by Gina Macdonald

Created on: December 15, 2008

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 more than just what their positions offer. Although Chaucer does satirize the clerk, the reader can still see that he is a well-meaning character who does not seem to have faults other than his unworldly learning.

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