Alexandra Ratyniak
 The Friar’s tale begins with his brief prologue.
Here the Friar says that he wonders if substantial
academic problems concerning authority and the
scriptures shouldn't be left to the proper
authorities and offers to tell a tale about a
summoner. The Host wants the Friar to tell a tale
about something else but the summoner says that
if he wants to tell an uncomplimentary tale about a
summoner he will do one as well about a Friar. So
The Friar begins his tale about a summoner.
 The tale begins with the telling of an archdeacon
who uses spies to get information from others in
the parish. Employed by the archdeacon there was
a summoner who would go around blackmailing
the rich and the poor. On his rounds, he meets a
young yeoman. After realizing they were both
baliffs they swore allegiance to each other to be
brothers until their dying day. They agree to work
together as they both use underhanded ways to
extort money from others.
 After talking, the summoner asks the yeoman’s
name. The yeoman says that he is "a fiend, my
dwelling is in hell.”
 The summoner says that he made a deal to join
forces with the yeoman, and even if the yeoman is
really a fiend, he will honor his word. The two seal
the bargain and begin their journey.
 The summoner and the demon come upon a
farmer whose cart is stuck in the mud. In
frustration, the farmer shouts for the devil to take
all his things, his cart, horse, hay, everything. The
summoner urges the fiend to do his part, but the
fiend explains that, because the curse was not
uttered from the heart and in sincerity, he has no
power to take the items.
 Later, the pair come upon the home of a rich woman
who refuses to pay the summoner’s bribes. When the
summoner threatens to steal her new frying pan the
woman yells, “The devil take you and the frying pan.”
The fiend asks the woman if she means her words to
which she says she does unless the summoner
apologizes. He refuses to do so and the fiend drags the
summoner off to hell. The Friar ends his tale with
saying how he hopes one day all summoners can
repent and be good men.
 Archdeacon- Uses spies and whores to seek
information from others in the parish so he can punish
them and get money from them
 The summoner- collects bribes from men and women
and many times ends up do it underhandedly.
 The yeoman/fiend- “From hell” he does the same acts
as the summoner but also grants “devil wishes.”
 The corruption of the church. Pg: 293
 The archdeacon uses his power to extort money and
bribes from others using spies and whores.
 Deceptiveness/ Blackmail pg: 301
 The entire tale is about deception and sneaky actions.
That is how the summoner makes his living and how he
bonds with the fiend.
 “high estate in hell” Meaning the top position in the
hell , the devil.
 “ an angel riding into bliss” meaing one going to
heaven
 The bible- “We make a pair, by God and by Saint
James” (pg. 297)
 “And just as Judas kept a little bag” (pg. 295)
 “Lamb and Flag” religious symbol for Lamb of God
 Virgil and Dante “Better than Virgil when he was alive,
Or Dante either.” (pg. 299)
 Be careful who you trust.
 Respect others and what they do. Not necessarily
about the tale itself, but pointing toward the Friar and the
Summoner themselves telling the story, attacking each
others profession and who they are.
 I liked the tale even though it was not as scandalous as
some of the others. I like the little twist of the yeoman
turning out to be the devil and punishing the
summoner for his bad actions.
 I also found it interesting how the friar's tale is more
general than the others. Meaning that when the Reeve
tells his tale, he give him a name and is just talking
about one person, here the Friar does not even give the
summoner a name, like he is not even worth one and
it also allows for the Friar to be speaking about all
summoners in general rather than a specific one.
 Do you think the summoner deserved to be sent to
hell?