Chaucer had a difficult time with the hypocrisy he so
often saw in the Roman Catholic Church during the medieval period. Priests who were to
be celibate, taking a vow of poverty, often kept women and lived better than their poor
parishioners. Those who were supposed to help the unfortunate often ignored or took
advantage of them. Pardoners would forgive the sins of those who could line the
Pardoner's purse.
This seems to be Chaucer's purpose in
writing The Canterbury Tales. The Prologue is Chaucer's way to
introduce the members of the pilgrimage (a journey to a holy place in order to earn
favor in God's sight and improve the condition of one's soul) to the reader. Chaucer
not only pretends that he is one of the pilgrims, using this "tool" so that he can
travel with them and observe them, but in life he was known for being a student of human
nature. He is very observant and relays not only vivid details of the appearance of
each pilgrim, but studies their behavior to point out those who are truly pious (holy
minded) and those who are hypocrites. Many see this as a satirical
writing.
Chaucer is very critical of those who pretend to
serve the Holy Church while taking advantage of the poor. However, Chaucer does credit
some of those in his traveling party who were truly decent folks. The Knight is
one.
The Prologue's premise is that the travelers all agree
to tell a story each night when they rest at the inn to entertain each other. In this
way we meet each character, seeing him/her from Chaucer's point of
view.
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