Question

Consider Chaucer’s use of satire in The Canterbury Tales. What purpose does this satire serve? Write three to four sentences connecting details from the story to what you know about medieval England.

Answer 1

Chaucer’s satire exposes the hypocrisy and corruption of powerful institutions and social types by putting flawed figures like the Pardoner (who hawks fake relics and indulgences), the Friar (who accepts bribes and neglects his vows), and the Summoner (who extorts the laity) in plain view. Those portraits directly critique real problems in medieval England, where the Church held enormous wealth and influence and the sale of indulgences and relics and clerical vice were common complaints. He also mocks the rising urban and professional classes (the boastful Merchant and Guildsmen) and unsettles traditional gender roles through the assertive Wife of Bath, reflecting growing social mobility and debates about authority. Framing the tales as a pilgrimage — a familiar religious practice — lets Chaucer safely stage a cross-section of society and reveal the moral and institutional tensions of his time.