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
Chaucer clearly shows how much corruption there is among the social classes. Wealth and material objects are the most valuable possessions, and yet religion and honor are not as respectful. Chaucer describes his characters to show an overall picture of the corruption that is occurring.
The code of chivalry explains the behavior and conduct of the court. The men show honor, loyalty, and valor. In The Prologue, Chaucer’s Knight is just that. He is loyal to his king and lady. However, he is not materially wealthy, which places him in a much lower social status than all of the corrupted wealthy people. Chaucer places the Knight first among the pilgrims to display an understanding of the status he believes the Knight should have. Even though the court may show mo
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