The Canterbury Tales

1
The Canterbury Tales

• The Monk
• The Friar
• The Merchant
• The Oxford Cleric

2
The Monk

• Diction
• one of the finest sort/ Who rode the country
  (163-164)
• Travels often
• Irony
• Monks are cloistered

3
The Monk

• His bridle, when he rode, a man might
  hearJingling in a whistling wind as
  clear,Aye, and as loud as does the chapel bell
  Where my lord Monk was Prior of the cell.
  (167-170)
• Expensive accessories

4
The Monk

• The Rule of good St. Benet or St. Maur/ As old
  and strict he tended to ignore (171-172)
• Ignores the rule of proper behavior for a monk

5
The Monk

• he spared for no expense (190)
• He was not pale like a tormented soul/ He like a
  fat swan best, and roasted whole. (203-204)
• Paleinside all day (cloistered)
• Ate very well
• Indicates wealth

6
The Monk

• Characterization
• Not serious about his religion
• More concerned with himself
• Hypocrite
• Flawed but not completely corrupt

7
The Friar

• Characterization
• Diction
• a wanton one and merrya very festive fellow.
• (212-213)

8
The Friar

• Hed fixed up many a marriage, giving each/ Of
  his young women what he could afford her.
  (210-211)
• Chaucer implies that the Friar arranges marriages
  for girlfriends he is tired of

9
The Friar

• Sweetly he heard his penitents at shrift/ With
  pleasant absolution, for a gift. (219-220)
• Absolves peoples sins in exchange for gifts
• Greedy and corrupt

10
The Friar

• He knew the taverns well in every town And every
  innkeeper and barmaid too Better than lepers,
  beggars and that crew, For in so eminent a man as
  he It was not fitting with the dignity Of his
  position, dealing with a scum Of wretched lepers
  nothing good can come Of commerce with such
  slum-and-gutter dwellers, But only with the rich
  and victual-sellers. (238-246)
• Not interested in helping poor
• Familiar with bars and women

11
The Friar

• He was the finest beggar of his batch, And, for
  his begging-district, payed a rent His brethren
  did no poaching where he went. For though a widow
  mightnt have a shoe, So pleasant was his
  holy-dye-do He got his farthing from her just
  the same Before he left, and so his income came
  To more than he laid out. (250-257)

• Takes money from the poor as well as the rich
• Unethical
• Friar took a vow of poverty

12
The Friar

• Of double-worsted was the semi-cope Upon his
  shoulders, and the swelling fold About him, like
  a bell about its mould When it is casting,
  rounded out his dress. (264-267)
• Expensive and extravagant clothing
• Overweight

13
The Friar

• Diction
• Indicates his immoral and unethical values
• Uses his position to better himself
• Corrupt against his vows

14
The Merchant

• Characterization
• Diction
• There was a Merchant with a forking beard And
  motley dress high on his horse he sat, Upon his
  head a Flemish beaver hat And on his feet
  daintily buckled boots. He told of his opinions
  and pursuits In solemn tones (274-279)

• Thinks highly of himself
• Concerned with appearances
• Boring to others

15
The Merchant

• This estimable Merchant so had set/ His wits to
  work, none knew he was in debt (283-284)
• Puts on false appearances

• To tell the truth I do not know his name
  (288)Irony
• The merchant is so concerned about his social
  status and achieving recognition, yet Chaucer
  cannot remember his name.

16
The Oxford Cleric

• Characterization
• Diction
• his horse was thinner than a rake, And he was
  not too fat, I undertake, But had a hollow look,
  a sober stare The thread upon his overcoat was
  bare. (291-294)
• Typical of student

17
The Oxford Cleric

• He preferred having twenty books in red And
  black, of Aristotles philosophy, Than costly
  clothes, fiddle or psaltery. (298-300)
• More concerned with his studies than with clothes
  or appearances

18
The Oxford Cleric

• Whatever money from his friends he took He
  spent on learning or another book And prayed for
  them most earnestly, returning Thanks to them
  thus for paying for his learning. (3
  03-306)

• Repays friends by praying for them
• Ironic- more religious than the friar or the
  monk

19
The Oxford Cleric

• Diction
• His commitment to his studies
• Serves as a foil to the monk and friar