IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION IN ‘’THE CANTERBURY TALES ‘’

The Catholic Church was an enormously powerful force in medieval society, and extremely
wealthy. The elaborate, ornate, gilded cathedrals built to enshrine saints’ relics were very
costly, and the Church also collected regular tithes from its members. By the late fourteenth
century, people had begun to become deeply suspicious of the Church’s ostentatious
wealth. After the Black Death, which wiped out at least a third of the population, many
people no longer trusted the Church’s authority. Church official were often seen as corrupt,
bribing and coercing people to obtain money for the church under false pretences. Since
members of the church were not allowed to work for a living, they had to gain money by
other means. Friars took a vow of poverty and roamed the countryside, relying on charitable
donations for their livelihood. Summoners brought sinners to the church court for
punishment. People bought indulgences from pardoners to purchase forgiveness for their
sins. The religious figures in The Canterbury Tales highlight many of the problems corrupting
the medieval Church. The Monk, who is supposed to worship in confinement, likes to hunt.
Chaucer’s Friar is portrayed as a greedy hypocrite. He tells a tale about a summoner who
bribes an old innocent widow. The Summoner, in retaliation, skewers friars in his tale,
satirizing their long-windedness and their hypocrisy. The Pardoner openly admits to selling
false relics to parishioners. Though the Prioress supposedly wears a rosary in devotion to
Christ, her ornate token seems much more like a flashy piece of jewelry than a sacred
religious object. The theme of religion, specifically Christianity, is central to The Canterbury
Tales. The thematic significance of Christianity can be marked by the fact that the tales take
place in a religious setting where everyone is going on a religious pilgrimage. Most of the
notable figures of the church; the Monk, the Nun, the Parson, and the Friar are detailed in
the general prologue, representing distinct areas of the church of that time. Some of them
are true worshipers of Christ, while the others are corrupt. Therefore, Chaucer has
artistically painted the picture of the custodians of the church having spoiled the true spirit
of Christianity.

If we look at how Christianity is used in the Canterbury Tales, we understand how religion
was important to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

 In the General Prologue, various pilgrims are introduced, including a Nun, a Monk,
and a Friar, all notable figures in the Church. They represent distinct areas of
 Christianity, with some holding to strict worship of Christ and others overtly
disobeying the laws. This initial introduction of the various religious icons on the
pilgrimage foreshadows tales of sin and worship that will be told throughout the
journey.
 The summoner's tale tells of friars and their so-called devotion to God and to Christ.
The friar in this tale claims to live a holy life because it is modest and impoverished.
He also tells Thomas that his son's illness persists because he does not give money to
the Church. He uses his position in the Church to elicit money. This example is
another illustration of the futility and deception within the Church at the time.
 The Monk's Tale is not so much a tale, but a list of short mini-tales that detail the
importance of Christian worship. Many of the characters that he lists do, in fact, die
because of their abandonment of God or their direct opposition to Christ.
 Cecilia died for the honor of God and Christianity. She suffered violent, brutal attacks
and never died, most likely because of her faith in God. Her worship and loyalty to
her religion allowed her to live through much pain. Although she ultimately died, her
life would forever be remembered for Christian love and devotion.
In conclusion, one’s knowledge of the historical context is important in forming a
proper understanding of The Canterbury Tales, especially in the analysis of the way
they portray Christian beliefs and apply Christian values. This is because it is only by
considering the historical context and how it relates to the different levels of
integration of Christianity within their respective societies does one fully understand
the significance of The Canterbury Tales in the development of Christianity in
northern Europe. The emergence of the Catholic Church, with its centre in Rome,
reveals an increasingly corrupted Christian Europe whose religious authority and
divine mandate, as shown in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, is being taken
advantage of by unscrupulous individuals who are more interested in their personal
aggrandizement than following the Christian values of charity, chastity, honesty,
temperance, forgiveness of others, among many others.

ALİŞAN BİLİK
180058041