The Friar Research Paper

The Friar is a perfect example of a religious figure who fails to conduct their job and follow their vows in the correct manner. The Friar said that “he was qualified to hear confessions” (1.222), and that “he had special license from the Pope” (1.224). When the people confess to the Friar an easy penance is given, but only when “he could hope to make a decent living” (1.228). This means that in order to receive forgiveness by the Friar the confessor will have to give the Friar a nice gift, or a gift of money. By receiving nice gifts and money is the only way the Friar can live the decent lifestyle he wants to live. Friars are not supposed to live decent lifestyles and enjoy lavish gifts, but this Friar did. Along with the wrongful selling …show more content…
Friars are also supposed to live among the poor. This Friar does not live among the poor, instead he lives among people that according to him are better than the poor. To the Friar, “nothing good can come of commerce with such slum-and-gutter dwellers, but only with the rich and victual-sellers” (ll.250-252). He does not think it does him any good to be around the poor. Due to his position, the Friar thinks that he is only to dwell among the rich. The Friar completely disregards his vow of poverty and lives life like how he wants to. The Friar uses his position and nice lifestyle to get over on …show more content…
The Friar marries off many women “giving each of his young women what he [can] afford of her” (ll.216-217). Which implies that he seduces them first before marrying them off. The Friar seduced women by sweet talking and giving them gifts. He was very skilled in speaking English. Women loved men who could talk sweetly to them. The Friar “lisped a little out of wantonness to make his English sweet upon his tongue” (ll. 276-275). He lisps to make his English sound more appealing to women. While the Friar should be out begging for alms, he is instead entertaining and seducing women with his sweet talk. The Friar “[keeps] his tippet stuffed with pins for curls, and pocket-knives, to give to pretty girls” (ll.237-238). A tippet is a long scarf worn by a clergy. The Friar uses the money he earns to keep his tippet filled with gifts to give to women. This shows that the Friar is not using the money to help aid the poor, instead he is using it to buy gifts that will woo women over. The Friars seducing of women and the ways he seduced them were absolutely corrupt. Some may say that the Friar is not the most corrupt pilgrim among the travelers, but indeed he is the most corrupt. The Friar does everything he knows he is not supposed to do, and he also disregards all of his vows. Although the other pilgrims are corrupt as well there is at least one good thing that is a result of their actions. As for the Friar, there is absolutely nothing good that comes