Geoffrey Chaucher's The Canterbury Tales

An Analysis of the Prioress's Tale

The Prioress's Tale, appropriately enough, is told by the Prioress. Although she is a nun, the Prioress is overly sentimental and very inappropriately behaved for a woman of her position. Supposed to be a woman holy in nature and devoted to God, she is self-centered and obsessed with public image. Her rosary beads, which are supposed to be modestly worn around her wrist, are attached in an extremely vulgar fashion to a brooch, which reads "Love Conquers All." Quite inappropriate for a nun, don't you think? This, of course, does not even begin to cover the full extent of her vileness. When eating, she feels absolutely no shame in plopping her fat, grimy fingers right into the sauce dish. She also makes quite certain not to let any crumbs escape her messy grasp. In addition to these disgusting flaws, the Prioress simply does not think before speaking. This is evident by her lack of religious morals while telling her tale, which turns out to be highly anti Semitic.