the clerk
TRANSCRIPT
8/8/2019 The Clerk
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The Clerk: Character Analysis based on The General Prologue The clerk seems to be
another of Chaucer's ideal characters; like the Knight, who is a perfect example of his trade,
the clerk is a perfect example of a student of logic and philosophy. The portrait begins with a
physical description of the clerk, and the reader learns that his horse is thin and emaciated,
and the clerk himself is probably so as well. Chaucer uses the metaphor that the horse is as
thin as a rake, and the reader can infer that the clerk is probably so as well. His clothing is
threadbare, since he does not have enough money to buy new clothes. Around line 302, the
reader learns that whatever money he does receive from friends he spends on books, which
are seen to be the most important things in his life.
The clerk is also highly religious, as he will pray to God for the people who help him by giving
him money for books and other such scholarly resources. Chaucer also mentions that the
clerk speaks and acts in a highly moral sense, which is a great contrast to many of the other
characters on the pilgrimage. He is also a quiet character, suitable for one who seems to be
always reading or studying. The last impressions of the clerk are that he is glad to learn and
to teach, fully reinforcing his status as an intellectual and perfect student.
Chaucer also mentions near the beginning of the portrait that the clerk is not worldly to
accept a position within the Church, or any other secular employment. This adds a comic
and satirical note to the portrait, because notwithstanding the clerk's knowledge and intellect,
he is not able to have a position within the very office that would seem suitable for him. His
knowledge spans a great deal, but it is impractical for the real world.
Chaucer also uses a light joke in lines 299-300, saying that though the clerk is a philosopher,
he had little gold in his suitcase. This is a pun on the word philosopher'; the word can refer to
the philosophy that the clerk studies, or the alchemist's quest to make the philosopher's
stone, which can turn base metals into gold. A student of science was known in this time as
a student of natural philosophy, from which the alchemist's quest can be found. This
reinforces the point that the clerk is not wealthy and cannot find employment suitable to his
unworldly knowledge.
As was previously mentioned, the clerk may be seen as another of Chaucer's ideal
characters, but not within any of the three estates. He would be placed in, probably, a fourth
estate, for intellectuals, since these types of people were becoming more prevalent in
Chaucer's time, with the increased availability of books and scholarly materials. He is moral,
religious, and a perfect example of an Oxford student. He is also the first person we meet in
the prologue who takes his Church and his God seriously, and seems to dedicate himself
equally to his studies and his religion, unlike the monk or the friar, who feel the need to be