Religion In The Canterbury Tales

To the followers of higher powers in the universe, the broad idea and views of religion can have a profound impact on the way people act and make decisions. The teachings of the church instilled into the minds of religion’s firm believers shapes perspectives and constructs unshakable faith and trust. Those who hold these significant positions of religious teachers and figureheads therefore hold the power to evoke and influence various emotions and thoughts through the manipulation of religious belief. In the collection of stories, The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer revisits the individually unique narratives of socioeconomically differing pilgrims who are making the journey to Canterbury. His commentary contrasts the pre-existing expectations …show more content…
The Pardoner directly describes his mitten relic, reassuring his audience that, “whoever wears this mitten on his hand/Will multiply his grain”, but this only takes effect when he, “offers pence or groats” (Chaucer “The Pardoner’s Prologue” 242). Indoctrinated to believe in all the teachings of a corrupt church, the common people are unable to look past the falseness of the Pardoner’s words and to trust in him, which ultimately leads to their downfall and results in the Pardoner making profit. The role and power of religion is so significant that fake props and intriguing lies are able to be passed off as prominent truths. In addition, the Pardoner simply just being a religious figurehead provides him with the freedom and authority to act as he pleases. The Pardoner, “speak[s] a word or two of swearing/And perjury”, and informs his audience that, “It’s an abominable thing to curse/And swear, but perjury is worse” (Chaucer “The Pardoner’s Tale” 249). The hypocrisy of the Pardoner’s statements contrasts with his own actions, however there are no consequences for him as his position of importance in a society where people’s blind trust and devotion towards his teachings act as his greatest advantage. The Pardoner is successfully able to profit from individuals who show undeniable faith in his fake religious …show more content…
As officials of a corrupt church, the Summoner and Pardoner are not only entitled to a certain degree of respect and loyalty from their lowly followers, but are easily able to convert their strong religious faith into a dominant controlling power. The Summoner exploits the flaws in sinners by utilizing his power to threaten excommunication in exchange for a bribe; this misuse of religious influence goes against the traditional moralities of the church, however the ease at which he attains his goal expresses the significant impact of religion in the decisions and actions people make. The Friar is an opportunist who uses the dilemmas of those around him to seek out profit and personal