Andrew Azcona - The Summoner

## Abstract

The Summoner is one of the many characters in The Canterbury Tales, and is a member of the clergy. He accompanies the rest of the pilgrims on their journey, from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. He is a corrupt, ugly individual driven by spite and selfishness.

### The Summoner's Tale

In the story, after the Friar tells a criminalizing story about the Summoner, he gets angry and begins telling his tale that paints the Friar in a bad light. A friar promises salvation and prayers in exchange for whatever his customers will give, but once back at the covenant he forgets to do said prayers. This friar visits Thomas, an ill, elderly man, and promises him that he and his fellow friars will be praying for him. However, once Thomas’ wife enters the house the friar kisses and gropes her, and she requests he preaches about anger to the unpleasant, irritated Thomas. Before he does so, the wife tells the friar of her deceased child, who the friar pretends to have known about and seen being ascended. After giving the wife a sermon about fasting and the sins of gluttony, he gives Thomas a sermon about excessive wealth and suggests donating his gold to the friar’s covenant. After suggesting Thomas should give everything to the friars, and going on a long sermon about the sins of anger, Thomas is fed up with the friar and says he’ll give his gift to the friar so long as he shares it with the rest of them. The friar agrees and Thomas instructs him to put his hand under his buttocks, which he does. Thomas lets out a large fart, which shocks and disgusts the friar enough for him to leave Thomas’ house. Later, the friar visits a lord and tells him about the incident, and says he won’t divide what cannot be divided into equal parts. The servant has an idea of how you can divide it equally, where all of the other friars put their noses to a wheel and the main friar would sit atop it and fart, dividing the smell amongst the other friars. Everyone except the friar laughs at the servant’s brilliant answer.

## General Prologue

*623        There was a SUMMONER with us in that place,*

*624         Who had a fire-red cherubim's face,*

*625         For it was pimpled and discolored, with swollen eyelids.*

*626         He was as hot and lecherous as a sparrow,*

*627         With black, scabby brows and a beard with hair fallen out.*

*628         Children were afraid of his face.*

*629         There was no mercury, lead monoxide, nor sulphur,*

*630         Borax, white lead, nor any oil of tarter,*

*631         Nor ointment that would cleanse and burn,*

*632         That could cure him of his white pustules,*

The General Prologue goes over the Summoner's main traits, first starting off with depicting how hideous he is from leprosy and how horrid he is physically. Not only do children feel repulsed by him, but so do other people due to his drunken rates and horrid hygiene. Later on in the prologue, it states how he bribes those who fear excommunication, and uses the fear of rejection and execution by the church to get money and whatever he desires. The prologue also states how he also uses his power to prey on young women, stating "In his control he had as he pleased, The young people of the diocese." (Chaucer, Lines 663 - 664)

## Character Description

The Summoner is physically sick, due to him having leprosy. His face is covered in sores, rashes, and pimples, and there is no known ointment or cure for his physical deformities. He is said to eat smelly vegetables like onions, garlic, and leeks, and is usually intoxicated from his frequent consumption of red wine. In terms of his personality, the Summoner is said to be very crafty, cunning, and devious, usually finding ways to bribe and get what he wants from other people. He uses his power as someone working for the church to his benefit, whether it be for money or his sick, perverted lust for young women.

## Profession

These details show many things about the Summoner, one of which being how horribly disfigured and ill-ridden he is due to leprosy. His rotten appearance seems to be representative of his true personality, and also representative of the corruption of the church during that time period. The details regarding what he does when working paint him as selfish and mischievous, mainly in terms of his bribery and manipulation of others.

## Analysis

These details show many things about the Summoner, one of which being how horribly disfigured and ill-ridden he is due to leprosy. His rotten appearance seems to be representative of his true personality, and also representative of the corruption of the church during that time period. The details regarding what he does when working paint him as selfish and mischievous, mainly in terms of his bribery and manipulation of others.

## Chaucher

Chaucher seems to view the Summoner as an abhorrent, morally bankrupt individual. There are no positive character traits, or any silver linings, shown with the Summoner. Chaucer makes the Summoner appear as revolting and ugly as possible, but also manages to make his personality just as hideous. The Summoner is a lecherous, devious individual who seems to showcase Chaucher’s view on workers of the church. The Summoner represents the bad and insidious that resides in the church like a plague, those within the system using the power of the church for their twisted purposes.

## References

Harvard University. (n.d.). *1.1 general prologue*. 1.1 General Prologue. Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/pages/general-prologue-0.

*Summoner*. Oxford Reference. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100542995.

Chaucer, G., Asked byAdrianna H #710512Answered byAslanon 10/31/2017 5:45 PM, #710512, A. H., Asked byben t #1172304Answered byAslanon 9/7/2021 8:33 PM, #1172304, ben t, Asked byPalak B #1106787Answered byAslanon 6/4/2021 4:05 AM, & #1106787, P. B. (n.d.). *The Canterbury Tales the Summoner's Tale summary and analysis*. GradeSaver. Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://www.gradesaver.com/the-canterbury-tales/study-guide/summary-the-summoners-tale.

LitCharts. (n.d.). *The Summoner character analysis*. LitCharts. Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-canterbury-tales/characters/the-summoner.