Chaucer’s Prologue To The Canterbury Tales Essay

Dave Tagatac English III Dec. 1, 2000 Canterbury Tales Essay 1 In Geoffrey Chaucers Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, there was a Friar to accompany the party travel to Canterbury. Hubert, as he was called, embodied the traits from which friars were expected to keep their distance. Chaucer is successful in using this white-necked tapgar to bring to the readers mind corruption, wealth, greed, and lechery, all hypocritical and immoral characteristics for a human beings of the church to possess. Although he is a merry man, full of joy and wantonness, these are mere irrelevancies when assessing Huberts value of character as a friar.Throughout Chaucers interpretation of the Friar in the Prologue, Huberts corruption is evident. Probably the Friars greatest evil is suggested early in his description and mentioned several times more. When Hubert would marry a couple, he would give each Of his young women what he could afford her. The sexual connotation of this statement is enforced by th e fact that He kept his tippet stuffed with pins for curls, / And pocket-knives, to give to pretty girls. Other evidence of corruption, although not as reprehensible as the defiance of celibacy, includes Huberts failure to attach the lepers, beggars, and that crew, to whom friars were intended to be nearest. The narrator explains that their lack of money makes their friendship simply a waste of the Friars time.A friar is supposed to be poor, only taking what they need to survive, and giving the rest to those impoverished souls who need it. Hubert, on the other hand, was quite wealthy. I have never known the boozing of alcohol to be a necessity of life, and yet this friar knew the taverns very well in every town / And every innkeeper and barmaid too. The narrator even up states outright that his income came / To more than he laid out. Yet another extraneous possession for a friar was the extravagant dress Hubert wore, as contrasted with the rags friars were expected to don. entire ly of these things demonstrate how the Friar, even when obtaining more than he expected, gave very little to the poor, and kept much for himself.This feeling is continued even augmented upon examination of Huberts greed. passing beloved and intimate was he / With Country folk within hisboundary. As mentioned above, he associated not with the poor, But only with the rich and victual-sellers. Anyone from whom a profit was executable was inherently the Friars friend. This greed is indisputable in light of a final piece of evidence. That is that Hubert would actually pay other friars not to beg in his district. Again, these are actions to be frowned upon in any man, let alone a religiously affiliated one.Finally, Hubert can be shown to be a leach, reprieve around those from whom he can get money, and depending on them to support his opulent lifestyle. Although he had no permission to hear confession, this was one way for him to make money, and he did not hesitate to utilize it. He even targeted those who werent so wealthy in a never-ending quest for monetary gain though a widow mightnt have a shoe / / He got her farthing from her just the same. When people of his district had a dispute, the lecherous Friar was there. Hubert could be lay out taking advantage of any opportunity he could find to make money honestly, or dishonestly.The Friar was well liked, and had a wonderful singing voice, simply his contributions to society ended here. He, through his actions, has shown evidence of corruption, immoral opulence, greed to increase this wealth, and a terrible habit of leaching off others. He was considered a man of the church, but he was far from the piety the title friar conveys.