On Chaucer's The Parson's Tale

Introduction

In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, The Parson's Tale is a handbook on how to avoid the paralyzing effects of despair and how to live with a hope that will encourage the pilgrim in his "wey."

The value of the handbook is diminished by its length in the modern sense of what a handbook should be, but whether this flaw would have been a problem for medieval readers or not is open to speculation. Modern readers live in a world that can reproduce massive texts almost instantly, but most readers require brevity because they have little time to read. Medieval readers lived in a different world with more time and less technology. Another point to be considered is that although The Parson's Tale is long by modern standards for a handbook (or "how-to" manual), it is not lengthy compared to other earlier and contemporary writings that treat similar subjects. Nevertheless, brevity is one characteristic that the Host specifically requests, encouraging the Parson to "Beth fructuous, and that in litel space...(71) Whether the Parson is in compliance with this request or not in the view of the Host is questionable, but it must be noted that the Parson is neither interrupted nor reprimanded. It is certain, however, that if the tale begins in an English April at four oclock (5) it must necessarily continue well past sundown. There is irony in the Parson's situation, since the pilgrims have entertained themselves with indulgent and amusing tales all day, but the Host asks the Parson to be brief regarding the serious matters that he proposes to tell.

Aside from its length, The Parson's Tale has all of the required elements of a handbook. It is prose, not verse like the other tales. Its unimaginative content comes directly from Augustine, Paul, and other church fathers, and its language is plain and repetitive. It lacks artistry because artistic treatments obscure meaning and invite or require interpretation. The Parson's Tale needs no interpretation. It is a straightforward handbook, a how-to manual for the "parfit glorious pilgrymage." (49)

The manual begins as a manual must with an introductory statement of objective, which is "To shew yow the wey, in this viage," (49) It then proceeds to set up the perspective of all handbooks, which is "follow these instructions, and you can be successful." The Parson states that everyone can be successful in the first few words of the handbook, assuring the pilgrims that Gods plan is universal:

"Oure sweete Lord God of hevene, that no man wole prerisse [perish] but wole that we comen alle to the knowleche of hym and to the blisful life that is perdurable..."(75)

Thanne shal men understonde what is the fruyt of penaunce, and after the word of Jhesu Crist, it is the endelees blisse of hevene, ther joye hath no contrarioustee of wo ne grevaunce...(1076)

This blisful regne may men purchace by poverte espirtueel, and the glorie by lowenesse, the plentee of joye by hunger and thurst, and the reste by travaille, and the lyf by deeth and mortification of synne. (1080)

Pilgrims of a literal and emotional bent hear the Parson call each of the seven deadly sins by name and describe them in detail. For each of the sins, they hear the remedy prescribed and defined. The basic message is that there is remedy available, along with restoration to grace through the process of Penance.

The Parson does not maintain his discussion on a theoretical level. It is given in familiar and homely detail, often by the use of simple allegory, as when he defines Pride. He first states that there are two kinds of pride, one that is within the heart and one that is without. (408) Forestalling any argument over the theoretical division, such as the question of which may be worse and other possible debate related to theory and semantics, he makes his meaning plain by a simple allegory of the tavern, that all will understand:

But natheles that one of thise speces of Pride is signe of that oother, right as the gaye leefsel atte taverne is signe of the wyn that is in the celer./ And this is in many thynges: as in speche and contenaunce, and in outrageous array of clothyng./ For certes, if ther ne hadde be no synne in clothyng, Crist would nat so soone have noted and spoken of the clothying of thilke riche man in the gospel. (410,412)

When this passage occurs, the Parson has already explained that the proper root from which Penance grows is Contrition, that he defines as "the verray sorwe that a man receyveth in his herte for his synnes, with sad purpose to shryve hym, and to do penaunce, and neveremoore to do synne." (129) Contrition with the intent to seek penance and to sin no more is then the root from which the successful life should grow, i.e., the proper attitude with which to enter upon the "parfit glorious pilgrymage." (49) Even The Wife of Bath, who can turn any doctrine to her advantage, could not turn this one. It is a plain and simple statement that Gods plan requires sorrow for past sins and firm intent not to repeat them.

The Canterbury Tales presents characters with intensity and in realistic dimension, as in the instance of the Wife of Bath. There is no question about her appearance or her opinions. What remains speculative in both her prologue and her tale is the root from which the Wife of Bath springs. Her character may be perceived as springing purely from an intent to satisfy her lust for physical pleasure and possessions, a common challenge to Christian intentions. On the other hand, her bold front might derive from rage at a life that has left her nothing except old age and painful memories. Her memories of past pleasure are painful also, because her pleasures have departed along with her youth. What can be stated with certainty is that her character does not spring from contrition and intent to sin no more, and therefore the fruit of her adventurous life is despair:

But - Lord Crist! - whan that it remembreth me
Upon my yowthe, and on my jolitee,
It tikleth me aboute myn herte roote.
Unto this day it dooth myn herte boote
That I have had my world in my tyme.
But age, allas, that al wole envenyme,
Hath me Biraft my beautee and my pith.
Lat go. Farewel! The devel go therwith!
The flour is goon; ther is namoore to telle;
The bren, as I best kan, now moste I selle;
(469,479)

According to the Parson, despair is a cycle that operates in the sinful life, perpetuating sinful action and thought, and directing the individual toward ever more serious sin. This cycle is visible in the Canterbury Tales in the Miller, the Reeve, the Friar, and the Summoner, whose tales are increasingly hateful along two lines of progression. Things go from bad to worse as The Millers Tale begets The Reeves Tale, that is worse than the Millers Tale; likewise, the wrathful Friars Tale begets the more wrathful and less humorous or imaginative Summoners Tale. The second line of progression from bad to worse is internal to each tale. In this pattern, one sin or neglected wrong intent spawns a host of resultant losses, until there is literally nothing left to lose and no way of regaining what was lost. This situation is precisely what the Parson means by despair. Because of repeated sin, the individual has lost the hope of restoration to grace:

For certes, he that is enclyned to synne, hym thynketh it is so greet an empris for to undertake to doon werkes of goodnesse,/ and casteth in his herte that the circumstaunces of goodness been so grevouse and so chargeaunt for to suffre, that he dare not undertake to do werkes of goodnesse.../

Now cometh wanhope, that is despeir of the mercy of God.../ ymaginynge that he hath doon so muche synne that it wol nat availlen hym, though he woulde repenten hym and forsake synne,/ thurgh which despeir or drede he abaundoneth al his herte to every manner synne, as seith Seint Augustin./ Which dampnable synne, if that it continue unto his ende, it is cleped synnyng in the Hooly Goost./ This horribole synne is so perilous that he that is despeired, there nys no felonye ne no synne that he douteth for to do... (690,695)

The Merchant and The Franklin, not so much given to envy and wrath as the Wife, the Miller, the Reeve, the Frair, and the Summoner, may seem in some measure less beset by the despair that the Parson describes. The pride that drives these characters is more of that variety of pride that is "without," relating to appearances. From this intent grows the need to have the trappings and comforts that display their wealth and position, and their tales are both about individuals who forego true and enduring values for possessions that lend an outward appearance of value. Nevertheless, both the Merchant and the Franklin understand value on a literal and surface level. They both understand contracts and are impressed by the idea of value given for value. This simple practical wisdom is their key to understanding the Parson's "wey." In this understanding, the penance of mankind goes as repayment for the pain of Jesus whose suffering was because of the sin of mankind. To the faithful penitent, the reward of glory is offered for value delivered in penance. The Parson's use of the tree imagery, drawn from ancient and scriptural sources, stresses that the visible structure grows from the root, or "intent." The vital root or intent of the tree of Penance is Contrition, which gives legitimacy and life to the superstructure. If the Merchant or the Franklin reflect long enough upon the Parson's "tree" imagery to examine the "entente" of their own characters lives, their shallowness will find correction.

Although The Parson's Tale gives literal and simple messages for the pilgrims who need these, it does not exclude the Knight and the Clerk, who address lifes dangers and opportunities from a perspective based upon principle. The first group, the literal-minded pilgrims, are simply wrong, held by delusion that the Parson's straightforward message, if it can be heard, may dispel. The Knight and the Clerk, who may be in some measure right, hold views that are inadequate in most of lifes circumstances.

The Knight understands the principle of order, and Gods plan of Penance works well as an orderly plan of chivalric duty, serving an established hierarchy of God, then Priest, then Penitent individual. Operating upon this principle, it would be naturally attractive to the Knight. In addition, it may serve to inform the Knight that all people are included in the plan that God has provided, whereas the Knights perception includes only knights. Most of the world, the Knight might agree, isn't chivalric; yet, according to the Parson, Gods plan includes everyone.

The Parson's Tale will compel the agreement of the Clerk for its affirmation of constancy, which is important to the Clerk above all things. What the Parson's contribution offers to the Clerk is a way of melding his commitment to principle with the actual life of people, a skill that the Clerk lacks in both his tale and his General Prologue description. The Parson might also caution the Clerk against pride in his own religious understanding, a pride that prevents the Clerk from being a true source of "solaas" for weary pilgrims. The Parson knows that a tale that cannot be understood is dangerous and misleading. He also knows that a tale told to demonstrate the prowess of the teller, whether artistic, intellectual, or spiritual, is told for the wrong reason.

The right reason, or intent, is vital to the Parson, as it has been shown to be important to Chaucer throughout the Canterbury Tales. Chaucer distinguishes the Parson from other church-affiliated pilgrims by a difference of intent: "He was a shepherde and noght a mercenarie." (514) The Clerk cannot be read as a "mercenarie," but he is not a "shepherde" either. His message is useless to the pilgrims because he alone understands it. It serves to demonstrate the Clerks superior perception, but it is universally misinterpreted by the other pilgrims. Unlike the Clerk, who gives himself to books and learning, (293,300), the Parson gives himself to his parishioners.

Other church-connected pilgrims have presented nothing of use to the pilgrims in terms of "solaas," the goal defined by the Host as the tales begin. (898) The Parson cannot, because of his commitment to the good of his flock, do otherwise. It is not something that he must try to do in order to win a contest on a particular day; it is his nature and intent without regard to time or place. He is already committed to giving comfort to pilgrims.

Chaucer introduces the Parson in the General Prologue as a poor parson of a town, but "Riche he was of hooly thought and werk/He was also a lerned man, a clerk." (478, 479) and:

He sette nat his benefice to hyre
And leet his sheep encombred in the myre
And ran to London unto Seinte Poules
To seken hym a chaunterie for soules...
But dwelte at hoom, and kepte wel his folde,
So that the wolfe ne made it nat myscarie;
He was a shepherde and noght a mercenarie.
And though he hooly were and vertuous,
He was to synful men nat despituous,
Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne,
But in his techyng discreet and benygne.
To drawen folk to hevene by fairnesse,
By good ensample, this was his bisynesse. (507,520)

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. (2 Cor. 2,3)

Works Cited