Chaucer Call The Monk

When hearing the word "monk" one thinks of a quiet, reserved, modest, religious man, who has dedicated his life to his religion. However, the monk that Chauncer described is none of these things. To call the man a monk is a complete and total contradiction. First, the monk is said to be, "an outrider, who most loved venery" (166). Monks are to take a vow of chastity, and to indulge in sex is to break his vows. It is obvious from the beginning that this "monk" is not very deserving of the title. The monk is also a fan of hunting, which goes against the word that he is to obey; "This same monk let the old things pass away and chose the new ways of the present day. For that text he'd not give you one plucked hen that said that hunters are not …show more content…
However, this nun is more concerned with how she appears to others; "She pained he way to imitate the ways of court, and to be stately all her days, and to be held worthy of reverence" (139-141). It is also interesting that the nun's rosary contains the letter A that is inscribed with "Amor vincit omnia," instead of a crucifix (161-162). I believe that these contradictions were put in place for a multitude of reasons. One being the hypocrisy that comes with the religion. In the case of the monk, he claimed to be a follower of the word of God, yet he went against that very word, while still claiming to be a "monk." In the case of the nun, I think the contradictions were put in place to portray the message that not everyone in these positions are in it for God, but rather themselves. The nun was so concerned with how she appeared to others, that maybe she thought being a nun would make her appear to look "better" to her peers. Another message I see that comes with the nun's contradictions, is that you can be a good person without the influence of religion. The A on her rosary instead of the crucifix symbolized that she was good at heart, not just because of