Oxford Cleric - Irony he's poor - he takes money from his friends and he pays them back by praying for them - uses the money to buy books Oxford Cleric - Satire he's not being praised because he may be honorable due to his dedication to God but he's killing himself by not eating . Female Characters in Canterbury Tales: The Prioress and The Wife of Bath. Chaucer makes a sly dig at her tenderness when he says that she is so charitable and tender-hearted that she would weep if she saw a mouse caught in a trap. ", Frank, Robert Worth, Jr. "Miracles of the Virgin, Medieval Anti-Semisism, and the Prioress's Tale. There are three tales that are fantastic demonstrations of irony. flashcard sets. Much of the humor of "The Prologue" is based on irony, the discrepancy between what appears to be true and what actually is true. of the time, and that her levels of violence and gore in the tale show What social class is the Prioress in Canterbury Tales? This hatred has been expressed in such literary characters as Shylock (Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice), Rebeccah (Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe), and Fagin (Dickens' Oliver Twist). All rights reserved. Chaucer uses this characterization of her to show his own religious trepidations, and to make a statement about the clergy of his time. 123Helpme.com. Finally, the nature of the tale itself must be studied. The Prioress speaks French fluently, according to the school of Stratford-at-Bow. 2. ponder What is irony? Also, what the Pardoner does is ironic because he makes people happy when they unknowingly fall for his tricks. The Character of the Prioress in The Canterbury Tales Later, the Prioress and Littlejohn meet up with the other pilgrims from The Canterbury Tales. Compares the wyf of bathe to the ugly woman's character. However, divine intervention makes it so that every prayer is actually answered and fulfilled. The knight travels far and wide and speaks with many women, but none give him the same answer. "wolde weep, if that she sawe a mous/ Caught in a trappe, if it were deed Distraught and returning home, the knight sees a group of maidens dancing in the woods. bookmarked pages associated with this title. The Wife of Bath, one of the pilgrims in Canterbury Tales demonstrates an authoritative role in marriage The Wife of Baths unusual behavior and attitudes can be interpreted by two motives: feminist ideals or sexual indulgence. Specifically, in the stories of The Wife of Bath and The Millers Tale, Chaucer examines stereotypes of women and men and attempts to define their basic wants and needs.