The Friar's Tale: A Study of the Character and Values of the Storyteller

The Friar's Tale

A study of the character and values of the storyteller

The Friar's tale is a tale full of instances of bribery, corruption, extortion, and a network

of informants that makes the church seem more like the witness protection program than a place

of worship. The Friar relays this tale to his companions, first advising that it is not directly

related to the Summoner who is part of their party. He tells this tale in the style of a fairy tale

almost, more specifically the story seems to have a moral. It almost seems as if this is the Friar's

confession without implicating himself. We get a glimpse into the true character of the Friar,

because it does not seem appropriate for a man of the clergy to tell a story that would humiliate

and degrade his fellow man. The moral undertone of the story reflects directly on the Friar due

to what we already know about him from the host in the General Prologue.

A friar by definition is a member of certain Roman Catholic religious orders who is

forbidden to hold property. They are known as mendicants because they were expected to beg for

a living and were not bound to any particular monastery but answered directly to the pope.

Friar's differ from monks in that they are not secluded into a monastery but are generally

involved in widespread outside activity. Like monks, friars have taken a vow of poverty and

sworn by oath to minister the lost, sick and dying. (Columbia) We will examine how the Friar's

telling of this Summoner shows he has altered his perception of his loyalty to the church.

Chaucer's Friar appears to have forgotten his station in life. He seems to lost his way with

God. He tells a ...

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...er all the attributes that the Friar himself should not embody maybe he is able to

rationalize his own lackings.

In conclusion, the Friar's story of the devil on earth could simply be a reference to himself.

The demon appears in the guise of a yeoman. Meaning that looks can be deceiving. He refers to

summoner and the demon as brothers. This shows the Friar's own conscience, knowing he himself

is in league with the devil under the pretense of doing the work of God. His story is a relief of his

own cursed doings. His tone is almost mocking as he delivers the sermon at the end of his story.

It seems that the prayer is more for his own benefit than that of his traveling companions. He

tells them to pray for their temptations. When he himself is the temptation, no different than the

demon that takes the summoner. (Lines 346-364)