By: Nicole LeRose

 “An official who served summonses for an ecclesiastical court”  Someone hired by the medieval church who calls upon people for their spiritual crimes  Calls upon people for a specific purpose.

 “With black and scabby brows and scanty beard, He had a face that all the children feared;” (lines )  Red, pimply face, scarred from leprocy  Loved onions, garlic, leaks  “And when with wine he was quite well infused, Some Latin words were all the words he used. He knew a few good phrases, two or three, Which he had learnt to say from some decree.” (lines )  “All of the young girls of the diocese; He knew their secrets, counseled them and led.” (lines )

 “He was mad at the Friar to such degree that like an aspen leaf he shook with ire.”(lines )  Tells tale about a corrupt friar to get back at the friar.  Remembers others speaking of friar knowing of Hell.

 One friar had a vision of Hell and was taken through by an angel and could not find any other friars.  Angel asked Satan to lift up his tale.  “Out of the devil's ass there shot a drive Of twenty thousand friars in a rout,Who throughout hell went swarming all about, Until, as fast as they'd come to appear, Each one crept back into the devil's rear.”(lines )

 Yorkshire friar- main character, beggar  Thomas- rich, old, uneducated and ill man  Thomas’ Wife  The Lord  Lord’s Servant  Lord’s Lady

 The Yorkshire Friar travels the country, preaching and begging for alms. He promises his prayers in return. When he arrives back at the convent, he forgets to make his prayers. He arrives at Thomas’ house, who is rich and ill. “So house by house this friar went, till he Came to one house where he was wont to be Better refreshed than at a hundred more”( ). He tells Thomas he has been praying for him. Thomas’ wife appears and states that their baby has recently died.

 The friar claims to already know this and that he has been praying. For this, the friar suggests Thomas to give him goods and gold and Thomas tells him he has already given plenty to the friars. “Your lack of faith is what has brought you down” (1958). The friar then states he has not given the friars enough to share. They go back in forth in disagreement.

 The friar tries to talk Thomas into giving him money. Thomas grew angry “This ailing man was nearly mad with ire; He would have liked to see the friar on fire For his dissembling and hypocrisy” ( ). Thomas finally chose to give him a gift that he had been saving. He told the friar to reach below his back. “And when this sick man felt the friar begin To grope around his orifice, right in The friar's hand the fellow let a fart” ( ).

 Thomas then told the friar to share it with all the others. The friar was unsure how to share such a gift and reported back to the lord of the village. Him and his wife were puzzled as well. The lord’s squire comes with the idea that the friars stand in a circle. One in the middle farts and they all share it. “Save that this worthy man who's your confessor, So honorable, should not be like those lesser But rather have first fruit, and so he will.” ( )

 Corruption in the Church  “When folks in church had given to him what They pleased, he moved on, no more rest he got.” (lines )  Anger between classes  “Since you've heard this false Friar lie, agree That I now be allowed my tale to tell.” (lines )  Human desire for a better life  “Exhorting all the people with his preaching To purchase trentals, giving, for God's sake, That holy houses men might undertake To build for services,” ( )  Rich vs. Poor/ Rags vs. Riches  "Help us, Thomas, for him who harrowed hell! For if you don't, our books we'll have to sell.” (lines )  “This ailing man was nearly mad with ire; He would have liked to see the friar on fire For his dissembling and hypocrisy.” (lines )

 Inferno- reaches under tail of Satan  “Out of the devil's ass there shot a drive Of twenty thousand friars in a rout Story of Judas- stole from disciples’ purses” (lines )  Christ and the Twelve Apostles  “So twelve of them shall kneel, As it shall be agreed, right by the wheel, For every friar a spoke, to which he goes And firmly at the spoke-end lays his nose.” (lines )  Pentecost Parody- celebration  “By way of proof that is demonstrative, In equal share the sound will have its stroke,” (lines )  Moses-  "Look, Moses fasted forty days and nights, Before God in his might came from the heights, To speak with him upon Mount Sinai; He fasted many a day, his stomach dry, And empty, and received the law inscribed, By God's own finger.” ( )

 “I am a man whose appetite is spare; The Bible is my spirit's food, my flesh” ( )  “And so just as a hawk will up and rear Into the air, the prayer soars ever higher.” ( )  “On which concern the wise man says in kind: 'Don't make of your own house a lion's lair, Do not oppress the ones within your care, Or cause a friend to up and flee.‘” ( )  "You know what's best to do, don't get upset, You're my confessor," said this man of worth, "You've been the salt, the savor of the earth.”( )

 Did the Summoner provide a good rebuttal?  Have you ever done something to teach someone a lesson?

 Was the Summoner’s tale in pure frustration for the Friar?  Did he prove a point or make himself look worse?

 This tale was a satirical comedy portraying a corrupt friar.The Summoner’s ugly physical appearance depicted the ugliness of his personality. He is a gluttonous character who will take advantage of his powers. He has no fear of excommunicating those he feels deserve it. The Summoner holds himself high and shows it through his actions and tales.

 docId=ft1f59n7bw&chunk.id=d0e9490&toc.id=& brand=ucpress docId=ft1f59n7bw&chunk.id=d0e9490&toc.id=& brand=ucpress  Finlayson, John. "Chaucer's "Summoner's Tale": Flatulence, Blasphemy, And The Emperor's Clothes." Studies In Philology (2007): Academic Search Premier.  tale/ tale/  ml ml 