The Vile & Immoral Summoner Serena Bai & JunBo Wu
There was a Summoner with us at that Inn, His face on fire, like a cherubin, For he had carbuncles. His eyes were narrow, He was as hot and lecherous as a sparrow. Black, scabby brows he had, and a thin beard. Children were afraid when he appeared. No quicksilver, lead ointment, tartar creams, No brimstone, no boracic, so it seems, Could make a salve that had the power to bite, Clean up or cure his whelks of knobby white Or purge the pimples sitting on his cheeks. Garlic he loved, and onions too, and leeks, And drinking strong wine till all was hazy. Then he would shout and jabber as if crazy, And wouldn t speak a word except in Latin When he was drunk, such tags as he was pat in; He only had a few, say two or three, That he mugged up out of some decree; No wonder, for he heard them every day. And, as you know, a man can teach a jay To call out Walter better than the Pope. But had you tried to test his wits and grope For more, you d have found nothing in the bag. Then Questio quid juris was his tag. He was a noble varlet and a kind one, You d meet none better if you went to find one. Why, he d allow -- just for a quart of wine -- Any good lad to keep a concubine A twelvemonth and dispense him altogether! And he had finches of his own to feather: And if he found some rascal with a maid He would instruct him not to be afraid In such a case of the Archdeacon s curse (Unless the rascal s soul were in his purse) For in his purse the punishment should be. Purse is the good Archdeacon s Hell, said he. But well I know he lied in what he said; A curse should put a guilty man in dread, For curses kill, as shriving brings, salvation. We should beware of excommunication. Thus, as he pleased, the man could bring duress On any young fellow in the diocese. He knew their secrets, they did what he said. He wore a garland set upon his head Large as the holly-bush upon a stake Outside an ale-house, and he had a cake, A round one, which it was his joke to wield As if it were intended for a shield.
Physical Attributes
Ungroomed facial hair Black scabby brows and a thin beard (630) Bad Breath Garlic he loved, and onions too, and leeks (638) Gruesome appearance Children were afraid of him (631) Holds a cake like a shield He had a cake which it was his joke to wield/ As though it were intended for a shield (673) Wears a garland Wore a garland set upon his head (670) Small, squinty eyes His eyes were narrow (629) Pimpled face His whelks (637) Red faced Face on fire, like a cherubin (628) Face covered with boils He had carbuncles (229)
Purpose in the Descriptions 1) Chaucer the writer deliberately portrays the Summoner s vulgar appearance to show his true immoral nature within. 2) All the depictions connote negative meanings: - Even the naive and accepting Chaucer the Pilgrim cannot make any positive comments on the Summoner. 3) CP makes his disagreement with the Summoner clear; But well I know he lied in what he said (663)
Red Faced 1) Face on fire, like a cherubin (628) 2) A cherubin, the plural form of a cherub, are winged angelic beings according to Biblical tradition. 3) In medieval art, the faces of angels were painted red. 4) Although the Summoner was trained in the clergy, hence his association with angels, he has an angry and turbulent personality that is the result of opposing his supposed Faith through unjust practices.
Face Covered with Boils 1) He had carbuncles (229) 2) A carbuncle is a red, swollen, and painful cluster of boils that are connected to each other under the skin. 3) Carbuncles are contagious; thus association with the Summoner is not just unpleasant, it can also be harmful to one s health. 4) They often leave scars - This represents the scars the Summoner s actions leave on his conscience
Narrow Eyes 1) His eyes were narrow (629) 2) Suggests a treacherous and wily nature. 3) Steady eye contact implies confidence and trustworthiness. - Because the Summoner s narrow eyes minimize his gaze, he is portrayed as a deceitful man whose true motives are well hidden. Ungroomed Facial Hair 1) Black scabby brows and a thin beard (630) 2) The Summoner possesses traditionally unattractive features, and does not make clear efforts to maintain his appearance 3) His inattention to his appearance emphasizes his sloth and negligence
Gruesome Appearance 1) Children were afraid of him (631) 2) The imagery of a child is commonly used to delineate innocence and purity. 3) The Summoner is portrayed as the antithesis of such values that can scare away children with just his revolting image. Wears a Garland 1) Wore a garland set upon his head (670) 2) In medieval times, angels were presented with garlands around their heads. 3) The garland shows the Summoner s ironic association with the Church and God despite his wrongful actions.
Pimpled Face 1) His whelks (637) 2) A whelk - a pimple. 3) Lines 635-637 describes how no medicine could clean up or cure his whelks. This description of impurity on his face parallels the Summoner s sinful character that can not be cleansed. 4) Pimples are also often an indication of poor hygiene, excess consumption of alcohol, and an unhealthy diet.
Bad Breath 1) Garlic he loved, and onions too, and leeks (638) 2) Olfactory imagery is used to delineate the Summoner s unpleasantness. 3) The Summoner did not just adore one of those ingredients for stinky breath, but enjoyed all three of them. 4) The description demonstrates that his character is not just sinful to the degree of the average man, but three times as wicked. 5) Emphasizes how distasteful it is to associate with the Summoner
Holds a Cake on a Stick Like a Shield 1) He had a cake which it was his joke to wield/ As though it were intended for a shield (673) 2) Despite the clear humorous nature of this description, a cake is clearly an ineffective shield for the Summoner to use to protect himself from attack. - However, this description reveals not only his inability to literally defend himself, but also his vulnerability to numerous sins as he is not protected by his Faith.
Non- physical Attributes
Disdainful of the Church s Teachings 1) Tells people not to be afraid (658) of the Archdeacon s curse (659) -- excommunication, guarantee of damnation -- since they can always pay a bribe to get out of it 2) Thus as he pleased, the man could bring duress/ On any young fellow in the diocese. (666-668) - Uses the threat of religious punishment to make people do his bidding - Completely unethical, morally reprehensible - Abuse of the power he obtains from his ecclesiastical position over people since he [knows] their secrets (669)
Unlawful 1) Questio quid juris was his tag (650) - The question is, what is the law. - Frequently accepts bribes from people wishing to avoid punishment from the church Hypocritical 1) His job is to punish people who commit immoral (according to the church) deeds, such as having inappropriate sexual relations and drinking habits 2) He had finches of his own to feather (656); He was guilty of the same sins 3) He was a noble varlet (651) - Chaucer the Writer uses an oxymoron to demonstrate his hypocrisy
Alcoholic 1) He loved drinking strong red wine till all was hazy (639) 2) Loud and boisterous, especially when drunk - He would shout and jabber as it crazy (640) Ignorant 1) Wouldn t speak a word except in Latin He only had a few, say two or three (641-643) - Tries and fails to sound educated - Perverse representation of an educated clergyman - speaks Latin, the language of the church, but only when he s drunk and only knows a few words which he mug[s] up (644)
Lecherous 1) He was as hot and lecherous as a sparrow (630) - Male sparrows commonly control a harem of female sparrows. - Signifies the Summoner s unfaithfulness toward romantic/sexual partners 2) He d allow -- just for a quart of wine -- / Any good lad to keep a concubine (654) - He would let someone borrow his girlfriend for a year for just a bottle of wine since he has many other women on the side. - Tricks and seduces many young girls in the court a) Demonstrates his manipulative nature; despite his revolting appearance and personality, he coerces many young women to accompany him