Social Criticism in The Canterbury Tales Essay

In Geoffrey Chaucers The Canterbury Tales there is much social criticism. He describes a nun, a monk, and a friar. All three of these characters are very corrupt for the high clergy social class the happen to fall under. The catholic church was a very corrupt section in the middle ages and stays like this throughout history.

The nun wears a pin that says armor vincit omnia. That means love conquers all. Nuns can not have love for another man or women. The should have no sexual preference what so ever and should only love god. Chaucer says her greatest oath was by St. Loy. (pg.102 104) St. Loy is the St. that is mentioned when lust or love comes up. He was the St. that all the women loved and went crazy for. St. Loy was like a modern day movie star. This is how the nun was corrupt and did not follow the rules of the catholic church.

There was also a monk who was corrupt in a way that he only followed the rules that he wanted to or saw fit to follow. The monk hunts, and monks are not suppose to kill anything this is considered a sin. Very corrupt act to perform while being in such possession in the clergy. Chaucer says this about the monk I saw his sleeves were garnished at the hand with fine gray fur, the best in the land.(pg 103, 197-198 This quote proves that this particular monk does take part in the worldly pleasures of which he used to oppose. These things are frowned upon in the catholic in the middle ages and today.

Among the monk and the nun there was a very corrupt friar. The friar was a bad man, he bade many children with young women. This is a horrible sin and for a friar to commit it makes it ten times worse. Chaucer says this about the friar With pleasant absolution with a gift. (pg 104, 220) This quote shows how the friar is saying that god will forgive people if the give him gifts. The problem with this is the friar is promoting that it is possible to buy your way into heaven. Highly looked down upon in the catholic church.

Criticizing the catholic church in the middle ages was punishable by death. Chaucer decided to do it anyways because he believes that their wrongs should be known. The catholic church was a very corrupt part of the middle ages, and these quotes prove that there was corruption within the church. He describes a nun, a monk, and a friar. All three of these characters are very corrupt for the high clergy social class the happen to fall under. The catholic church was a very corrupt section in the middle ages and stays like this throughout history.