By a close examination of two or three of the portraits in the Gen Prologue, discuss the ways in which Chaucer considered corruption to be active among those with religious responsibilities.

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By a close examination of two or three of the portraits in the Gen Prologue,

discuss the ways in which Chaucer considered corruption to be active among

those with religious responsibilities

It is clear from studying the General Prologue that Chaucer considered corruption to be active among those with religious responsibilities. To prove this I will examine the Monk and the Friar.

Monks were part of a religious community and were vowed to poverty, chastity and obedience. But straight away from studying his portrait it is clear that he does not strictly follow these requirements. He is said to ‘loved venerie’ and ‘Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable’. It was forbidden for monks to have many horses this shows that not only does he not care for poverty but he also clearly has no regard for obedience. The bells on his horse were said to be so loud ‘men mighte his bridel here ginglen in a whistlinge wind als cleere and eek as loude as dooth the chapel belle’. This shows that for him the bells of his horse were louder and therefore more important than the bells of the church.

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The Monk was an example of many contemporaries of Chaucer’s who had no regard for the old values of the world such as religious dedication but were more concerned with the ideas of the new world, such as pleasure-seeking, ‘This ilke Monk leet olde thinges pace, and heeld after the newe world the space.’

The Monk’s love of hunting clearly interferes with his work and he is hardly a dedicated worshipper or indeed a supporter of religion or his job. He questions the point in keeping clergy confined to meaningless tasks, ‘How shal the world be served?’ He is ...

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