The Canterbury Tales The Prioress’ Tale

SUMMARY Prologue: ▪ The Prioress offers her tale as a way of praising The Virgin Mary and Holy Mother of Jesus. ▪ The prioress asks for the Holy Mother’s help so she can tell the story guided her Grace

The Prioress’ Tale This is the story of a 7 years old boy who goes to a Christin school located on a Jewish Ghetto. One day the little boy heard an older student singing the Alma Redemptoris ( immediately, he felt attracted to the prayer song and every day he stopped by to listen to it. Shortly after, the little pupil leaner the fist verse of the prayer and started singing and honoring The Virgin Mary. Every day on his way to school the little boy sang the pray on his way to school and soon the Jewish in the neighborhood grew bitter due to Satan’s whispers and they decided to hire a murderer to kill the child. As planned, one day the little boy was on his way to school, praising our Holy mother when the murderer grasped him, slashed his throat, and tosses his body away.

After realizing her son was taking longer than usual to get back home, the little boy’s mother started to look for him. She asked the Jewish people in the Ghetto but she did not get any answer, then Jesus, himself, guided her to where the lifeless body of her son was. As she got closer to the place, she heard the little one’s voice singing Alma Redemptoris. Christians in the area gathered around the little lifeless body and took him to the closest Abby where he kept singing. As the burial mass got near, the child told the abbots that Christ had commanded him to sing until the time of his burial and that The Holy Mother had placed a pearl under his tongue that allowed him to sing until it was removed from his tongue. A Holy monk took the pearl away, allowing the child’s spirit rest. after all this, the child was proclaimed a martyr and a marble tomb was build in his name. The child’s name was Hugh of Lincoln

CHARACTERS ▪ The Prioress: she was modest, always well behaved and almost perfect in everything she did. She was called Madam Eglantine. ▪ Hugh of Lincoln ( The Christian boy): a little schoolboy who was 7 years old, he was innocent and was taught to love the Blessed Lady ▪ The Child’s mother: she was a misfortune woman who was a widow and left childless. ▪ The Monk: he was a holy man who tenderly asked the child what was enable him to sing.

▪ The Jewish murderer: he was hired by other Jews to kill the innocent child since he was believed to be opposed to the Jewish traditions. ▪ Virgin Mary ▪ Jesus ▪ Satan

THEMES ▪ Faith: “… whenever he saw a statue of Christ’s mother, he was accostumed, as had been taught him, to kneel down and say His AVE MARIA…” (p, 283) “…This song was written, so I've heard them say, For our dear Lady, blissful, generous, To praise her, and that she be (as we pray) Our help and succor when we pass away…” (p, 285)

▪ Hatred: “… our firs enemy, the serpent Satan, who has his wasp’s nest in the Jewish heart…” (p, 287) “… this cursed Jew seized him and held him fast, and cut his throat, and threw him in a pit…” (p, 288) “…She piteously inquired, she prayerfully asked every Jew who dwelt within the place to tell her if her child they'd chanced to see. They answered, "Nay..." (p, 290)

▪ Mysticism: “…when they cast holy water on him, still spoke this child, when holy water was sprinkled, and sang O Alma Redemptoris Mater…” (p, 293) “… She came to me and bade me give a vow to sing this anthem when I die (as now you have already heard). When I had sung, I thought she laid a grain upon my tongue. "Wherefore I sing, and sing I shall again, In honor of that blissful maiden free, Till from my tongue they take away the grain. For afterwards here's what she said to me: 'My little child, I'll fetch you, as you'll see, When that same grain has from your tongue been taken. Be not afraid, you will not be forsaken… (p, 294 & 295)

METAPHORS ▪ “…The gem of chastity, this emerald, and also the ruby of martyrdom…” (p, 291) ▪ “…Wherefore as best I can or may, in praise Of thee and of that whitest lily flower…” (p, 280) ▪ “… My intellect is so weak, O blessed queen that I cannot sustain the burden, but as a child of twelve months old, or less, who can scarcely speak a word…” (p, 281)

ALLUSIONS ▪ “…O bush unburnt, burning in Moses’ sight…” ( p,280) ▪ “… O cursed modern compatriots of Herod…” (p, 288) ▪ “… The white celestial lamb…” (p, 289)

MORAL ▪ “Believing in a greater power will always bring you happiness, regardless the sadness you have to face in life”

INSIGHT ▪ Faith ▪ Community ▪ Innocence ▪ Love ▪ Compassion ▪ Darkness ▪ Jealousy

PERSONAL EVALUATION ▪ The prioress is a faithful woman who portraits the Christian beliefs of the time as well as the way of increasing them. The Prioress’ tale also reflects the dislike for Jewish in Medieval times.

Class Discussion ▪ Do think that the Prioress was an example of perfection? Could we say that she was a sinner? Or Could she be the one that induced others to sin? ▪ Are there any other hidden themes in The Prioress’ Tale? If yes, which ones and why

REFERENCE ▪ Chaucer, Geoffrey. "The Prioress." The Canterbury Tales. New York: Barron's Educational Series, Print. ▪ ▪ ▪ prioress.html prioress.html