Technique's used by Chaucer to satirise the pilgrims
Chaucer is a comic writer with a rich and varied sense of humanity, and this is evident throughout the Prologue. Chaucer uses three main comical techniques to portray those characters who he wishes to satirise. Few of the pilgrims are presented entirely by listing visual details, as in the case of the Yeoman; the chief method, especially in satirical portraits, is to describe with enthusiasm and admiration all those features of which the victim himself is particularly proud. This task is made easier by the use of two different forms of 'Chaucer'- Chaucer the poet and Chaucer the pilgrim. While Chaucer himself may not respect or admire many of the characters' traits, Chaucer the pilgrim frequently commends his fellow travellers on attributes which do not deserve to be praised and thus allows the foolish pilgrims to give themselves away. A good example of this method
in use is during the portrait of the Monk, whose manliness, fine horses, supple boots and diet are remarked on with warm approval by Chaucer's narrator. Again in the description of the Prioress this device is in evidence: Ful semely hir wimpel pinched was;" and "Ful fetis was hir cloke, as I was war", both acclaim the beautiful dress of the Prioress and earlier on in the portrait the narrator goes into great detail on the subject of her table manners. Chaucer's narrator appears to be very impressed by her glamorous looks and the appearance of a romantic sensibility, however ...
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in use is during the portrait of the Monk, whose manliness, fine horses, supple boots and diet are remarked on with warm approval by Chaucer's narrator. Again in the description of the Prioress this device is in evidence: Ful semely hir wimpel pinched was;" and "Ful fetis was hir cloke, as I was war", both acclaim the beautiful dress of the Prioress and earlier on in the portrait the narrator goes into great detail on the subject of her table manners. Chaucer's narrator appears to be very impressed by her glamorous looks and the appearance of a romantic sensibility, however this is hardly the effect you would expect a Prioress to have on men. So, by describing in great detail the characteristics that she is most proud of, Chaucer shows the Prioress up to be a lady more interested in he own appearance than in charity and obedience to her Holy Vows. The second technique used by Chaucer to satirise the pilgrims occurs when the narrator appears to echo the words of the pilgrim's most characteristically revealing statements. Thus, with the Monk, lines 174-189 virtually report a conversation in which the Monk gives himself away by protesting against the strictness of the old Rule of St Benedict. Yet, as a Regular, he has bound himself to keep these Rules by a religious vow. However the pilgrim Chaucer draws further attention to the Monk's laxity by mentioning two further monastic obligations, those of daily study and manual labour, and crowns the irony by asking how the world shall be served. While the established monastic orders provided many excellent administrators in secular fields, this was not at all the intention of their founders, who withdrew from this world in order to mediate on the next. By accepting the Monk's secular role and, in his eagerness to agree, emphasising its entirely false premise, Chaucer's narrator reveals his own ignorance and the Monk's stupidity. These two techniques, praising the subject's most inappropriate vices and quoting his idiocies with approval, are part of Chaucer's basic satirical method and are used frequently throughout the Prologue. For example in the portrait of the Friar, there are various examples of vice being praised: In alle the ordres foure is noon that can So muche of daliaunce and fair langage." And He was an esy man to yeve penaunce Ther as he wiste to han a good pitaunce;" In the above quotes the Friar is first praised as being the most skilful seducer in all the four (celibate) orders, and then applauded for giving an easy penance- in return for a good bribe. Lines 225-30 exemplify the second method of echoing the Friar's transparent excuses and again in lines 243-8: For unto swich a worthy man as he Accorded nat, as by his facultee, To have wit seke lazars aqueyntaunce. It is nat honest, it may nat avaunce For to delen with no swich poraille, But al with riche and sellers of vitaille." In the portrait of the Summoner, Chaucer again uses irony, although the humour is at some stages bordering on sarcasm. The lecherous, corrupt villain is described thus in lines 647-651: "He was a gentil harlot and a kinde; A bettre felawe sholde men noght finde. He wolde suffre, for a quart of wyn A good felawe to <[>liven as a swyn] A twelf-month, and excuse him atte fulle: Ful prively a finch eek coude he pulle." Likewise, the Pardoner's portrait does not escape from Chaucer's cutting irony, the dishonest and grotesque man is described as: "But of his craft, fro Berwick into Ware, Ne was ther swich another pardoner." However, later in this portrait Chaucer agains commends the Pardoner, but this time he is sincere in his praise: Wel coude he rede a lessoun or a storie". This shows us that sometimes it is difficult to know when Chaucer really means what he says or whether he is being ironic; although most of the time it is fairly obvious.
