The Canterbury Tales Character Sketch - 956 Words

Author Geoffrey Chaucer describes in-depth several characters who intend to embark on a religious pilgrimage in his piece The Canterbury Tales. One of the prominently featured characters is the Friar. The Friar is certainly one of the most unorthodox characters in the piece who is the antithesis of the character qualities expected of a friar. Chaucer’s description and implications reveal that the Friar is an adulterous, cold-hearted individual with a disingenuous personality that is rooted in his self-absorbed nature. Chaucer’s description of the Friar is quite extensive comparative to that of the other pilgrims he discusses, allowing the reader to develop a complete picture of him. Throughout the description, Chaucer reveals the†¦show more content†¦He reveals, â€Å"He was an easy man for absolution Where he looked forward to a contribution† (67 lines 218-219). The Friar blatantly contradicts his calling to uphold Scripture by granting absolution in ex change for a bribe. This clearly indicates that the Friar is not concerned with the welfare of others but rather is interested in profiting from their sins. The Friar’s inconsiderate nature is further revealed by Chaucer when he describes how the Friar would react to an encounter with a direly impoverished woman. Chaucer predicts, â€Å"Should a woman have no shoes against the snow, So pleasant was his ‘In principio’ He would have her widow’s mite before he went† (68 lines 245-247). It is quite uncommon to characterize a friar, whose duty it is to minister to the poor, as an individual who would express no willingness to aid a woman in desperate poverty. Yet Chaucer describes the Friar as one who would exhibit such an indifferent, cold-hearted response. In both of these scenarios, Chaucer illustrates the Friar’s contrasting interactions with the public and his lovers, which reveals his disingenuous personality. Not only does the discrepancy b etween public and private interactions indicate the Friar’s disingenuous personality, but also Chaucer’s description of his behavior around those individuals who can offer him something. Chaucer explains, â€Å"To deal with such riffraff; but with the rich, With sellers ofShow MoreRelated Women in Anglo-Saxon England Essay1685 Words   |  7 Pagesposition in society. Character Analysis The Wife of Bath In the fourteenth century, English poet Geoffrey Chaucer wrote his famous work called The Canterbury Tales. He was one of the first writers to pay attention not only to noble characters, but to people from the lower and middle classes. One of his outstanding characters is Dame Alisoun, called the Wife of Bath. She is a very open, straightforward woman that impresses me the most of all the characters in The Canterbury Tales. I believe that sheRead MoreWilliam Blake was born in London on November 28, 1757 to James and Catherine Blake. His father,1600 Words   |  7 Pagesantiquities, due to the high cost of drawing school (Merriman 2). During his seven year apprenticeship, Blake learned the skills he would need for his career as a professional engraver and painter (Ross 1). Basire exposed Blake to Gothic styles, having him sketch images of tombs and monuments in Gothic churches and Westminster Abby. There, Blake was inspired for his own eventual illustrations (Merriman 2). In 1778 Bl ake attended the Royal Academy, but soon left after having disagreements about art with theRead MoreAmerican Literature11652 Words   |  47 Pages Rationalism / Age of Enlightenment period of American Literature - 1750-1800 Content: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · national mission and American character democratic utopia use of reason history is an act of individual and national self-assertion Genre/Style: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · political pamphlets travel writing highly ornate writing style fiction employs generic plots and characters fiction often tells the story of how an innocent young woman is tested by a seductive male Effect: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · patriotism growsRead MoreA Picatrix Miscellany52019 Words   |  209 Pagescombination of all three reasons. At all events, a similar method of presentation is apparent in one of the principal sources of The Aim of the Sage, the encyclopedia of the Brethren of Purity (Ihwà ¢n al-Safà ¢). What follows is a survey of the whole, with a sketch of the sources, as far as they can at present be identified. No attempt has been made to impose a logical order on the illogicality of the book. Book I In the preface, after some autobiographical material, the author gives his reason for writing the