The+Prioress

The Prioress

** Physical Attributes and Personality Traits ** The Prioress, Madam Eglantine, is described as well mannered and attractive. She tries so hard to be proper all the time, so when she eats she wipes her mouth whenever she takes a bite of food. Chaucer states that even though she has good manners, the prioress tries to seem more proper than she really is. She is kind hearted and charitable to all living beings. She is so kind hearted in fact, that she will cry even if she just sees a mouse caught in a trap. The prioress has grey eyes and soft facial features,She also has a large forehead (which in the medieval period was a beautiful feature for woman to have). She wears a golden brooch with the inscription “Amor Vincit Omnia,” which means “Love Conquers All”. This may make the reader question if she is truly loyal to the convent. ** Chaucer’s opinion ** Chaucer speaks very highly of The Prioress which makes the overall tone about her positive. At dinner, The Prioress constantly wipes her mouth and eats properly, this catches Chaucer’s attention. He further explains how The Prioress seems to take a little too much care in trying to be dignified at dinner. He thinks she acts more dignified than she actually is. Chaucer also explains how The Prioress has little dogs that she feeds fine white bread and meat to. A nun is supposed to live in poverty and give to the poor, but instead the prioress gives her left over food to her four expensive dogs. Her cloak was always neat and she had nice accessories. Overall, I think Chaucer likes The Prioress but also knows how she really is compared to the person she portrays herself to be.

** Occupation ** A prioress is a nun that ranks just below the abbess of the convent. The modern occupation would be a superioress in a monastic community for women. The presence of this occupation suggests that religion might have been a large part of life during the medieval period. Nuns are not materialistic but the prioress had expensive items and small dogs which were a sign of wealth in that time period. ** Summary ** A community of Jews lived in a Christian town in Asia. The Christians had to walk through the Jewish ghetto to attend school. A young boy tried learning a Latin song despite his inability to understand Latin. He soon learned the song but had no idea what it meant, but later discovers that it is a song praising the Virgin Mary. Every day on his way to school he would sing this song as loud as he could. Serpent Satan told the Jews that this song was an insult to their Holy laws and that it needed to be put to an end. The Jews then hired a murderer who killed the child and threw his body into a cesspool. Once the boy had not returned from school his mother began to get worried and started searching for him. As if she was guided from Jesus, she comes to the alley way where her son was murdered. The boy was still singing the song he learnt, despite being dead. The Jews that hired the murderer were drawn by horses and then hanged. The boy told the Christians Jesus had commanded him to sing until he was buried. When the child was laid to rest, the singing stopped. ** Social Standing ** It was hard to find information on social standing for a prioress in the medieval period, but because Chaucer mentions the prioress early in the prologue the reader can assume that she is of high social standing. The prioress is also a religious leader which also makes her important in society. Ott, Michael. "Prioress." __The Catholic Encyclopedia.__ Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 8 Oct. 2010