Canterbury_Tales

Canterbury Tales Corruption of Social Classes The Prologue displays the corruption in the social classes, which are organized by wealth, lying and dishonor. The church is supposed to be the most holy group, but they are the most materialistic, and unholy people. Even though the people of the court are not fashionable, they are honorable and loyal. However, this does not give them a high social ranking. The common people are divided; some claim to be religious and others are only concerned with materialistic things. Through the descriptions of the characters, Chaucer shows the corruption of the social classes. The church is the most corrupted class; the members are viewed by their material wealth, rather than their religious acts. Chaucer describes the Monk as a sportsman, and he writes, “… one of the finest sort who rode the country; hunting was his sport.” A normal monk relies upon his religion. Chaucer shows that the church is not what it claims to be, and that they are not religious people. Another member of the church is the Friar. He enjoys impressing the girls, and is “the finest beggar of his batch.” Chaucer uses cantgerbury, tales, church, chaucer, social, people, religious, corruption, wealth, places, however, corrupted, among, shows, show, materialistic, loyal, knight, court, common, classes, wealthy, truth, time, though, status, should, religion, prologue, others, one, much, monk, members, material, lying, honorable, honor, group, god, girls, friar, finest, even, describes, concerned, class, characters, yet, writes, worker