The Most Virtuous Pilgrim In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the most virtuous pilgrim is the parson because he is a genuinely good-natured and amicable individual who demonstrates the importance of putting the lives of others before his own. He is a priest and is strictly devout to God. The parson puts the lives of the many poverty-stricken members of his community before his own, on multiple occasions. He sacrifices a life of wealth so that he is able to provide for those in need. He is exceptionally generous, and is able to retain his modesty. The parson’s intelligence, generosity, modesty, and selflessness all help to distinguish him from the other pilgrims.
There are many examples in which the parson demonstrates his high moral standards and admirable traits. The parson’s …show more content…
While living his life with the main objective of being devout to God and helping the poverty-stricken members of his parish, the parson is still able to retain his modesty. This is a combination of traits that becomes increasingly seldom in today’s time. With the skill and intelligence that the parson possesses, he could have a high paying profession. If desired, he would be able to pursue a career as a clerk and live a more financially stable and comfortable life style. The life of wealth and comfortability is not the life in which the parson decides to pursue however, and he rejects any position distant from his parishioners. Instead, he would rather help out those in need by contributing whatever way possible. He would rather be a role model to his parishioners. He compares himself to a shepherd and his parishioners to sheep. He claims that it would be unjust for a flock of sheep to be watched by a shepherd with bad intentions. Similarly, the parson takes his job with great seriousness and is determined to lead his parishioners in the best way he knows how. The significance of this comparison is how much the parson is concerned with and how much he cares for his