The Prioress Essay

Graceann Thilman

Mollie Fuerst

Devin Barbour

Mr. Kell Peterson

LIT 200-B

1 December 2017

The Prioress’s Tale

        In the poem The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer depicts the pilgrims as people who are not the sole embodiment of someone who has devoted themself to God. The Prioress, a Nun, is no exception. She is described as someone attached to secular items and Chaucer does not discuss much concerning her religious vows; which is odd since she is part of the clergy. Although her description in the prologue makes her out to be someone who is not as holy as she seems, she does tell a tale about devotion to the Blessed Mother.

        In the General Prologue, Chaucer uses physical and spiritual relationships to show the characteristics of the Prioress. When we see the Prioress in relationship to other characters, for example the Knight, Chaucer shows us two sides. On one hand, a nun who gives much importance to minor things; “She was so charitably solicitous, she used to weep if she but saw a mouse caught in a trap, if it were dead or bleeding.” (Chaucer 7 )  On the other hand, a Knight who gives much importance to things that really matter; “A most distinguished man, who from the day on which he first began to ride abroad found chivalry, truth, honor, generousness, and courtesy.” (Chaucer 4) Chaucer writes with irony in his description of the Prioress, everything that he says about her means the opposite. Though the Prioress may seem dainty, she is a very large woman; “She was indeed by no means undergrown.” (Chaucer 7) A reason for this is that she is said to enjoy food very much. Again, this contradicts the idea that the clergy should make sacrifices and offer things like an abundance of food up; but not the Prioress. Also, in keeping with her idea of being courtly, the Prioress is said to have been dressed very fine. She wore a gold brooch, which is something that a queen might wear, but a Nun would be expected to give all of those types of jewelry up in exchange for rosary beads. Finally, the brooch that she wears has the motto of the Prioress, “Amor vincit omnia”, love conquers all. (Chaucer 7) This shows her fascination with courtly romance, which is not expected of a member of the clergy. Clearly this is a woman whose worldly interests conflict with her clerical duties on a number of levels (her fine food, her jewelry, her little dogs, and her concern for the sound rather than the substance of the Mass.) The Prioress travels with another nun and three priests. The other pilgrims look to her with respect; they are awed and sobered by her story. She is treated with politeness and courtesy by the host.

        The tale that the Prioress tells is closely related to various blood libel stories. A blood libel is an accusation that Jews kidnapped and murdered children in order to use their blood as part of religious ceremonies. A likely influence of this tale was the 1255 murdering of a boy in Lincoln, England, who became known as Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln. He is mentioned at the end of the tale because his death is also attributed to the Jews; “O young Hugh of Lincoln, slayn also, with cursed Jews as it is well know.” (Chaucer 174) Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales a few decades after this incident, but the idea of anti semitism; hostility, prejudice, and discrimination against Jews, was very much alive. The audience would have been able to understand why the Jewish ghetto was described as a dirty and unsafe part of town; “Among Christian folk there was a Jewish Ghetto, sustained by the Lord of that country. For foul usury and shameful profits, hateful to Christ and to his company.” (Chaucer 170)