The title of the poem is "The Monk", one of "Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer. It is made in verse with rhyme couplet AABB. Right from the title the reader can suppose that the poem can be about a monk, one of the pilgrims of the book, who belongs to clergy world. Reading the poem the reader can understand that the narrator uses a parodist description of the Monk. Indeed right from the first rhyme couplet the intelligent reader can understand that the narrator makes a parody of the character and he speaks about the monk with humour and he goes on. In the first line the use of the superlative doesn't give a positive idea of the monk. The poem starts with a part of fairytale: "Monk there was". The subject is before of the verb to bring out the protagonist of the poem. The way the narrator describes the monk going on horse is a way to make him ridiculous, not certainly one suitable to a monk: he made a lot of noise and the noise is compared to the chopper of bell of the prior's cell. In the first rhyme couplet the narrator makes a parody of the character and uses the verbs "rode" and "hunting" as a sport. The monk is presented as a normal person and not as a monk belonging to the clerical world. In the third line we understand that the monk is the opposite of the right Abbot. The characterization of the monk is done with humour, it is humoristic and appeals to the sensitive: hearing (jingling, whistling, loud). In addition the poet uses verbs in the progressive a speed, it adds dynamism to characterization. At the same time the narrator plays an exaggeration and creates even a more parodist idea of the character. In the next coupled he also underline that monk doesn't keep to the rule of St. Benedict and St Maur. He considered the rule strict and takes into considerations the modern world. The words "he tended to ignore" reinforce the disapproval of the holy rules. He doesn't spend all the time praying and studying in his cloister as the others monks, but he likes hunting and riding his horse. He is an open-minded man and he enjoys himself. Then, the lines repeat the same things, underling that he doesn't behave as a holy man. The word "text" in third line can represents the Bible. The tenses "Fish out of water", "he held not worth an oyster" and the adjective "unflustered" make the reader understand that the monk disagrees with isolation and he does the opposite what he should do.

Between lines 19^th and 24^th the speaking voice is one of the 29 pilgrims of the "Canterbury Tales". He agrees with the monk and introduces him with rhetoric questions. He uses also an informal language to make also understand to illiterate people. He underlines again the isolation and makes the monk ridiculous.

Then the narrator continues with the description of the monk. The reader can understand that he is a good rider and a rich man. He had dogs as swift as birds and sleeves . The monk is also decorated with luxury objects. So the intelligent reader can understand that he was more worried for his earthly life than for the spiritual one. He is interested in his pass time, indeed he spend a lot of money for his hobby. His clothes aren't typical of a monk, he gets dressed as a noble man with a wrought-gold pin on his hood. He wants to appear well.

In the end the narrator makes a physical description of the monk. The poet describes that "his head was bald and shone like looking-glass" to make the reader understand that he was illuminated by God even if he wasn't a clergy man. This is again a parodist way to describe the monk.

In the 36^th line the narrator describes that the monk is a fat priest. He underlines again the opposite of what he should be: the fatness is the contrary of the poverty he should have respected. Then, in the lines 37^th and 38^th, the intelligent reader can understand that the monk is a curious person and he doesn't read a book as a right monk must to do. In the 39^th we note that the monk takes care of his things ("Supple his boots, his horse in fine condition").

In the last three lines there is the presence of an anaphora of "he". It wants synthesize the description of the monk and to focus the attention of the reader on him. In the last line the reader can suppose he like eating, thus the narrator underlines his fatness.
The monk described in this poem doesn't illustrate a real monk should be: diligent, scholar, poor man and devote to the God. Indeed he is the opposite: practices horse-riding and hunting, is rich and likes eating. He is worried more for his earthly life than for the spiritual one. This monk wants to demonstrate the corruption of the Church in the Middle Ages.