nk is that he shows very little religious devotion. The Monk frequently engages in activities opposite in nature to that which is expected from a man of his position:
             He did not rate that text at a plucked hen
             Which says that hunter are not holy men
             And that a monk uncloistered is a mere
             Fish out of water, flapping on the pier,
             That is to say a monk out of his cloister.
             That was a text he held not worth an oyster;
             And I agreed and said his views were sound;
             Was he to study till his head went round
             Poring over books in cloisters? (l.l. 175-183)
             A monk is expected to show his religious devotion by following the text of the bible as best he can, stay in his cloister and study constantly. This monk however does not follow the text as he hunts, is out of his cloister and has never been seen studying. Chaucer could be have been very straight forward and critical of the Monks poor choices but instead he uses genial satire to show the Monks faults without disgracing himself. Chaucer even jokes at the end of the above quote when he agrees with the Monk and says, “Was he to study till his head went round”, of course he was he i
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