Chaucer and Religion

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clergy, “A KNYGHT ther was, and that a worthy man,” (line 41) representing nobility and some ordinary guys “Ther was also a REVE, and a MILLERE,” (line 542) representing the laymen. Geoffrey Chaucer, the main narrator of the Tales is one of this third class of laymen, neither nobility nor clergy.
The vivid quality with which Chaucer describes everyone else on the pilgrimage is not present when he describes himself. He throws himself in neatly at the end, like a footnote. "...a Somnour, and a Pardoner also, A Maunciple, and myself -- ther were namo" (542-4). Chaucer doesn’t give the reader any clues about what he does for a living, or where he stands socially. We know that he is literate (a relatively small segment of common medieval society), but, aside from that, the reader must look in the text to find out who Chaucer is and what he stands for.
Throughout the works Chaucer indicates his attitude towards religion. It is apparent that Chaucer held the corrupt people of the ...

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