The Righteous

I thought the three religious characters featured in the prologue were so interesting, because all three of them were so opposite of what their position should be. The prioress is way too cultured and worldly for her position. Her knowledge of French suggests a very cultured woman, which is odd considering that someone of her position should be more concerned about spiritual matters. In the same way, the monk lives very secularly, he dresses in expensive clothes, and lives like nobility. While the friar is sarcastically portrayed as a merciful man, it becomes very clear that his absolution of sin comes from a greedy heart, rather than one of genuine concerned for his parishioners. Chaucer was so blatant about the sin that each of them were content to remain in that it startles me every time I read it. Not only are these supposed to be the best of the people, but they prove to be the very worst, with absolutely no regard for religious doctrine or spirituality. This paints a very grim picture of the rest of humanity, if the supposed morally righteous are living in such obvious sin.

P.S. I commented on Abbey's