Character
Analysis
Table of contents
The
01 Merchant 02 The Clerk
03 The Monk
1- The
Merchan
t!
Individuality
The Merchant is a very cynical man who
has lots of disgust for his distasteful
wife.
He boasts a long white beard and
colorful clothing it is said that he always
appears in high standings.
He is a wealthier man thanks to his skills
in business.
Character type
Chaucer presents the Merchant as a not
entirely honorable man.
He is a flashy dresser, in part to obscure his
financial troubles from his money-changing
activities.
He bases his complaints about his wife on a
mere two months of marriage, surely not
enough time to develop any reasonable
opinion.
Irony
The Merchant's views on marriage are
ironic.
There is a real sense in the Merchant's
Tale of goodness slightly gone bad,
ripeness becoming slightly rotten.
This apparent positivism is flecked with a
bitter irony.
Satire
The Merchant is a representation of the
rising middle class.
Chaucer forms his characters accurately
to fit the time period.
The Merchant can be seen as a
misogynist throughout his prologue and
tale.
Humor
For sothe he was a worthy
man with-alle, But, sooth to
seyn, I noot how men hym
calle.
Representation Of
Society
The society of that era was of the
nature that they represented
themselves as spiritual and
religious people of high class
however they were corrupted
from the insides.
2- The
Clerk!
Individuality
The Oxford Cleric is a starving student
through his worn-off clothing and
emaciated, thin horse.
The character is passionate about his
studies and prefers to spend money on
books rather than food and clothes.
Character type
He is passionate about his studies. It is
lively, vivid, and offers quite a few
interesting ideas.
He is a poor student of philosophy.
Having spent his money on books and
learning rather than on fine clothes.
He speaks little.
Irony
Chaucer describes the Cleric as a
person disinterested in religious
affiliations and who is oblivious to
worldly matters. It is ironic how the
Oxford Cleric has a holy name and is
joining a pilgrimage but is indifferent
towards religion.
Satire
Chaucer uses satire when describing the
Oxford Cleric. Having a "horse thinner
than a rake" (line 297) and spending
"whatever money" (line 309) on
"learning or another book," (line 310)
depicts the Oxford Cleric as a learning-
obsessed character.
Humor
The oxford cleric is described as thin and
impoverished, hard-working and wholly
dedicated to his studies:
Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre; But al
that he myghte of his freendes hente, On
bookes and on lernynge he it spente
Representation Of
Society
A cleric, or more commonly known in
modern day as clergy, is a religious
leader in certain religions.
The Oxford Cleric is a member of
the lower class.
He has not yet finished his education and
cannot work, so he depends on others to
buy books and other items.
3-The
Monk!
Individuality
The Monk is not the typical man of God.
The Monk is a fat man.
He's bald and dresses in fur and gold.
His face is smooth and shiny, and his
eyes roll in his head.
Character type
Monk is nothing like the usual monk
many people imagine.
He is rebellious, ignores rules, and lives
and controls his own life.
He hunts hares and rides horses.
Irony
The Monk is nothing like the usual monk
many people imagine. He hunts hares and
rides horses instead of studying, praying, and
working. He does not follow the rules of the
monastery which say that monks should not
hunt, be reckless, nor leave the monastery.
Instead, they should study and perform
manual labor.
Satire
With the Monk's portrait, we see another
satire of religious figures who are supposed to
live a monastic life of deprivation and hard
work, but instead live a life of luxury and
ease. Similar to the Prioress, the Monk is
doing all kinds of things which, were he really
pious, he would not.
Humor
Narrator called Monk Self-indulgent,
materialistic, and shallow. The narrator
pokes fun at him by calling him a fish out
of water because he chooses not to do
things how regular monks do things.
Representation Of
Society
The society thought of a monk, he may
imagined as someone who studies, prays,
and performs manual labor.
Most monks of the Middle Ages lived in
monasteries according to the Rule of Saint
Benedict, which demanded that they devote
their lives to “work and prayer.” This Monk
cares little for the Rule; his devotion is to
hunting and eating. He is large, loud, and well
clad in hunting boots and furs.
Member
s
Anika Zubair
Aqsa Javed
Bazif Ali
Aiman Batool
Gulnaz Fatima
