The Summoner by Chaucer

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Recommended: Short note on Geoffrey Chaucer

They say you cannot judge a book by its cover. This old saying means don’t judge somebody by what they look like, but by what is on the inside. Well in the case of the Summoner from the Canterbury Tales that old saying is not true. The Summoner was just as ugly on the inside as he was on the outside. He was described in the book as being the best noble varlet in all the land (Chaucer 667-668). This line meant he was one of the best con artist in all the land. The Summoner was definitely a person who people wanted to avoid.
Geoffrey Chaucer author of the Canterbury Tales described the Summoner as being one of the ugliest men in the world. “His face on fire for he had carbuncles (Chaucer 643-644).” This passage from the Canterbury tales says that his face was red and filled with pus-filled pimples. The book goes on to say there so bad no ointment in the world would cure them. He was so ugly no child would even look at him. “Garlic he loved, and onions too, and leeks (Chaucer 653-654).” The Summoner also had breath that would turn a skunk away too. When it comes to beauty the Summoner...

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