Understanding the Summoner in The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer features a diverse cast of characters, each representing different social classes, professions, and personalities of 14th-century England. Among these characters, the Summoner stands out as a complex figure, embodying themes of corruption, hypocrisy, and social critique. This article explores the role, characteristics, and significance of the Summoner in Chaucer's work, providing insights into his personality, function within the narrative, and the broader commentary Chaucer offers about medieval society.
Who Is the Summoner?
Definition and Role
The Summoner is one of the pilgrims in Chaucer’s frame story, The Canterbury Tales. His primary role in medieval society was to summon individuals accused of sins or crimes to ecclesiastical courts, often in the context of church discipline or moral judgment. In the context of the tales, the Summoner is portrayed as an official of the Church responsible for collecting fines and bringing sinners before church authorities.
In the narrative, Chaucer presents the Summoner as a representative of ecclesiastical authority, but also as a character embodying the corruption and moral failings associated with some church officials of the time. His personality and behavior provide a satirical critique of the church’s abuses and the hypocrisy prevalent in medieval religious institutions.
Physical Description and Personal Traits
Chaucer offers a vivid description of the Summoner, emphasizing both his appearance and demeanor. Some key traits include:
- Appearance: The Summoner is described as having a face that is "pimpled" or "leprous," with a carbuncle on his nose, which Chaucer humorously suggests is a sign of disease or moral corruption.
- Clothing: He wears a garland or a "baldric" decorated with "a fire-red" or "a leper's crust," symbolizing his connection to fire (possibly burning sins or hellfire) and his corrupt nature.
- Personality: Chaucer depicts him as lecherous, dishonest, and fond of wine and indulgence. Despite his ecclesiastical role, he is portrayed as morally compromised, often accepting bribes and using his position for personal gain.
- Speech: The Summoner speaks in a coarse, often Latin-influenced language, but his speech is riddled with deceit and hypocrisy, often attempting to conceal his true nature.
Character Traits and Behavior
The Summoner’s behavior is characterized by several negative traits, which Chaucer uses to satirize the church:
- Corruption and Bribery: He is depicted as someone who accepts bribes to obscure the sins of offenders, thus undermining justice and morality.
- Lecherousness: Chaucer describes him as sexually promiscuous, often seeking out young women, which contrasts sharply with his ecclesiastical duties.
- Hypocrisy: Although responsible for punishing sinners, the Summoner himself is depicted as sinful, exemplifying the theme of religious hypocrisy.
- Deceitfulness: He is cunning and manipulative, capable of lying and deception to serve his interests.
Thematic Significance of the Summoner
Symbol of Corruption
The Summoner embodies the corrupt aspects of the medieval church, where official roles could be exploited for personal benefit. His tendency to accept bribes and indulge in immoral activities highlights the widespread abuse of ecclesiastical authority, a common theme in Chaucer’s critique.
Representation of Hypocrisy
Chaucer’s portrayal reveals the gap between appearance and reality within church officials. The Summoner outwardly performs spiritual duties but inwardly indulges in vice, emphasizing the theme of hypocrisy that Chaucer often explores in his moral satire.
Comic Relief and Character Contrast
While the Summoner is a morally flawed character, Chaucer also uses him for comic effect. His coarse language, lecherous behavior, and humorous stories add levity to the Tales and serve as a stark contrast to more pious or noble characters, highlighting the diversity of medieval society.
The Summoner’s Tale: A Key Narrative
Overview of The Tale
The Summoner’s Tale, one of the most famous stories in The Canterbury Tales, is a humorous and satirical narrative told by the Summoner himself. It exemplifies Chaucer’s critique of religious hypocrisy and foolishness.
- Plot Summary: The tale describes a friar who boasts about his holy deeds but is ultimately exposed as corrupt. The story involves a clever peasant who tricks the friar into revealing his greed and hypocrisy by pretending to have relics and holy relics.
- Themes: The tale satirizes religious pretentiousness, greed, and hypocrisy, mirroring the Summoner’s own behavior and role.
Significance of the Tale
The Tale allows Chaucer to critique the church from within, using humor and irony. It also provides insight into the Summoner’s character—his awareness of the church’s flaws, his own hypocrisy, and his ability to tell a moral story that reflects his worldview.
Analysis of the Summoner’s Character in Context
Chaucer’s Satirical Perspective
Chaucer’s depiction of the Summoner is not merely comedic but also critical. By highlighting his flaws, Chaucer condemns the systemic corruption within the church and questions the moral authority of ecclesiastical officials.
The Summoner’s tendency to accept bribes and indulge in vice underscores the theme of moral decay, suggesting that religious figures are sometimes no different from secular sinners.
Character Traits as a Reflection of Medieval Society
The character of the Summoner reflects broader societal issues of the 14th century, such as:
- Corruption in Church Offices: Many church officials used their positions for personal gain.
- Moral Hypocrisy: A disconnect between outward religious duties and inward moral failings was common.
- Social Critique: Chaucer’s satire implies that the church’s moral authority was often compromised, a sentiment that resonated with contemporary audiences.
Modern Interpretations
Today, the Summoner is often studied as a symbol of ecclesiastical corruption and a representation of the broader societal critique embedded in The Canterbury Tales. His character invites readers to think critically about the nature of morality, authority, and hypocrisy.
Conclusion: The Significance of the Summoner in The Canterbury Tales
The Summoner in The Canterbury Tales is a multifaceted character who embodies the hypocrisy, corruption, and moral failings of certain church officials of the Middle Ages. Through Chaucer’s vivid description, humorous stories, and satirical tone, the Summoner serves as both a comic figure and a powerful symbol of societal critique. His character invites readers to reflect on themes of morality, authority, and human folly, making him an enduring and significant part of Chaucer’s masterpiece.
By examining the Summoner’s traits, behavior, and narrative role, we gain deeper insight into Chaucer’s social commentary and the rich tapestry of characters that make The Canterbury Tales a timeless exploration of medieval life and morality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the Summoner in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales?
The Summoner is a character in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales who is responsible for summoning people to church courts and is depicted as a lecherous, corrupt church official.
What is the role of the Summoner in the storytelling framework of the Canterbury Tales?
The Summoner's role is to tell a story that reflects his character and profession, often using humor or satire to comment on church corruption and misconduct.
How does Chaucer portray the Summoner's character in his tales?
Chaucer depicts the Summoner as a corrupt, lecherous, and somewhat foolish figure, highlighting the flaws and greed often associated with church officials of his time.
What is the significance of the Summoner's tale in the Canterbury Tales?
The Summoner's tale satirizes church corruption and hypocrisy, using humor and exaggeration to criticize the moral failings of clergy.
Are there any notable quotes from the Summoner in the Canterbury Tales?
Yes, one notable quote is: 'For in his face, and in his speech, and in his array, he was a kind of person that a man might think had kept a jolly fellow's company, or a tavern.' This highlights the Summoner's corrupt and jovial nature.
How does the Summoner's depiction relate to the social commentary in the Canterbury Tales?
The Summoner's character exemplifies Chaucer's critique of ecclesiastical corruption and societal hypocrisy, serving as a satirical reflection of the church's moral shortcomings.
What literary devices does Chaucer use to characterize the Summoner?
Chaucer employs satire, irony, and vivid physical descriptions to portray the Summoner as a corrupt and foolish figure.
How does the Summoner's tale compare to other tales in the Canterbury Tales in terms of theme?
Like many tales, the Summoner's story critiques societal and religious flaws, emphasizing themes of hypocrisy and corruption prevalent in the clergy.
Why is the character of the Summoner still relevant in modern discussions of literature and religion?
The Summoner remains relevant as a satirical figure highlighting issues of corruption, abuse of power, and moral hypocrisy, themes that continue to resonate in contemporary discussions about institutions and ethics.
