A Study of The Pilgrims in The Story by Geoffrey Chaucer

The pilgrims in Geoffrey Chaucers Canterbury Tales exhibit human characteristics ranging from righteousness to corruption. Two of the pilgrims, the Clerk and Frere (Friar) demonstrate traits on opposite ends of the spectrum of human nature. The Clerk, wishing to educate himself and others, strove to reach a higher understanding of philosophy. The Friar used his position in the church to take advantage of innocent people for his own benefit. The Clerk was noble and just while the Friar was greedy.

The Clerk was an ecclesiastical student at Oxford. He had completed all the necessary courses to qualify him for the B.A. Despite that, he did not have a secular job or a church position because all he wanted to do was read and educate himself. He preferred to have:

Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reed,

Of Aristotle and his philosophie,

Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie.

(Prologue, Lines 294-296)

The Clerk preferred to have twenty books at the head of his bed rather than own expensive clothing, a fiddle, or a beautiful sounding harp. Having no job left the Clerk broke; his only source of income was his friends loaning him money. Not to anyones surprise, he spent the money on books and education. He loved to teach others and be taught. He listened carefully to what everyone had to say and never said anything more than what was appropriate for the specific time. This showed his modesty and willingness to learn new viewpoints and not just teach everyone his views.

The Friar was a happy and lustful man, who having taken a vow to poverty and preaching, added as part of his job begging people for money. He knew all the gossip about what was going on in the four orders of Friars. The Friar would find husbands for his ex-mistress at his owene cost (Prologue, line 213) and would find himself new women to entertain. He was also licensed to hear confessions and give absolution in cases beyond the jurisdiction of the parish priest. This gave him immense power over other people lives. He would grant people penance if they were willing to donate money and luxuries to him, even though it was illegal to do so within the church.

For many a man so hard is of his herte,

He may nat wepe although hym soore smerte.

Therfore, instede of wepynge and prayeres,

Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres.

(Prologue, lines 229-234)

He thought that even if a man was hurting inside from doing wrong, prayers and crying wouldnt be enough to grant them forgiveness. They ought to bribe the Friars with silver in order to have penance granted. The Friar knew the men and women who were the innkeepers, barmaids, and customers in the taverns. He preferred to know the women. He showed no moral rectitude and being considered the best beggar around didnt help him look like a better person. That was alright with him because he got what he wanted out of begging, that is money.

The Clerk and Friar seem such opposites at first glance; however, they have similar traits that fall in the middle of the spectrum of human nature. Both had imperfections that affected their lives in the same manner. The Clerk centered his life on one thing, education. He spent all of his time educating himself. Because of this he had no job. He had to work hard to convince his friends to lend him money but then only spent the money on more books and educational materials. The Friar centered his life around his desire for money and his lust for women. He would use flattery and his position in the church to attract women to him. He then quickly got bored with them and went out in pursuit of someone new.

Ful wel biloved and famulier was he

With frankeleyns over al in his contree,

And eek with worthy wommen of the toun;

(Prologue, Lines 212-213)

The Friar knew just where he would find a new woman to fit his needs, at a Franklins house. The Friar repeated this pattern over and over again. Both the Friar and Clerk had patterns that their everyday lives fell into.

Education is the base that helps people lead successful lives. The Clerk was at a point in his life where he wanted to learn, learn, and learn. He chose to work for a long time to build up a strong backbone rather than to dive into the working world just to earn money and never rise to the top. But al be that he was a philosophre,/ Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre. (Lines 297-298) The Clerk wished to fill his mind with knowledge rather than overflow his cofre, a moneybox. The Friar had job experience, which the Clerk lacked, yet preferred to have an abundance of money. And over al ther profit sholde arise,/ Curteis he was, and lowely of servyse; (Prologue, Lines 249-250) He was curteis and willing to help people as long as he earned a profit.

The Clerk was also modest and humble.

Noght o word spak moore than was neede,

And that was seyd in forme and reverence,

And short and quyk, and ful of hy sentence.

(Prologue, Lines 304-306)

He never spoke more then what he needed to say to get his point across. He spoke with modesty and propriety. He always sounded lively and his thoughts were well planned out. He did not waste anybodys time. The Clerk also was willing to teach others, and was not ashamed to be taught by others. Sownynge in moral vertu was his speeche,/ And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche.

The Friar was self centered and greedy:

He was an esy man to yeve penaunce

Ther as he wiste to have a good pitaunce;

For unto a povre ordre for to yive

Is signe that a man is wel yshryve;

(Prologue, Lines 223-226)

He would grant penance easily to any man as long as they gave him something of worth in return. He acted in order to receive money for himself and not to help out the church.

Several conclusions can be drawn about human nature can be drawn from the Clerk and Friar. Power CorruptsAbsolute power corrupts absolutely is what is shown clearly from these to pilgrims. The Clerk, who had very little to no power over any other human, is not corrupt at all. He educated himself and others and he didnt steal or overthrow human existence. He was humble and just. The Friar had much power in the church and abuses it. He was given the power of granting penance to sinners. The power was not enough for him, he needed money. What a better place to get money from than his employer, the church. He also used his position in the church to get women to sleep with him and then he would get ride of them. The powerful Friar was corrupt, and the Clerk was powerless.