FRIAR
Morgan Stanislaus and Jaclyn Orlando
Period 7/8 Academic English III
Direct
Characterization
 “His neck was whiter than a lily-flower” (242)
 “For he sang well and played the hurdy-gurdy”(240)
 “Upon his shoulders, and the swelling fold About him,
like a bell about his mold When it is casting, rounded
out his dress.”(271-273)
Social class
Friar was part of the clergy social class.
friar
Indirect
characterization
 “He knew the tavern well in every town And every innkeeper and barmaid
too Better than lepers, beggars and that crew, for in so eminent a man as
he It was not fitting with the dignity Of his position, dealing with a scum
Of wretched lepers; nothing good can come…” (244-250)
From this quotation, we can infer that the friar was hanging
around bars and drinking as well as sleeping with women. He was the
exact opposite of how he was supposed to act as a member of the
clergy.
Deadly sin or moral
virtue?
The friar displayed the deadly sin of avarice (greed). He portrayed
greed because even he took the vow of poverty, friar only spent time
with wealthy and high social status people.
What is chaucer
criticizing?
 Chaucer was criticizing how true the friar was to his job. He portrayed
him as dishonest and not dedicated to his job. He abused his position
by scamming people and breaking the vow of obedience and chastity.
He had adulterous relationships with many women as well. This was
clearly not how a person of the Catholic Church during the Middle
Ages was supposed to act.