Friar In The Canterbury Tales

In H.S. Bennett’s Chaucer and the Fifteenth Century, Bennett reveals that Chaucer is a close observer to detail. Bennett proposes, “No detail was too small for him to observe, and from it he could frequently draw, or suggest, conclusions which would have escaped many.” Bennett’s assertion is proved in Chaucer’s Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, as it is evident that Chaucer carefully and astutely describes characters through their appearances and behaviors. Although Chaucer describes a multitude of pilgrims, a select few are more effective examples of Bennett’s statement. The Prioress, the Friar, and the Miller in the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales strongly support Bennett’s thoughts, when he stated that “no detail was too small” for Chaucer …show more content…
In this particular situation, Chaucer enhances his descriptions with irony. A friar is a member of a religious group who is supposed to live a life of poverty and live off of charitable donations to give back to the poor. In the Prologue, the Friar is corrupt and takes advantage of his religious position. For example, the Friar takes the charitable donations to buy gifts and help women. It is ironic that the Friar is entirely focused on himself and his social life, rather than others. Chaucer uses a tremendous amount of detail in this section, when he is describing how corrupt the Friar is, “…for to yiven faire wives,/And certainly he hadde a merye note;/Wel coulde he singe and playen on a rote” (Lines 233-235). This example elucidates that the Friar is devoted more towards his social life than others because he has had multiple wives and is focused on material objects. Chaucer’s descriptions are very elaborate, and they contribute to Bennett’s statement because Chaucer did not miss a single …show more content…
Chaucer characterizes the Miller almost entirely by physical description. Chaucer was very precise when describing the Miller, “He was short-shuldred, brood, a thikke knarre…his beerd as any sowe or fox was reed,/And therto brood, as though it were a spade;/Upon the cop right of his nose he hade/A werte, and theron stood a tuft of heres,/Rede as the bristles of a sowes eres” (Lines 551, 554-558). Other features include his gaping nostrils, a great and wide mouth, and he always holds a sword and shield at his side. Chaucer’s use of elaborate descriptions about the Miller proves Bennett’s statement to be true, as he described the Miller almost entirely by