Canterbury Tales - The Parson's Prologue and Tale Quiz

Answer: give a sermon

The sermon is intended to encourage a feeling of regret for sins and amending one's life, in other words, penitence. The sermon becomes the parson's tale. The parson refuses to tell just a common story full of non-truths and silly laughs, but instead, the Parson will deliver a sermon about changing our ways and the Seven Deadly Sins.

He actually believes fables are sinful since they are not factual and Godly. The Parson is a devout and virtuous character who takes his role as a priest seriously and offers spiritual counsel instead of a lighthearted tale.

Answer: False

Although he is truly virtuous, and unlike many other clergy who are corrupt, the Parson is considered a "good man" but has not accrued material wealth. He is devoted to his flock and "rich in holy thought and work". He lives a life of poverty to connect with the people he is known to communicate with on a daily basis.

Answer: 4:00 p.m.

It was 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
"Foure of the clokke it was tho, as I gesse,"

His shadow behind him was about 11 feet in length, give or take a few inches here and there. Or, he says, since he is about six feet tall, his height is about half the length of his shadow.
The actual text..."Of swiche feet as my lengthe parted were
In sixe feet equal of proporcioun."

This is indicative that the sun had begun to descend and it was around four in the afternoon. Meaning, the pilgrims were near the end of their journey and the day of storytelling (since this is what they often do) was drawing to a close.

Answer: 29 degrees

It was right around 29 degrees. "So lowe that he nas nat, to my sighte,
Degrees nyne and twenty as in highte.

The prologue given by the Parson almost comes in code, as it represents the later part in life the travelers have in their own lives. The latter time amidst the trip indicates 4:00 p.m. as a later time of all their lives. The Parson them accepts the job of telling a factual sermon instead of the previous stories, believing that all of his listeners need to hear and change their lives into progress.

Answer: purchasing agent

In "The Canterbury Tales" a manciple's primary job was to purchase food and supplies for their institution, which may have been a church. He was generally thought to be "vulgar" and not honest at all. He is thought to be responsible for managing the accounts and finances related to their purchases, with the character being suggested to have more than profited through his work.

He was likely not a highly educated man, or educated much at all.

Answer: Paul

From "Harvard's Geoffrey Chaucer Website", as part of the "Parson's Prologue", and "The Tale of the Manciple"....

For Paul, that writeth unto Thymothee,
For Paul, who writes unto Timothy,
33 Repreveth hem that weyven soothfastnesse
Reproves them that abandon truthfulness
34 And tellen fables and swich wrecchednesse.
And tell fictional tales and such wretched things.
35 Why sholde I sowen draf out of my fest,
Why should I sow chaff out of my fist,
36 Whan I may sowen whete, if that me lest?
When I can sow wheat, if I so wish?

Perhaps there is a reason Chaucer positions the Manciple before the Parson, so as to end the story on a sweeter note?

And with the Parson's prologue all that needs to be addressed is the Parson's Tale and Chaucer's response.

Answer: Penitence

The thought of good works as a tool to reach Heaven was looked at as heresy. Repentance means showing true sorrow for one's sins and was considered part of the process. The quote "Penitence is the lamentation of man who sorrows for his sin and punishes himself because he has done wrong" is a definition of penitence from the Canterbury Tales.

Answer: the sins of commission

Sins of commission involve actively committing wrongdoings that violate a law, rule, or moral code, such as lying, stealing, or murder. Unlike sins of omission, which involve failing to do what is right, sins of commission are the result of choosing to do something you are not supposed to do. They are considered acts of rebellion or disobedience against authority. A sin of commission is the act of trying to do wrong, not just passively trying to not do a duty.

Answer: Saint Ambrose

This quote in the Parson's Tale explains that penitence (or repentance) is not just a feeling of regret or "complaining" about past sins, but requires one to have a firm commitment and "desire no more to do any thing for which he ought to complain". It actually emphasizes a change in behavior and a resolution to avoid future wrongdoing due to poor decisions and bad habits.

It encourages self control. Saint Ambrose is also known as Ambrose of Milan. He is also recognized in the Second Nun's Tale as part of the Canterbury Tales.

Answer: Jeremiah

Chaucer uses the figure of Jeremiah to lend weight to the Parson's message, which is focused entirely on leading the pilgrims to "verray penitence, confession, and satisfaction". Jeremiah is considered a moral authority for all of the pilgrims to follow and listen to, and since they are at the end of their journey the Parson wants them to listen to his message he is about to tell them.

From Saint Paul, and translated into Modern English in the Parson's prologue saying, "Just as by a man sin entered first into this world, and through that sin death, just so this death entered into all men that sinned." This is a summary of the doctrine of Original Sin, describing the consequence of the actions of Adam (and Eve) in the Garden of Eden.