" (Chaucer 5) surely does not represent poverty or simplicity. It is obvious that this Nun does not take the vow of poverty seriously. Her brooch of gold shows this Nun prefers the finer things in life. Also her bracelet is inscribed saying "Amor vincit omnia " translating to "Love conquers all " Why would a nun, who is suppose to be married to the church, have a bracelet engraved saying that? The only way a person could get a bracelet with such a passionate statement engraved on it is if she had gotten it from a previous husband or boyfriend, which makes a person question her actual devotion to the church and God. Many religious characters in the story are not very devoted to the church. A majority of them are lazy and do not follow the rules of the church.
One of the very many lazy characters in this story is the Monk. Monks are said to be very reserved and studious. Not this monk though, he is the quite the opposite. In contrast the monk reveals his laziness saying, "What use to study, why go round the bend with pouring or some book in a cloister, or drudging with his hands, to toil and labour as Augustine bids? " (Chaucer 5). They spend a lot of their time dedicated to learning and reading about the Bible and the monk in the Canterbury tales does not follow this image of what a monk should be. He does not like reading or studying the Bible, because he thinks it is uninteresting. Now laziness is one thing, but actually going against the church's teaching, like the Summoner does, is by far worse. A summoner was also a part of the church during the medieval times. They were the ones who would call people to go to the pardoner to have their sins removed and forgiven. And yes the Summoner does do this but not for the right reason. The Summoner proves this in different ways, "And once he had gotten really drunk on wine " "As good a fellow as you'd hope to find: for he'd allow- given a quart of wine- A scallywag to keep his concubine a twelvemonth, and excuse him all together.
