Beginning Of The Prioress's Tale example essay topic

The Character of the Prioress in the Canterbury Tales is a multifaceted one. It seems almost as though her description is self-contradictory on many occasions. Every time the persona created by Chaucer makes a complimentary statement about the Prioress, a subtle opinion hinted by Chaucer the author takes it back. Overall, the conflict between the critical author and the benign persona are a stalemate, and the Prioress is portrayed neutrally. The portrait of the Prioress begins in the general prologue of the Canterbury Tales. At first glance, it seems as though the Prioress is a very decent, and elegant character.

She speaks French, she is graceful, she can sing, and she treats animals humanely. All of these are positive qualities, but they are not the only aspects of the Prioress that are hinted at in the prologue. If the text is examined further, one can discover what Chaucer the author has to say about the Prioress. On the subject of her French speaking, Chaucer states, "French in the Paris style she did not know", making it obvious that the French she spoke was with an English accent and thus not proper French (138). As far as her grace, Chaucer hints that it was but a facade, a "counterfeit" grace meant to impress because such a grace was "fitting to her place" (143-144). Even the comment about her singing has more to it than what meets the impatient eye when one hastily reads through this prologue.

Chaucer comments on the fact that the Prioress sings through her nose, making her less than a talented singer. But the voice of Chaucer is most subtle by far when the description of her treatment of animals is made. She is saddened deeply when she sees a dead animal, and her dogs feed on fine flesh, milk, and bread according to Chaucer (147-151). However, to an eye made aware of this fact, one can't help but see the satire in this statement. The fact of the matter is that these dogs ate better than most people did at the time and where there is mention of the Prioress's favor of animals, there is no such mention of help for her fellow man. For the most part, these faults are not character breakers.

They are only the flaws that come with being human, so in the case of the introduction, the negative cancels out the positive. The beginning of the Prioress's tale begins to shift one into thinking that perhaps the Prioress is, after all, a good person. She prays to Mary "Not that [the Prioress] may increase [Mary'] heavenly dower, / For She Herself is honour and the one / From Whom spring wealth and goodness, next Her Son", showing that she has the ability to properly honor the Virgin Mary and that she truly believes in the religion that she has chosen to live her life according to. This, however, could be a case of the Prioress "counterfeit" grace, although it appears to be sincere.

As her tale continues, her story begins to exhibit anti-Semitism as she denounces Jews for the murder of the innocent boy. Anti-Semitism was commonplace at this time and can be seen in the letter of Pop Gregory X to the Jews. He addresses the claims that Jews sacrificed Christian children, saying they were false. The fact that the Prioress still condemns the Jews could lead one to believe that she is a racist, but Edward I. Condren, and authority on the subject, says that the Prioress "never understands her story or its repugnant qualities".

So, much like the prologue, there is more to the Prioress's tale than what meets the eye. The tale is not meant to inform of a truthful event, but to represent an abstract concept, the "metaphysical union of flesh and spirit", to use Condren's words. This does not excuse the hateful remarks she makes, but they were only meant to emphasize the fact that the boy did not deserve to be killed, making him appear as more of a protagonist. For this reason, the tale has more to do with the Prioress's time than with the Prioress herself and therefore she is portrayed neutrally once again.

The Prioress's character may be one of the most intricate of all of the characters. As such, the position of neutrality concerning how she is portrayed may seem like the easy way out or as a better way of saying that one does not fully understand who the Prioress is. This is not the case. The Prioress is a true reflection of the opinions and customs of her times. If it can be said that she is a bad person, then the only things that she can be found guilty of are living when she did, and being human.