... the tradition of monogamy. However, the men also represent deviations from the ideals of the ideals of the romance genre and the values of Augustine. Recurrently, the male clergy members define lechery and sexual aggressiveness (Haskell 10). For example, the monk in the prologue strays from Augustinian ideals in multiple aspects. Instead living of a life of prayer and service, the monk ... , the wife in the Reeve's tale is the daughter of the town's parson, a man respected for chastity; this again shows the deflection of medieval standards for the clergy. Even the friar from the prologue...

• Word Count: 1877
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate