The Last Faithful Cleric

         The Catholic Church dominated every aspect of life in medieval society. If every member of the Church had remained entirely humble and obedient, the Church’s authority would have positively impacted the middle ages, but the Church’s absolute power led to many instances of large-scale corruption. Chaucer exposes many examples of the Church’s disorder during the middle ages in The Canterbury Tales, but he includes one ecclesiastical character who remains faithful to the true principles of Christianity. The Parson is the only clerical pilgrim whom Chaucer admires and “The Parson’s Tale” reflects the Parson’s many virtuous qualities. Chaucer’s account of the Parson and his tale highlight the Parson’s attributes of humility, knowledge, and sincerity.

         Chaucer constantly finds fault with the pride of many members of the Church. Many preachers believe that their work is so important that they deserve payment in the form of a tithe for their good works. The Parson, on the other hand, refuses to accept money for his deeds. In the Prologue, Chaucer says that the Parson” loathes to curse to receive a tithe,” meaning that the Parson desires no payment for his preaching (l. 486). The Parson humble places the instruction and spiritual well-being of his congregation above his own needs or wishes. The Parson’s humility sharply contrasts with the arrogance of the other ecclesiastical pilgrims such as the Monk or the Friar, who consider their own desires more important than the needs of those whom they claim to serve. The Parson personifies the ideal of humility for which every priest should strive.

         In telling his tale, a lengthy sermon on the subject of sin and repentance, the Parson demonstrates excellent knowledge of Christianity that he relays to his fellow pilgrims. The Parson displays impressive insight into the importance of repentance for one’s sins when he quotes Saint Augustine as saying “Save he be repentant for his former sinful life, he shall not begin to lead the new clean life.” The Parson thoroughly understands the necessity of admitting one’s past failures before beginning to reform his or her life. The Parson proceeds to frequently cite scripture, including the Gospels and the book of Job, and quote many other saints, such as St. Peter and St. Ambrose, in his tale. The Parson’s comprehensive knowledge of his faith further reveals why he is one of the only admirable and virtuous pilgrims.

         Even more significant than the Parson’s knowledge is his genuine sincerity in his preaching. Chaucer recalls that the Parson was always “following the Word before he taught it,” showing that he displays no hypocrisy or deceit (l. 528). The Parson also does not preach for any ulterior motives but solely for fulfillment of his holy vocation. In his discussion of abstinence, the moral remedy for the vice of gluttony, the Parson emphasizes that this virtue must be practiced only for patience and faithfulness, and not merely for physical health. What makes the practice of abstinence sincere lies in its primary intention being to obey Christ’s teaching. The Parson rightfully earns Chaucer’s respect because of the sincerity with which he preaches to his parishioners, which allows more people to put faith in his teachings.

         The Parson’s significance in The Canterbury Tales comes from his faithful and genuine service in contrast to the deceit and pride of the other clergy on the pilgrimage. Chaucer admires the Parson’s humility, knowledge, and sincerity, which the Parson reflects in his own tale. The Parson exemplifies all the qualities a proper priest should possess and display. He is a type of ideal standard against which to judge all other ecclesiastical characters. The Parson’s description and “The Parson’s Tale” clearly reveal why Chaucer admires the Parson for his good works.