Table of Contents
The Monk: Hunting Over Holiness
Following the Prioress, Chaucer introduces the Monk, continuing his exploration of the corrupt, secularized clergy. By medieval definition, a monk was supposed to live a cloistered life of strict poverty, manual labor, silence, and prayer, following the ancient rules of Saint Benedict or Saint Maur.
This Monk, however, actively rejects those strict, old-fashioned rules, choosing instead to follow the modern, worldly pace. He explicitly states that he finds the old rules about working and studying in a cloister to be useless. Instead, his true passion is hunting. He keeps a stable of magnificent horses and greyhounds that are as swift as birds.
Physically, he is the opposite of an ascetic. He is a fat, bald, shiny-faced man who loves eating whole roasted swans. His clothing violates every vow of poverty: his sleeves are lined with the finest, most expensive gray fur in the land, and his hood is fastened under his chin with an intricate golden pin shaped like a "love-knot"—a deeply inappropriate, secular symbol that suggests hidden romantic or sexual indulgences.
Friar Hubert: The Charm of Corruption
The next religious figure is arguably the most actively corrupt thus far: the Friar, whom Chaucer specifically names Hubert. Friars belonged to mendicant orders; they were supposed to wander the world with absolutely no possessions, begging for survival, and ministering to the absolute lowest of society (lepers, beggars, and the sick).
Exam Quote to Remember: Chaucer introduces him with blistering irony: “There was a Friar, a wanton and merry fellow”(Asked in Exam).
Friar Hubert utterly despises the poor. He openly states that there is no profit in dealing with sick lepers or beggars. Instead, he spends all his time in taverns and inns, socializing with wealthy merchants, barmaids, and rich landowners.
The Business of Begging and Absolution
The Friar has turned his religious vows into a highly lucrative, manipulative business. He held a special license from the Pope to hear confessions. Because he wanted to attract wealthy "clients" away from the local parish priests, he offered "pleasant absolution"—meaning he gave incredibly easy penance (forgiveness) as long as the sinner paid him a handsome bribe in silver or offered a good meal. “He was an easy man to give penance”(Asked in Exam).
He was a master psychological manipulator. He possessed an incredibly sweet, persuasive voice (often chanting the holy phrase "In principio") and could extract money from anyone.
Exam Quote to Remember: “He was the best beggar in his house; for though a widow had not a shoe, yet he would have a farthing before he went”(Asked in Exam). Because of this ruthless efficiency, his income always vastly exceeded his expenses.
Chaucer's Satire of the Clergy
Chaucer also includes a dark hint about the Friar's "wanton" nature. He frequently arranges marriages for young women, paying for their dowries out of his own pocket. The dark implication is that he seduced these women, got them pregnant, and then rapidly married them off to cover his tracks.
Despite his monstrous hypocrisy, Chaucer notes his intense, playful, worldly charm, perfectly capturing his charismatic deception: “His eyes twinkled in his head aright as do the stars in the frosty night”(Asked in Exam).
Match the List Checkpoint
Saint Benedict
The ancient, strict monastic rules of poverty and study that the Monk entirely rejects.
Love-Knot
The shape of the expensive golden pin the Monk uses to fasten his hood, symbolizing secular indulgences.
Hubert
The specific name of the "wanton and merry" Friar who manipulates the sacrament of confession for money.
Pleasant Absolution
The easy, light penance the Friar gives to wealthy sinners in exchange for silver and free meals.
Active Recall: Check Your Mastery
- Q: The Monk's primary passion in life, which directly violates his monastic vows, is what activity?
A: Hunting. - Q: Which character "was the best beggar in his house; for though a widow had not a shoe, yet he would have a farthing before he went"?
A: The Friar (Hubert). - Q: What specific class of people did the Friar actively refuse to associate with or help?
A: The poor, the sick, and lepers. - Q: What is the dark, satirical implication behind the fact that the Friar frequently arranges marriages for young women and pays their dowries?
A: He is likely marrying off women he has seduced and impregnated to cover up his own sins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Monk and a Friar in medieval times?
A Monk belonged to an enclosed order. He was supposed to stay entirely within the walls of a monastery (a cloister), living a life of isolation, manual labor, prayer, and manuscript copying. A Friar belonged to a mendicant (begging) order. He was supposed to travel out into the world, living in absolute poverty, begging for his daily bread, and preaching directly to the poorest outcasts of society.
Why was the Monk's fur lining so scandalous?
In medieval society, clothing was strictly regulated by "sumptuary laws." Fine gray fur and gold jewelry were legally restricted to the highest secular nobility and royalty. For a monk—who took a sacred vow of poverty and was supposed to wear simple, coarse wool—to wear expensive fur was a massive, highly visible insult to the Church and a blatant display of corrupt wealth.
Why does the Friar give "easy penance"?
When a person confessed their sins, a priest would assign a "penance" (a punishment, like fasting or saying hundreds of prayers) before their soul could be cleansed. The Friar realized that wealthy people hated long, difficult penances. By offering "easy" penance (simply handing over a bag of silver), he stole all the "customers" from the local parish priests and made himself incredibly rich.
Does Chaucer hate the Monk and the Friar?
Chaucer exposes their massive corruption, but his satire is complex. The narrator is charmed by them. The Monk is described as a "manly man" who would make an excellent abbot, and the Friar is described as a "merry fellow" with twinkling eyes. Chaucer uses humor to show exactly *how* these men get away with their corruption: they are incredibly charismatic and socially pleasant, making their hypocrisy even more dangerous.
