8/17/2019 Pregunta 2.doc

1/2

Anglophone Literature I

The Canterbury Tales: “ The Prioress’ Tale”

1) Write an analysis of the portrait of the Prioress as presented in the general prologue to The Canterbury 

Tales

2) Write a brief analysis of “The Prioress’ Tale”. Consider everything we discussed in class. ou !ay use

The Coles "otes and refer to the relevance of the prologue to this tale

1) The general prologue of The Canterbury Tales presents the character of the Prioress# whose na!e is

$ada!e %glantine. &er na!e is a subtle reference to the %urasian flower# %glantine# which is associated

with the 'irgin $ary.

The whole description of this nun !a(es us thin( that she does not fit the ideal religious figure. irstly# she

is introduced as an attractive big lady with blue eyes# shapely nose and a fair forehead *all of the!

considered noble traits according to the beauty standards of that ti!e). +econdly# she !a(es great effort to

i!itate court !anners# for e,a!ple# the way in which she eats is so delicate that she (nows how to carry

the food to her !outh. $oreover# her rench learnt at school# not in Paris# shows she has not travelled to

rance and that clearly e,poses her desire to show off. Concerning her clothes# her wi!ple is very neated

pleated and# as !entioned before# it shows her wide forehead which was a sign of good breeding. -lso#

she carries a osary described as a piece of /ewellry since it is !ade of coral and e!erald. -ll these

characteristics plus her over0ealousness to ani!als# perhaps !isdirected for a nun who !ight be serving

the poor# e,poses !any inconsistencies in this character# which are later reinforced in the tale itself.

) “The Prioress’ Tale” is a tale told by one of the pilgri!s which 2eoffrey Chaucer included in his boo( The

Canterbury Tales. The tale tells the story of a young Christian boy !urdered by 3ews. This !a(es reference

to the blood libels# a false anti4+e!itic accusation that 3ews abducted and !urdered non43ewish children to

use their blood for their religious rituals# a co!!on the!e in !edieval Christianity.

8/17/2019 Pregunta 2.doc

2/2

The prologue to “The Prioress’ Tale” begins with a prayer to the 'irgin $ary. The Prioress calls for &er 

guidance in order to tell the story which is to follow this prologue. This worshipping of the 'irgin $ary !ay

be foreshadowing the fact that the clergeon# i.e. the boy# is going to !a(e a si!ilar effort to sing  Alma

Redemptoris1# which is a popular !edieval hy!n to the 'irgin $ary. 5n this passage# 5t can be inferred that

The Prioress !ay sy!pathi0e with the clergeon not only because they’re both Christian# but also because

they share the sa!e devotion for 'irgin $ary.

&owever# The Prioress’ Christian faith and devotion can be contrasted with her unsy!pathetic feelings for 

the 3ews. ro! the beginning# the 3ews in the tale are presented as “&ateful to Christ and &is people”

dedicated to the “evil purposes of usury and e,cessive gain”. 6ater# the 3ews would plot to !urder the

clergeon guided by “The serpent +atan *7) who has his wasp’s nest in 3ewish hearts”. 5n contrast# pathetic

language is used in order to produce a sy!pathetic e!otional effect when introducing Christian people and

affairs8

“This little boy # studying his small  boo( as he sat in the school with his pri!er# heard other children singing

the Alma ede!ptoris *7). &e did not understand what the 6atin !eant# for he was too young and of too

tender an age”

Concerning the clergeon# he is considered an unsuspecting victi! of the 3ews !aliciousness. Christian

authorities# ironically following the 9ld 6aw# have all the 3ews slain without any trial fro! secular 

authorities.

5n conclusion# the :uestion is left open whether the tale is anti4+e!itic or the tale is an i!plicit criticis! of 

!edieval Christianity. 5f the author tried to separate his own beliefs fro! the ones of his character# he has

not been clear in doing so. -s Philip +. -le,ander points out in his criticis! Madame Eglantine, Geoffrey 

Chaucer and the problem of medieal anti!"emitism# “Chaucer’s Prioress’s Tale !ay fairly be described as

an anti4+e!itic tract. *7) -rtistically it !ay be the best anti4+e!itic tract ever written. Chaucer was a child

of his ti!e ; no better# no worse in his attitudes towards 3ews than !any of his conte!poraries”.

1"urturing $other of the edee!er.2 an eye for an eye# a tooth for a tooth