Concetti Chiave
- Chaucer's tale centers on the Prioress, Eglantine, a character in a pilgrimage to Thomas Becket's shrine.
- The narrative blends irony with admiration, depicting the Prioress as both refined and somewhat contradictory.
- Eglantine is portrayed as a good-looking woman, noted for her ability to sing in elegant French.
- Her table manners are described as elegant and graceful, highlighting her sophisticated demeanor.
- The Prioress's wealth is subtly emphasized through her treatment of animals and her possession of costly jewelry.
Chaucer - The Prioress
In the Prioress's tale Geoffrey Chaucer describes the appearance and the actions of a Prioress called Eglantine. She is one of the pilgrims who take part in the pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas Becket, a bishop who was killed in Canterbury by four knights, probably sent by Henry Plantagenet, because he had refused to sign the Constitution of Clarendon, aimed to give more privileges to the king of England.
The author describes this woman with a mix of irony and sincere admiration.
She is a good-looking woman, with red lips and a large forehead.
The first thing that Chaucer points out is her ability to sing the service in a refined French, which she learned in England.
Then the author highlights her manners at dinner: the Nun looks so elegant when she dips her fingers in the sauce or when she reaches her hand to fetch some bread.
Also, the Prioress is so kind with her animals, since she feeds them with milk and white bread.
She wears expensive jewels like a golden brooch or a coral bracelet, which don't really fit for a Nun. We can hence notice how rich and corrupted the Church is.
Accedi a tutti gli appunti
Tutor AI: studia meglio e in meno tempo
