Black Plague
In 1348, in the major Trade City of Florence, a ship from China docked on the port carrying the rat that would lead Europe through one of the greatest epidemics ever known to man, the Black Death. The virulent plague quickly claimed the lives of a third of the population. There was no escape, as a third of the population quickly perished the social impacts were tremendous. Society had three main options, to run away from the pestilence as many did, having a profound socioeconomic effect in the cities and causing a further spread of the plague. While others instead devoted themselves to God and the faith in hope that God's wrath would spare their lives. Yet others did the complete opposite, knowing that life was uncertain and that not even those of the faith were being spared they opted to celebrate the joys of life. Instead they focused on the importance of the individuals wants and needs, as seen in the beliefs and ideals that governed the Renaissance movement. Under the strain of social pressures caused by the Black Death the medieval Catholic Church went through a profound change, in its place a new morally corrupt church emerged encompassing the social ideologies and beliefs of the Renaissance, which had resulted as a
Morally this has an even greater significance because the church was taking advantage of a social group, which had already suffered from economic depression, however the church used this social group as a means to provide for their extraordinary lifestyle. Where as the church was at the center of the moral shaping of the individual, they were compelled by fear to leave the cities and their spiritual concern for man. The death of even the most moral characters of the church created the impression that God was against all humanity. He'd have a tune to preach and tune his honey-tongue and won silver from the crowd. In The Canterbury Tales, all of the religious characters except for the Parson are overtly concerned for wealth, such as the monk who is portrayed as being very fat, wearing luxurious clothes with leather trimming on the sides. The church being a social entity also changed as society mind set changed. " The priest did not want to work unless they were well paid. The miller states that his wife comes from a moral background, however she is the daughter of a celibate priest, which is a contradiction. The church, which placed an emphasis on the ideas of caring for your fellow brother and living a moral and spiritual existence, was no longer present. The nobles used their position to gain personal wealth and power rather than to obtain spiritual gratification. The church reemerged encompassing the social ideologies and beliefs that had resulted from the Black Death. That's why he sang so merrily and loud. Not only were city's effected by the plague, but rural society was also greatly devastated. Although his character may be exacerbated for comical reasons, it remains clear that Chaucer believed the monk, to have become too accustomed to a luxurious, secular life, which he believed prohibited a closer relationship to god.
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