SW 19
London, England
September 5, 1395
London, England
September 5, 1395
Dear Timothy,
Sorry for just contacting you until today, I’ve been spending my whole vacations reading this book by Geoffrey Chaucer entitled, The Canterbury Tales. I send it to you so you can notice many arguments that can, in fact, contradict all your philosophy and ideology about the Church. Throughout the various tales you can notice one same recurring aspect: the Church. He isn’t quite exactly idolizing the Church, instead, he is criticizing it through these very satiric pieces of fiction.
Specifically, the tale that most captivated my attention about the hypocrisy of the Church that Chaucer portrays was The Pardoner’s Tale. First hand, the teller of the tale, the Pardoner, is the complete opposite of what you can expect from a person like him. For example, he starts his tale saying, “Now, for the love of Christ, that for us dyed, / Lete youre othes, bothe grete and smale” (Chaucer, 658-59). What a hypocritical act don’t you think? But such act is consistent with the type of character that Chaucer has presented to us as the Pardoner. But, this satiric aspect of Chaucer’s parody towards the Church is consistent throughout the Tales. He portrays the religious figures in a deviate manner, where their personalities correspond to that of common medieval stereotypes. As a result, he reduces the Church’s importance, and instead, satirizes its significance to the height it serves as cynical comedy for the reader.
But, Tim, even if you don’t agree with Chaucer’s point of view and that of his Tales, please read it as soon as you get it so you realize how the Church is a puzzle of contradictions. It’s quite interesting to see both sides of the picture, Tim, and with the Pardoner we not only learn that “Radix malorum est Cupiditas” (334), but also that he himself is representing the Church, and hence, is sinning since the very beginning of his story by swearing and violating the Second Commandment. But I will leave it for you to interpret.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Andrew
Sorry for just contacting you until today, I’ve been spending my whole vacations reading this book by Geoffrey Chaucer entitled, The Canterbury Tales. I send it to you so you can notice many arguments that can, in fact, contradict all your philosophy and ideology about the Church. Throughout the various tales you can notice one same recurring aspect: the Church. He isn’t quite exactly idolizing the Church, instead, he is criticizing it through these very satiric pieces of fiction.
Specifically, the tale that most captivated my attention about the hypocrisy of the Church that Chaucer portrays was The Pardoner’s Tale. First hand, the teller of the tale, the Pardoner, is the complete opposite of what you can expect from a person like him. For example, he starts his tale saying, “Now, for the love of Christ, that for us dyed, / Lete youre othes, bothe grete and smale” (Chaucer, 658-59). What a hypocritical act don’t you think? But such act is consistent with the type of character that Chaucer has presented to us as the Pardoner. But, this satiric aspect of Chaucer’s parody towards the Church is consistent throughout the Tales. He portrays the religious figures in a deviate manner, where their personalities correspond to that of common medieval stereotypes. As a result, he reduces the Church’s importance, and instead, satirizes its significance to the height it serves as cynical comedy for the reader.
But, Tim, even if you don’t agree with Chaucer’s point of view and that of his Tales, please read it as soon as you get it so you realize how the Church is a puzzle of contradictions. It’s quite interesting to see both sides of the picture, Tim, and with the Pardoner we not only learn that “Radix malorum est Cupiditas” (334), but also that he himself is representing the Church, and hence, is sinning since the very beginning of his story by swearing and violating the Second Commandment. But I will leave it for you to interpret.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Andrew
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