The Canterbury Tales · Chapter
The Friar's Tale explained
The Friar tells a tale about a summoner who is corrupt and makes a pact with the devil, only to be dragged to hell.
What happens
The Friar tells a tale about a summoner who is corrupt and makes a pact with the devil, only to be dragged to hell. The story criticizes the hypocrisy and corruption within the church, particularly among summoners.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This passage marks the story's dramatic climax because it shifts the focus from the external, ritualistic acts…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Corruption and Hypocrisy in the Church
The tale exposes the corruption of summoners who exploit their authority for profit, contrasting with their supposed role as enforcers of church law.
- Sin and Redemption
The summoner's unrepentant sin leads to his damnation, highlighting the consequences of moral failure.
Characters to notice
- Friar
The narrator of the tale, who uses the story to criticize summoners.
- The Sompnour
The corrupt summoner in the tale who makes a pact with the devil.
Key passages
“The Frere well knew that a summoner was a runner up and down, and a bearer of citations, and a bringer of summonses, and a taker of bribes.”
The Friar knew that a summoner was someone who ran around delivering citations and summonses, and who took bribes.
The Friar describes the typical corrupt behavior of summoners.
“And so befell that on a day this summoner rode forth to summon a poor widow, and he met with a yeoman, who was a fiend in disguise.”
One day, the summoner went to summon a poor widow and met a yeoman who was actually a devil in disguise.
The summoner unknowingly makes a pact with the devil.
