Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
Canterbury Tales - The Prioress - School Essays

Canterbury Tales - The Prioress

The Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, written in approximately 1385, is a collection of twenty-four stories ostensibly told by various people who are going on a religious pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral from London, England. Prior to the actual tales, however, Chaucer offers the reader a glimpse of fourteenth century life by way of what he refers to as a General Prologue. In this prologue, Chaucer introduces all of the characters who are involved in this imaginary journey and who will tell the tales. Among the characters included in this introductory section is a Nun, or a Prioress. Throughout Chaucer's tale, there are characters which he seems to admire greatly, such as the knight ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

(118) At first, one would think that Chaucer's description will be as flattering as that of the knight but soon enough we see the total opposite because at first Chaucer describes her as a delicate and well-mannered woman. "At table she had been well taught withal, And never from her lips let morsels fall, Nor dipped her fingers deep in sauce, but ate With so much care the food upon her plate That never driblet fell upon her breast. In courtesy she had delight and zest". (127) But soon Chaucer's description turns to one of sarcasm because the prioress is pretentious and is trying very hard to look the part of refinement, when it is all clearly superficial. "She was at pains to counterfeit the look Of courtliness, and stately manners took, And would be held worthy of reverence." (139) This is especially bad, because nuns are not supposed to act this way. You can clearly tell that although she was brought up in a well-to-do family, there is no connection between how she acts and ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.

Already a member? Login

CITE THIS PAGE:

APA
MLA
Chicago
Turabian

Canterbury Tales - The Prioress. (2008, October 9). Retrieved March 13, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Canterbury-Tales-The-Prioress/91179

"Canterbury Tales - The Prioress." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 9 Oct. 2008. Web. 13 Mar. 2026. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Canterbury-Tales-The-Prioress/91179>

"Canterbury Tales - The Prioress." Essayworld.com. October 9, 2008. Accessed March 13, 2026. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Canterbury-Tales-The-Prioress/91179.

JOIN NOW

Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays

PAPER DETAILS

Added: 10/9/2008 05:45:12 PM
Category: English
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 1095
Pages: 4

Save |

Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS

Save and find your favorite essays easier