The Monk’s Tale
The fourteenth century was a time of turmoil and helplessness. During such a time, people were looking for something to blame for The Black Death and The Little Ice Age. As a result people turned to sin, greed, and blind prosperity because they truthfully believed that they would die of the plague anyways so there was no need for holiness. In Chaucer’s The Monk’s Tale, many stories reflect the ideas of sin and dishonesty. The religious undertones as well as the theme of prosperity as a negative attribute conflict the readers and allow the tragedies to occur.
The story of Lucifer explains how he was once an angel. His passion for fortune caused him to fall into a life of sin. A choice that would mold the way greed was viewed during this time period. Rather…show more content… In The Canterbury Tales Summary and
Analysis it is advised “not to trust in blind prosperity and be aware that fortune can be fickle and ever changing”. The story of Lucifer is a perfect example as the contrast of the character goes from angelic to satan himself.
The story of Nebuchadnezzar tells the story of a King who thought so much of himself that he had a golden statue of himself made for all to bow down to. If anyone refused, he threatened that they would burn to death. He was so blind with arrogance, greed, and prosperity that he thought even god himself should praise him. As a result he was cast out of his kingdom and went crazed. Ultimately god had mercy on him and restored him to his normal state. The lesson was clear. Do not be blinded by your own greed and that god and fortune have more power and dictate the leaves of people below him.
In The Canterbury Tales Summary and Analysis it states “ an unrelenting dark, Boethian reminder that the highstatus end miserably.” which further proves Chaucer’s point that those with greed fall in the end. Also, in The Monk’s Tale, during the parable of Belshazzar it says “He cast him from the