life of the time is mirrored through six sketches of religious characters—the Prioress, the Monk, the Friar, the Summoner, the Pardoner and the Parson.


Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400)

These studies of religious personages show that Chaucer aimed at introducing reforms in the church, such as the greater use of the English language in place of Latin in the church service. Chaucer satirized mildly the numerous vices which had crept into the church.

Chaucer reflects the religious conditions of his times by describing a few religious characters in 'The Prologue'. These portraits show how the church became a place of corruption and how most of the clergymen, instead of devoting their time and energy to religious meditation and genuine redemption of fallen souls, were addicted to extravagance and Epicureanism. Instead of living a life of piety and holiness, most of the ecclesiastical figures lived a life of depravity. They were more interested in material comfort and ease, than in a rigorous life of a pious religious person. They were interested in the mundane affairs of life and were also responsible for deviating the holy atmosphere by which methods of earning money.

The prioress was the head of a convent. She was a member of a religious order, but at hearts she was an aristocratic lady, fit to be the heroine of some romance. This good lady is sometimes condemned outright as worldly, ambitious, and insensitive to the sufferings of others. But this is very harsh and largely undeserved criticism. There is no indication that she was neglectful of her responsible office as head of a convent, unless, indeed her participation in a pilgrimage is to be taken as a neglect of her duties in view of the fact that some of the bishops of the time were strongly against nuns leaving their convents, even to go on a pilgrimage. But Chaucer says nothing of all this. What he does note is the Prioress's concern with good manners and courtly etiquette. Her little indulgences, like displaying her forehead, which should have been veiled or carrying a few ornaments, are noted by the poet with genial tolerance, especially as the Amor of her motto. On the other hand, Chaucer credits his Prioress with several virtues with amply offset such weaknesses. She was moderate in her speech, and her concern for small animals is a lovable trait in an age when cruelty was all too common. She was a woman of 'feeling' or 'sensibility'. The Prioress emerges as a careful nun who is also a lady, plainly over-anxious to do the right things and prepared to err on the right side rather than offend against good manners or to be false to her tender heart.

Chaucer presents a Monk who cares only for hunting and good cheer. He was a man of the world. He liked hunting, horses and greyhounds, fur lined sleeves, gold pins and love knots to the chapel service. He is an epicurean. He is interested in hunting than in the performance of his religious duties. The Monks were supposed to lead a life of mental and physical discipline and were specifically forbidden to go out of their monastery. They were also expected to refrain from the pleasures of the world, such as hunting, merry-making, putting on fine dresses and leading a life of ease, comfort and luxury. But during Chaucer's time, the monastic orders had forgotten the rules of Monastic life. Chaucer denounced the Monk for 'not being sufficiently Monastic'.

The friars were religious men who were dedicated to active service in the world, in contradiction to the monks who were dedicated to cloistered contemplation. Their institution was to check the corruption that had crept into monastic orders and thus effect reform in the various monasteries of the church. Since the property was regarded as the food of all evils, the friars were forbidden to own any property and thus lead a life of asceticism. But in Chaucer's age friars also became corrupt and indulged in all sorts of sinful activities. They adopted many hypocritical devices for amassing wealth. They granted easy repentance in exchange of silver. As they were licensed to hear confessions, they could easily come into contact with women and seduce them. Chaucer hinted at the moral depravity of the friars of the time by that he knew all the town taverns and every inn-keeper and barmaid better than lepers and beggar-women.

The Pardoner and the Summoner were traders in religion. The Pardoner was the thoroughgoing cheat who played on the credulity of the common people. He was a seller of 'pardons' or 'indulgences'. The proceeds from the sale of these pardons had to go to some religious institution, but there were many dishonest pardoners who feathered their own nest and Chaucer's Pardoner was no exception to it. He is a crafty scoundrel and knows the tricks of the trade very well. Like the Pardoner, the Summoner was also a depraved fellow, a corrupt hanger on of the medieval church. He frightened simpletons and quiet men, blackmailed young folk in the diocese; and in return for a quart of wine, would tolerate the keeping of a mistress by a fellow for twelve months.

Chaucer also draws a picture of the poor Parson, who was virtuous, meek and polite, a shepherd who protected his flock from the wolf. The Parson stands in contrast to the other ecclesiastical characters who are mildly satirized by Chaucer. The portrait of the Parson snows there were still some persons like him who set before themselves the ideal of Evangelical piety and tried to follow the example of Christ. All was not lost.

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Shrestha, Roma. "The Religious Life of the Fourteenth Century in the Prologue of The Canterbury Tales." BachelorandMaster, 14 Mar. 2018, bachelorandmaster.com/britishandamericanpoetry/the-religious-life-prologue-the-canterbury-tales.html.