Question

What do the character descriptions in the prologue from the Canterbury Tales most clearly suggest as the speaker's opinion of members of the clergy?

1) He respects their good works but not their beliefs.
2) He is somewhat in awe of their faith and humility.
3) He finds some of them insincere and greedy for money.
4) He feels that many of them are better suited to the military.

Answer 1

The character descriptions in the prologue of The Canterbury Tales suggest that the speaker's opinion of members of the clergy is that some of them are insincere and greedy for money.

Step-by-step explanation:

From the character descriptions in the prologue of The Canterbury Tales, it is clear that the speaker holds a negative opinion of members of the clergy. The descriptions suggest that some of them are insincere and greedy for money. For example, the Pardoner is described as having a voice like a goat and being a fraud who sells fake relics to make money. The Monk is described as a man who enjoys hunting and prefers the company of wealthy landowners over the poor. These descriptions indicate that the speaker views some members of the clergy as hypocritical and focused on material gain rather than their spiritual duties.