Character Evaluation Paper
Character Evaluation Paper
Character evaluation is the character portrayal of an individual; it shows the life and concerns of the people and particular reasons for their divergent actions. Character analysis is a fundamental tool that helps the reader in understanding the personality traits of several characters in different literature settings (Jefferson State Community College p1). The essay is a character study of the Friars as depicted in the Canterbury Tales: the general prologue. The bigger picture of the friars’ personality traits in the general prologue is developed by Chaucer who is the main chronicler during the preparation for the pilgrimage journey that was emphasized by the identical expedition of individuals from diverse groups in all levels of medieval society.
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In the general prologue to the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer describes the friar as friendly, jovial, pleasure-loving, a compassionate confessor, elite at the debate, perfectly dressed, and a successful musician. Founded on the concept of brotherhood, friars evolved in the medieval era. Monastic orders were massively implanted to govern essential operations and functionalities. A friar was perceived as a mendicant, an evangelist preaching the gospel, a community educator, and a healthcare physician.
The prologue depicts friars as a group moderately devoted to doctrines of religion, but their transgressions are objectionable for being elevated more than other religious groups including monks and prioress. In the medieval generation, friars would be licensed to beseech material and monetary values in specific jurisdictions to aim at mitigating life of poverty. They gained financial freedom through listening to confessions, organizing sacraments, and chantry. Despite being authorized to be compensated for absolving other peoples’ sins, the approach portrays structural corruption they consolidated to make extra money from reach landowners ‘‘in stede of wepynge and preyeres, / Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres’’(Geltner 167). They could twist the spiritual aspects of their office for tangible gain.
Saint Francis the founding father of the Order of Friar would spend most of his time providing substantial care to lepers and beggars in various localities. The evolution of hypocritical friars diverted the intention of the office for material well-being instead of focusing on aiding the needy. Corrupt friar became minimally devoted to true devotion and systematic vows guiding the order (Villarreal p1). They gamboled in costly garments showing contemporary scrupulous elements of the order that was expected to uphold the life of poverty and service for the community.
Lesson Learned
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I have learned that friars could transverse from several regions seducing women as illustrated in the general prologue, “maad many a marriage of yonge women at his owene cost”(Geltner 165). Significantly, the friar did not compensate for these young ladies’ dowries willingly, it culminates that they married off these women to recompense for the damaged dignity and pride. Friars constantly carried glittering jewels to give to women to win their attention and favor, “for to yiven faire wives” (Geltner 166). Their actions define an adulterous facet of their personality contrary to the values they were anticipated to validate.
The friars incorporate dramatic craftiness in soliciting donations convincing any member of the society including widows, widowers, and peasants to contribute their last pence; earning more than expectation and positioning them on the high road of luxurious existence. This type of life necessitates inappropriate extracurricular activities aligned with their profession(Geltner 165). From the analysis of the Canterbury Tale, we learn that friars like associating with barmaids, noblemen, tavern owners, and wealthy landlords, abandoning the directives formulated by St. Francis such as vita contemplativa andvita active.
Insight
A friar is expected to hold onto the concept of chastity and poverty. However, the bigger satirical picture presented by Chaucer towards the life of a friar is highly opposite to their values and approaches. They are noble pillars of the order and quite popular in the community and the church, providing them with a special license from the church hierarchy and being given the authority to hear confessions of complex transgressions.“Unto a povre ordre for to yive / Is signe that a man is wel yshryve”(Geltner 166). Henceforth, friars are complete hypocrites portraying the rampant corruption of the church in the medieval periods.
Works Cited
Geltner, Guy. “The Friar,” in Historians on Chaucer: The General Prologue of the Canterbury Tales, ed. Stephen H. Rigby, with Alastair Minnis (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014), 156-169. 2019.
Jefferson State Community College. “Jefferson State Community College Libraries: A Writer’s Handbook: Character Analysis Idea Development.” Home – Jefferson State Community College Libraries at JSCC Libraries, 1 Nov. 2021, library.jeffersonstate.edu/c.php?g=798707&p=5721950. Accessed 18 Jan. 2022.
Villarreal, Allegra. “Canterbury Tales: General Prologue – An Open Companion to Early British Literature.” An Open Companion to Early British Literature – Simple Book Publishing, 22 Jan. 2019, earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com/chapter/canterbury-tales-general-prologue/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2022.
Obtain a copy of the Canterbury Tales in a modern translation or access it using the Internet.
Consider the monk, the friar, the franklin, and the parson.
Select one of these four characters which you would like to study and read Chaucer’s description of him in the “Prologue.” Remember that Chaucer may sound objective in his description but may actually be subtly negative or satirical toward that character.
Record your impressions of the personality of your chosen character from the “Prologue” description. Physical appearance and dress are not directly character traits, but they may give you clues as to personality as well.
Read the prologue and any afterward (it’s context in The Canterbury Tales) to the tale told by the character you have chosen to gain more insight and see any comments made about the character by the other pilgrims. You do not need to read the tale itself.
Write a study of the character you have chosen, including what you have learned from the “Prologue,” from the comments, and from your own insights into the character.
Use direct evidence from the text to support your observations. Do not just quote lines, but explain what the lines illustrate about character. Remember to document your quotes according to MLA format (click here to view the MLA Style Guide).
Your finished essay should be at least 400 words long.
I guess just please put the source of where you get the copy of canter bury tales