Ambiguity In The Canterbury Tales

Catholicism, a practice that has been around for over a millennia, a millennia in which Catholicism had plenty of time to develop and grow: forming positions and ranks, different levels of holiness, and eventually the creation of a hierarchy. Yet, according to Chaucer, the more organized the church became, the farther away the church came to its true objective. Hierarchy in the church doesn’t make sense and to Chaucer, this point is especially true. If everyone is equal under God and God loves everyone equally, then isn’t establishing rankings in the church on the concept of who is most faithful, against the church’s very teachings? Chaucer recognized the church’s flaw, as granting ranks to people who are just as capable of performing sins as everyone

Canterbury Tales features a variety of church members, several of which are high ranking members who often lack a certain devoutness that is expected of someone of their position. The lack of devoutness in the church characters may be subtly hidden and not outright stated, however there is no ambiguity in the lack of devoutness and sinfulness in Chaucer’s depiction of the Friar. The Friar is a character well known in Canterbury Tales for his mischievous behavior and overall moral corruptness, as the Friar is lecherous, deceitful, and will do anything to satisfy his lust and greed. One can not even take a moment of true comical irony in the Friar’s actions, as his actions are so terrible that he can barely be looked upon as human let alone a church Friar. There is not a single moment in Canterbury Tales where the Friar is acting as he should as a Friar, even when he is begging as he is supposed to do the Friar remained sinful as even “His brethren did no poaching where he went. / For though a widow mightn’t have