The Canterbury Tales Group

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lace775
lace775
Student
High School - 12th Grade

What is the monk's reason for going to Canterbury?

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Posted by lace775 on Monday November 2, 2009 at 7:23 PM and tagged with canterbury tales, the canterbury tales.

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  1. luannw Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    We aren't told directly whey the monk is on the trip.  He manages the Prioress's estate so, since she is on the trip accompanied by some other priests and nuns, he is part of that entourage.  His real reason for going, however, is probably for the adventure and perhaps the chance to do some hunting.  We are told in the GP that the monk likes to hunt and devotes more time and energy to that undertaking than he does to his religious duties.  When the monk tells his tale, which is actually a series of short tales about other prominent figures and their falls from greatness, he does so somewhat pompously.  His words before he launches into the tales tell us that.  So perhaps another reason for his attendance on this trip is that he feels he is of high social stature and this is the thing to and the place to be seen.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/canterbury-tales/general-prologue-s...
    http://www.enotes.com/canterbury-tales/monks-tale-summary...
    http://www.enotes.com/canterbury-tales/themes

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    Posted by luannw on Tuesday November 3, 2009 at 4:30 AM