Corruption, in the clergy or otherwise, ran rampant in the middle ages. This was clearly seen in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. He used either blunt or subtle criticism in his analysis of three characters in particular. Chaucer took a satirical approach, using irony, understatements, and sarcasm to describe these characters and his tone ranged from blatant hatred of the Friar, ambivalence toward the Skipper, and absolute respect for the Knight.
Using blunt criticism, Chaucer expressed absolute hatred for the Friar. Chaucer's diction, or word choice, left no question of what he feels for the Friar. In the author's description of the Friar, he will do anything, legal or illegal, moral or immoral, for his personal benefit. Instead of living a life of helping, begging, and preaching to others, the Friar lives a corrupt life of indulgences and moneymaking schemes. Anyone who was willing to pay for penance received absolution from the Friar with no question. The people receiving penance did not even need to be sorry for their sins, as long as they had a sufficient amount of money to pay. This showed that the Friar was not a devoted man of the clergy, but a sinner looking for ways to make money that a friar should have no use for. Chaucer hints that the Friar is sleeping with young ladies until they are ready to be handed off to their husbands. Prepared and ready, the Friar kept pins and .
pocket knives in his tippet. These were used to give abortions to these young ladies if he were to get them pregnant. A friar, who takes a vow of chastity, should not be involved in sexual intercourse of any kind. Furthermore, a friar, whose purpose is to help those in need, should never partake in abortions for young ladies. An abortion could emotionally scar a woman and a friar should not be the person to facilitate such an act. Chaucer mentioned that the Friar would constantly be in the taverns laughing, drinking and being the life of the party.
