"The Nun Priest's Tale" is the final segment of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. The power of dreams and education are explored within this tale.
"The Nun Priest's Tale" is the most optimistic story in Chaucer's work. Within this story, Chaucer reminds his readers of the importance of learning from all aspects of life. Hands-on learning is emphasized in his work as he describes the importance of learning essential life decisions through dreams.
This work illustrates the significance medieval Englanders placed on supernatural occurrences and the spiritual world. It was important to be aware of all areas of life, including the conscious and subconscious mind.
Chaucer did not plan on ending The Canterbury Tales with "The Nun Priests Tale." In fact, his work was meant to be much, much longer. However, the Nun Priest's Tale does seem a fitting ending to Chaucer's work. The Canterbury Tales reflects both traditional lifestyles and progressive ideas in medieval England. It is appropriate that a tale focusing on the importance of knowledge and awareness is the close of Chaucer's tomb of writing.
Bibliographical Reference:
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2006.
