Through his literature Geoffrey Chaucer examines and points out the downfalls and/or shortcomings of monks. Although while reading Geoffrey Chaucer's works one may deduce that he had little respect for the sanctuary of monk hood, he nevertheless did have the utmost respect for the ideology of monasticism (Gower, 221). His satire towards the monks found in his works was not created from distaste for the idea of "being a monk," but rather from the abuse which was put upon the sanctuary of this religious order (Miller 210). Chaucer believed that "a monastic order is good in itself," and that the idea of being monastic is honorable, (Gower, 221) but that the conflict between the needs of a secular society and traditional religious values called for some kind of examination (Philips, 42). .
The examination in which Chaucer refers is based on the original ideas of "what a monk should be," verse the reality of "what a monk was" during his time. To help establish this comparison it is helpful to learn the history of this vocation, and the basis of becoming and being a monk because there are many differences between monks of today's age, and the monks of the medieval ages. (Hermann, 75). .
"To begin with, the modern notion of religious vocation as a "divine calling" does not apply to medieval monasticism, which is usually determined by societal and familial choice, rather than individual, choice (Hermann 69)." Monks in modern times still follow the same basic rules and ideals as the monks did in medieval times, since the focus on work and prayer are still the main beliefs governing their daily lives. The difference between the two callings is that the context from the original vocation has undergone numerous changes which today allow for less wandering from the monks original vows (Hourigan, 41). .
Traditionally monks lived their lives apart from normal secular activities and concerns.
