Summoner

by Sandra Fjeld, Dustin Carter and Lydia Horvath.


Before you start looking over this wiki, it might help you to have some background infomation. This is why there is a powerpoint with a summary of the Summoner's tale. Please take a look.

[[file:summoner power.ppt]]


 Estate: The Summoner is a part of the clergy, as a lay church officer, but does not have the priestly responsibilities of the ordinated clergy, making him a member of the new subdivision of the clergy. These people are intellectuals trained in literature and writing, but who were not destined to a professional career within the Church. As a church officer he arraigned those accused of violating church law. He does not believe in the work he does for the church and does not deserve his job. He is immoral, not true to his profession and uses his power corruptly for his own gain. He chooses whom to select and is often paid off by sinners. The Summoner uses his position to dominate the women in his jurisdiction. In exchange for some wine, he would let another man sleep with his girlfriend for a year and then pardon the man completely.

Physical appearance: The Summoner's face had a red complexion with carbuncles and pimples that could not be cured by any salve or potion. His diseased face suggests a diseased soul. Scabby brows hang above narrow eyer and he has a thin beard above his smelly mouth, caused by his fondness of garlic, onions and leeks. His physical traits strongly suggests to his obnoxiousness both physically and mentally, lack of hygiene and care for his own appearance. ("His face is on fire like a cherubin - line 642-645")

Attitude and behavior: The Summoner was a very scary man who often scared the children that laid eyes on him. He often threatened people to tell their secrets unless they did what he wanted them to do, meaning he was paid off by sinners. The Summoner is a drunk who is willing to do about anything for some strong red wine, shown by how he sellshis girlfriend for a year for a quart of wine and then pardons him completely. The Summoner's tale is strongly affected by the Friar's tale which was very anti-summoner. Instead of making his story into a perfect opportunity to defend his own reputation and occupation he launches an attack right back against the Friar. This way he leaves them both looking bad. The Summoner is easily bribed, and is loud and obnoxious - a result of drinking too much strong red wine. He was a drunk and very irritable.

[|Allusions] : "How such a friar was snatched down into Hell" is what the pardoner starts his story. It is suppossed to show the irony because the Summoner is supposed to be a holy man, not a greedy, who is destined to Hell.

- [|More allusions and details.]

Vocabulary Terms: - [|Cherubin] - [|Carbuncles]. - [|Tags] - [|Jay (1)]

Sources and citation: - "SparkNotes: The Canterbury Tales: Plot Overview." //SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular Study Guides//. Web. 18 Feb. 2010. [] .

- "From "The Canterbury Tales": The Summoner's Tale (modern english and middle english)." //Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400) - "The Canterbury Tales" (in middle english and modern english)//. Web. 19 Feb. 2010. .