Chaucer Fuss - The Nun Priest's Tale

"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.

Chaucer Fuss - The Pardoner's Tale

"The Pardoner's Tale" departs from previous themes explored in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales through examining the extent men will go for riches and notoriety.

I remember reading this story in an English Literature class. It was the one and only segment of The Canterbury Tales that my class tackled. Perhaps the instructor wanted to teach us the downfalls of greediness and thinking only of ourselves... or perhaps she wanted to avoid the sticky issue of gender that is so often brought up in Chaucer's work.

Chaucer Fuss - The Franklin's Tale

It seems that all of my comments on The Canterbury Tales revolve around the status of medieval women. "The Franklin's Tale" is no exception.

"The Franklin's Tale" is my least-liked story from The Canterbury Tales. Within these pages, Chaucer tells the tale of countless women in history. He seems to suggest that women should be free.... but then proposes that wholesome women will commit suicide rather than be defiled by men.

October Library School Update

You know when you have SO much to do that you're stressed out? Combine stress with a whole whack of other negative feelings and boom -- that's my life tonight. I can't concentrate despite the looming library school deadlines. I feel confused, upset, rushed, headache-y, and stuck in one spot. It rather sucks...

Having said that, I do really love what I am learning. All of the material is finally clicking - I begin to see things in my environment in a new light. I'm slowly internalizing all of this pedagogy. So, I guess I am doing wonderful in one regard.

I have just a little over a month until Christmas break rolls around... and then sleep! And lots and lots of blogging. And reading for fun!! Oh how I've missed it!


PS - a big, bigggg collective hug to all of you! *hug*

Chaucer Fuss - The Clerk's Tale

"The Clerk's Tale" is a story that I secretly love. Why secretly? Because this work seems simultaneously degrading and progressive for women.

The Clerk's Tale focuses on the relationship within a nuclear family. The husband is shown exercising ultimate control over his wife's actions... including persuading her to agree to the murder of their two children.

Chaucer Fuss - The Wife of Bath's Tale

I think most people vision medieval England as an era of strict morality, high religion, and chastity belts. And, to be honest, medieval England does not bear a resemblance to the highly sexualized culture of contemporary England. However, the England of the 1300s was sexualized in its own way.

"The Wife of Bath's Tale" portrays the sexual life of a woman from Bath. Morality and virginity were important aspects of medieval culture. Yet, culture is a fluid concept and there remained a flexibility for women to exert dominance within these confines.