" (l. 178). The monk is very similar to the Prioress, as he does not want to live the life that he has vowed to live and is better-suited living in the higher classes.The Friar and the Summoner also exhibit non-conforming behavior which again highlights the wrong in the Church. The Friar is a member of a religious order that is completely poor and has to beg to survive. The Friar, though, did not like the vow of poverty and is somewhat praised by Chaucer for knowing who to ask for money and where to go; "He was the beste beggere in his house" (l. 252). The Friars dubious manipulations earned him enough money to become a landowner. This did mean though that he is completely dishonest. The Summoner, on the other hand, is blatantly dishonest. He works for the ecclesiastical court, his job is to bring offenders to the court for justice. Chaucer is extremely critical of the Summoner, giving him "a fir-reed cherubinnes face" (l. 626). Children were even afraid of his visage (l. 630). His gruesome appearance is ironically correspondent with his afflicted soul. The Summoner was really a blackmailer who played on the fears of sinners so if they paid him enough money, he would not pursue them. The Summoner and Friar outline the huge flaws of the Church as does the Pardoner.The Pardoner is also a sinner as he is guilty of selling indulgences and false relics to the nave. Chaucer says the Pardoner made "the peple his apes" (l. 708) in the General Prologue. The Pardooner also preaches against greed when he is in overt violation of his own preaching. Even though Chaucer describes him as a snivelling cheat, he then commends him as a "noble ecclesiaste" (l. 710). This is ironic because Chaucer has been using the aforementioned characters to point out the flaws of the Church, and now for him to praise this obviously crooked member of the Church, shows how low the respect he holds for the Church is.According to the religious characters de...
