2 points of view on the reality of dreams and the discussion ends in no conclusion. Hamartia which throws him from prosperity into adversity; his death is not essential. Why do the characters tell stories in The Canterbury Tales? The Nun's Priest's Tale is an allegory that uses animals with human characteristics in order to portray the moral of the story. What story elements or writing techniques does Chaucer use to lengthen this simple tale? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When he bursts out with the exclamation. The protagonist of this mock-heroic story is Chanticleer, a rooster with seven wives, foremost among them the hen Pertelote. The Knight's Tale Quotes. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. for instance, Chaucer is exactly, preposterously. Apostrophes-Famous traitors(Iscariot, Ganelon, Sinon) And yet, for all the seeming extravagance of Chanticleers appearance, Chaucer was describing an actual breed of fowl, one known to the experts by the name of Golden Spangled Hamburg. "The Nun's Priest Tale" is the first mock- heroic epic in the history of the English literature. Although there's unlikely a measure of a rooster's crowing, this description means to build up part of Chaunticleer's character by saying he has such an amazing voice. It is part of a bigger collection known as the "Canterbury Tales." The "Canterbury Tales" is presented as a storytelling contest between some pilgrims. . Supposedly pious religious figures are shown to be corrupt and greedy just underneath the surface. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Taurus, the bull the second sign of the zodiac. The Nun's Priest gives animals a human-like quality. The language used. for a customized plan. Poet. The barn-yard becomes inflated until it can stand comparison with Rome. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Gaufreds rule for describing a beautiful girl was simple: start at the top of her head and go down. Afterward, how does the Host jokingly compliment the priest? She tells him he dreamed because he ate too much and that it is well known that dreams have no meaning; he simply needs a laxative. the Priest's tale is a mock-heroic burlesque intending to ridicule the vanity of man. The agony of innocent suffering is transferred, by way of the slain Roman senators wives, to the hens. This tale is told using the technique of the mock-heroic, which takes a trivial event and elevates it into something of great universal import. The terrified hens produce a loud clamour as they see their lord and master being carried off. Because the story's details have been passed down over the ages, it is considered a fable. The appeal to heavenly powers, the suggestion that they are directly involved in the cocks fate as in the fate of kings, becomes the master stroke of Chaucers mock-heroic technique. The priest tales of a rooster in charge of seven hens. She is as lovely as Chanticleer is magnificent. The poet says that Chanticleer, the cock had a harem of sev The reference to Chaunticleers father also places this story in the tradition of many cock-and-fox beast fables. The simple life and the plain diet. The Nun's Priest's Tale is a mock epic and is absolutely hilarious because of the ridiculous disparity between the manner of writing and the subject matter. The Nun's Priests uses many of the conventions of both courtly romance and Homeric epic to describe his barnyard scene, lifting his story from . The more daring the comparison, the more mock-heroic it becomes in a low context. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. In the case of Pope and Chaucer, explain why the "mock-heroic" format works better than the traditional epic form. . Increased length is a clear result; name other story elements or writing techniques Chaucer uses. (Exemplum)The Nun's Priest tests his fellow pilgrims' ability to discern the deeper meaning of his deceptively simple and entertaining tale told as exempla. How does the Nun's Priest tale mock religion? One evening some time later, there is a knock on the door of her hut, and she opens it to find Hotoke, who has . English readers can find the original stories for these prints by chapter and section title in Helen Craig McCullough's excellent translation, The Tale of the Heike (Stanford University Press, 1988). Lancelot of the lake the popular knight of King Arthur's legendary Round Table. The description of Chanticleer at the beginning is deliberately inflated and grandiose, suggesting the heros epic romance. Furthermore, the poet has introduced an elaborate discussion on the significance of dreams, with a brief reference to such philosophical questions as those of predestination and free will in human affairs. She is courteous, discreet, gracious and companionable. Chanticleer has many hen-wives, but he loves most truly a hen named Pertelote. In the NPT, the psychic is more applicable . Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# But the style which Chaucer employs to deal with this subject has a certain dignity, and it is the application of this elevated style to a trivial subject which makes The Nuns Priests Tale a mock-heroic poem. Cato Dionysius Cato, the author of a book of maxims used in elementary education (not to be confused with the more famous Marcus Cato the Elder and Marcus Cato the Younger, who were famous statesmen of ancient Rome). The tale is an outstanding example of the literary style known as a bestiary (or a beast fable) in which animals behave like human . The cock is thus a real cock in the same way in which the poor widows cottage and yard are real. This alludes to a work by the Englishman Nigel Wireker written in the twelfth century. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. The description is in the mock-heroic style. Though the subject is trivial, yet this trivial subject has been exalted because fowls . We are always reminded of two philosophers. fy on you, herteless") and tells him that being afraid of dreams is cowardly and that, by showing such fear, he has lost her love. The story emphasizes that the extreme good fortune, in the beginning, might bring someone low in the end. XX-I. questions, mock exam papers and examples of children's errors, Maths for Mums and Dads will challenge and reassure in equal measure. Chaucer deserved this praise, and just as only the most accomplished acrobat can clown drunk on a tightrope, so only a rhetorician as accomplished as Chaucer had the skill to clown rhetoric as it is clowned in the mock-heroic manner of The Nuns Priests Tale. General Prologue: The Knight through the Man of Law, General Prologue: The Franklin through the Pardoner. Chanticleer is a rooster who has had a premonition about being chased by something like a dog. There is a widow, having two daughters. The protagonist of this mock-heroic story is Chanticleer, a rooster with seven wives, foremost among them the hen Pertelote. A heroic poem is one that tells the story of a hero whose adventures and exploits have a great, recognized significance. "The Pardoner's Tale" and "The Nun's Priest's Tale" have many instances of religious mockery intertwined in the tales. His crest is redder than fine coral, his beak is black as jet, his nails whiter than lilies, and his feathers shine like burnished gold. They also make historical references and illustrations to substantiate their respective points of view. on 50-99 accounts. The reeve, named Oswald in the text, is the manager of a large estate who reaped incredible profits for his master and himself. Chaucer uses several of the conventions and techniques of epic writing in his farmyard fable! There is a widow, having two daughters. This contrast is an oblique comment on human pretensions and aspirations in view of the background, made clear when Don Russel challenges Chaunticleer to sing, and the flattery blinds Chaunticleer to the treachery. This kind of inflation or false aggrandisement, is the secret of the mock-heroic technique. He uses a metaphor comparing the priest to a handsome rooster with several hens to do his bidding, Beast Fable-a genre which personified animals act like human beings Here, Chaucer makes a biblical reference to Saint Paul, who the reader may or may not know. Chaucer refers to the story as a separate text in a catalogue of his works included in the prologue to The LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN Composed in the 1390s, the 626-line narrative poem is a beast fable and mock epic based on an incident in the Reynard cycle. The Nun's Priest's Tale is told in the form of a fable defined as a narration in which animals speak and act like humans. Yet, this mockery of the too-serious ironically affirms the wisdom of proper perspective. Metaphor ~ "His voice was merrier than the organ gay" (line 27) It imitates all the characteristics and conventions of a serious epic. The Nun's Priest has . How long has Chanticleer known Pertelote? The Nun's Priest laments the inevitable fate of the rooster to the murderous fox, but says it is his duty to tell the tale. Nun's Priest's Tale is a mock- epic. The outcry and lamentation raised by Pertelote at the event is louder than the hue and cry raised by Hasdrubals wife at his painful death. Similarly, there are the noble sentiments expressed by the animals, their courtly manners, the analogies between trivial characters and trivial incidents on one hand and famous persons and well-known events in human history, which are wholly inappropriate to their context. The terrified hens produce a loud clamour as they see their lord and master being carried off. 2. Partlet, a hen, is described as "polite, discreet, debonair, and . Geoffrey Chaucer: Canterbury Tales, "Nun's Priest's Tale" Genre: a beast fable, of the sort best known to us in the collection attributed to the Hellenistic African slave, Aesop.The antagonist in this tale has his own "series" of beast fables, the "Reynard the Fox" tradition, which exists in many manuscripts in both French and English. Pertelote, likewise, has the best colouring on her throat and she is called a fair damsel. B. Iscariot, Judas the betrayer of Jesus to the Romans. . In Nuns Priests Tale moral is explicit as well as implicit. There is a joke in almost every line of Chanticleers long speech. Composed in the 1390s, it is a beast fable and mock epic based on an incident in the Reynard cycle. The hens in the barnyard wail louder than the woman of Troy did when their city was captured. Elegy. and any corresponding bookmarks? Aesop When the fox runs off with Chanticleer clenched in his jaws, the entire scene is narrated with elevated and sophisticated language used in many epics to enhance the climatic tones and spectacular . The cock is raised to the status of a hero and, thus the tale becomes a mock-epic. This work is considered one of the most . On the contrary, a mock-epic is a satire of an epic. This style adds a comic element to the story. For example, Chanticleer is called a gentle cock and his crowing is sweeter than that of any other cock. In beast fables such as The Nun's Priest's Tale, animal characters take on human characteristics. 733 Words. He chooses the lofty style of epic narration to relate his commonplace story of a rooster and a fox. Read a translation of The Tale of the Nuns Priest. Dancing is for the young or rich. When Chanticleer first sees the fox, he is afraid, but the fox is able to persuade him through flattery that he is a friend that only wants to hear him sing. Chaucer: Nuns Priests Tale A mock epic, Chaucer's Art of Characterization in 'The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales'. Compares Chauecr's tale to Robert Henryson's Taill of Schir Chantecleir and the Foxe. Thus when Don Russel, the fox, runs off with Chaunticleer in his jaws, the chase that ensues involves every creature on the premises, and the entire scene is narrated in the elevated language found in the great epics where such language was used to enhance the splendid deeds of epic heroes. Discuss the Nuns Priests Tale as a mock heroic poem, The Pardoners Tale is the finest tale of Chaucer, Prologue to Canterbury Tales (Short Ques & Ans), The Speeches Of Brutus And Antony In Julius Caesar, The Roman Mob As Depicted In Julius Caesar, The play Julius Caesar abound in instances of Dramatic Irony, Shakespeare purpose in introducing the ghost in Julius Caesar and Hamlet, If Brutus is the hero, Caesar is the subject of the play, Discuss Shakespeare Has No Heroes, But Only Heroines, Explanations And MCQs Of The Play The Tempest, Chaucers narrative art in The Nuns Priests Tale, 10 Essential English Novels Everyone Should Read. A fox soon approaches and flatters him, recalling the exquisite song of Chanticleers father. Fox turns up, tricks Chauntecleer into getting captured. Teachers and parents! They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The author employs a series of superlatives in giving us this description. Mock Heroic- A poem about a trivial matter written in the style of a serious epic. At the end of the story, with its final exchange of words between cock and fox, the mock-heroic game is completed, and we find ourselves back in the uncomplicated world of barn-yard and beast-fable. Read a translation of The Epilogue to the Nuns Priests Tale. Nothing less than the fall of Troy and the slaying of King Priam will do (as saith us Eneydos), and the weeping Trojan women are compared to all the hennes in the cloos, when they had seen of Chanticleer the sighte. The Nun's Priest begins telling his tale by describing? The tale is ordinary and common. Pertelote dismisses Chanticleers dream of being attacked and tells him to go about his business. Chanticleer very cleverly suggests that the fox turn and boast to his pursuers. Chanticleer relishes the foxs flattery of his singing. Once Pertelote finds out what has happened, she burns her feathers with grief, and a great wail arises from the henhouse. Chaunticleer graciously thanks Lady Pertelote, but he quotes authorities who maintain that dreams have a very definite meaning and insists that he does not need a laxative. Comedy. Homers Iliad and Odyssey and Miltons Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained are the well-known heroic poems. Write an analysis of the content and structure of "The Nun's Priest's Tale." Beowulf is a heroic tale; "The Nun's Priest's Tale" is mock-heroic. The saint of "great discerning" that Chaucer names at the end was who? She has cattle and sheep as is usual with the villagers. In the description of Chaunticleer, the use of azure reinforces his courtly appearance. creating and saving your own notes as you read. The Nuns Priest readily agrees, and begins his tale. This is because a mock-heroic takes simple matters and exaggerates them. Discount, Discount Code A mock-heroic Canterbury Tale that is widely regarded as one of Chaucer's best. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are the best-known examples of heroic poems.The hero in such a poem is often a great national figure. In the dialogue also the mock-heroic tone prevails. the themes . Perhaps the best example of this device is the three-fold simile in the lines which are a climax of the narrators last interruption between the foxs seizing Chanticleer and the beginning of the chase. It is a long narrative in verse. This widwe, of which I telle yow my tale, Sin thilke day that she was last a wyf, In pacience ladde a ful simple lyf, For litel was hir catel and hir rente; By housbondrye, of such as God hir sente, She fond hir-self, and eek hir . The Nuns Priests Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue, The Pardoners Introduction, Prologue, and Tale. Fortunately, the next time the fox tries to use his charms to get to Chanticleer, the rooster has learned his lesson. mock-heroic . . So an animal fable has been elevated to the level of a philosophical poem, having deep thoughts and ideas. Circle the letter of the sentence in which the word in bold-faced type is used incorrectly. Ballad. Why are the characters in The Canterbury Tales going on a pilgrimage to Canterbury? Open Document. They also make historical references and illustrations to substantiate their respective points of view. The Nun's Priest contrasts the two human worlds of the poor and the rich in the description of the poor widow and the elegant Chaunticleer. -Graham S. The Nuns Priests uses many of the conventions of both courtly romance and Homeric epic to describe his barnyard scene, lifting his story from a simple fable to the genre of mock epic and social satire. Its style, too, is grand. But here a mere cock, as he struts up and down in a yard pecking at grains of corn and clucking to his hens, is called a grim lion. Though the subject is trivial, yet this trivial subject has been exalted because fowls . More than one critic has seen the rather obvious mock-heroic tone of the tale,4 but most of the commentators who have discussed this ZNotes on Chaucer (Northampton, Mass. According to Equiano's slave narrative, what was the general feeling of the slaves toward their circumstances? 1. 3. Instant PDF downloads. written in the first half of the thirteenth century (a hundred years before Chaucer was born) by a teacher of rhetoric called Gaufred de Vinsauf. Arts & Humanities English English Literature. Free trial is available to new customers only. Chaunticleer and Pertelote argue over the correct interpretation of dreams, each citing literary authorities to back up their claims. A heroic narrative poem about a national hero. Nuns Priests Tale is a mock-epic. In what ways does Chaucer use "The Nun's Priest's Tale" to ridicule the heroic style? A brief overview of the cause and repercussion of the 1381 Peasant Revolt will serve to frame the argument, a subsequent overview of criticism pertaining to Chaucer's Nun's Priest's Tale as mock-heroic will then serve to preface an analysis of Chaucer's tale as antagonistic and critical of Gower's own use of the beast fable in his Vox . It shows us that even a trivial event can also be treated on epical scope. Here lies the mock element besides the dialogue of the poem. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! His other responsibilities taking care of his wives are equally silly. Edge Reading, Writing and Language: Level C, David W. Moore, Deborah Short, Michael W. Smith, The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses. Some of the famous English mock-heroic poems are Samuel Butlers Hudibras and Alexander Popes The Rape of the Lock, Grays Ode on the Death of a Favourite Car and Fieldings Tom Thumb also belong to the class of mock heroic writings. This makes the line have much more of a dramatic effect. She believes the dream to be the result of some physical malady, and she promises him that she will find some purgative herbs. Sinon a Greek who persuaded the Trojans to take the Greeks' wooden horse into their city, the result of which was the destruction of Troy. Exemplum-moral anecdote used to prove the point of the sermon, A. The cock and the hen behave, talk, argue and conduct like extraordinary humanbeings. What kind of story is the Nun's Priest's tale? He thanks "Sir Priest" for the fine tale and turns to another for the next tale. A fox may certainly be called a homicide; but to call him a new Judas Iscariot and compare him with other notorious traitors in human history is surely to touch the heights of extravagance. The sorrowful cries of the hens have been identified with the woeful lamentation, uttered by the senators wives when their husbands were burnt alive by Nero. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Others, even kings, have suffered disaster on a Friday, and this places Chanticleer in their exalted company. The comparison to Lady Pertelote is apropos. Most of the comedy is introduced through the incongruity and disproportion between grand style and trivial subject. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This first and only contemporary reference inThe Canterbury Talesdates at least the completion of the tale of Chanticleer to the 1380s, a time of great civil unrest and class turmoil. Consequently, this type of fable is often an insult to man or a commentary on man's foibles. The tale is ordinary and common. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Chaucers style in the poem is grand. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. It is a fable in the tradition of Aesop, told to point a moral: Marie's Fable of the Cock and the Fox. He is described in the Tales as skinny and bad-tempered and old; his hair is closely cropped reflecting his social status as a serf. For example, the roosters plumage is described as shining like burnished gold. | You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. By taking noble concepts and ideas and putting them in mouths of chickens and foxes, the tale suggests that perhaps these high ideas, or those who talk about them, are not as noble or serious as they seem. The Silver Kiss - Annette Curtis Klause 2010-04-21 Zoe is wary when, in the dead of night, the beautiful yet frightening Simon comes to her house. . In the case of "The Nun's Priest's Tale" a character has no lack of milk and bread . One day in May, Chanticleer has just declared his perfect happiness when a wave of sadness passes over him. (The Wife of Bath, probably, isn't a fan of this tale.). The widow's "bour and halle" (bedroom) was "ful sooty," that is black from the hearth-flame where she had eaten many a slim or slender meal. Parody at this high level of performance is not the blatant decision that sometimes passes for parody; it is the light, affectionate raillery of a style he had long since mastered and which he could afford to make fun with. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Top 12 Online Spoken English Classes in Kolkata, Mastering Calculus with Desmos Graphing Calculator: A Step-by-Step Tutorial, Shooting an Elephant as a Narrative Essay, Prose Style of George Orwell in Shooting an Elephant, Of Travel by Francis Bacon Summary and Analysis, The Lamb William Blake Analysis, Summary, Theme, Symbolism, Brownings Optimism in The Last Ride Together, Critical Analysis The Lotos Eaters by Alfred Tennyson, Ode to the West Wind Analysis | Ode to the West Wind Critical Appreciation, Torvald Helmer | Character Sketch in A Dolls House, The Monkeys Paw | Summary, Analysis, Theme, Symbolism. The dogs follow, and pretty soon the whole barnyard joins in the hullabaloo. He also parodies epic poetry by utilizing apostrophes, or formal, imploring addresses: O false mordrour, lurkynge in thy den! (3226), and O Chauntecleer, acursed be that morwe / That thou into the yerd flaugh fro the bemes! (32303231). Their speeches and actions and fortunes are made to acquire an exaggerated importance. The Nuns Priest uses mock-Homeric similes in his comparison of the hens to the Trojans wives. KING OLAF'S DEATH-DRTNK. She has a cock and many hens. Notice the contrast: The term "bour and halle" comes from courtly verse of the time and conjures up the image of a castle. Chauntecleer uses the story of Hector losing his life on a battlefield to a rooster being eaten by a fox. Generally, dreams can be interpreted in a Freudian sense (reflective of fulfilling desires) or a psychic sense (indicative of future events). Other scholars have read the tale as the story of Adam and Eves (and consequently all humankinds) fall from grace told through the veil of a fable. The Monk's Tale, Next "The Nun's Priest's Tale" Analysis Essay "The Nun's Priest's Tale" is a poem written by Geoffrey Chaucer around the 1390's which forms part of the "" collection with its own timeline including prequels and sequels. 1. The simple aesopian fables featuring the clever fox were soon expanded into the much more elaborate Roman de Renart, an . He crows the hour more accurately than any church clock. Take The Nun's Priest's Prologue, Tale, & Epilogue Quick Quiz, Read a translation of TheNun's Priest's Prologue, Read a translation of The Nun's Priest's Tale, Read a translation of TheNun's Priest's Epilogue, By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Stylistically, however, the tale is much more complex than its simple plot would suggest. His physical description, which uses many of the adjectives that would be used to describe the warrior/knight (words such as "crenelated," "castle Wall," "fine coral," "polished jet," "azure," "lilies," and "burnished gold," for example) reminds one of an elegant knight in shining armor. 4. Deere maister soverayn! A heroic poem is an epic poem. It is a long narrative poem written in an elevated style. Heroic literature also emblazons its events and persons with a wealth of reference, literary and mythological, to other great deeds. The neologism, "jeans," was introduced by Levi Strauss in 1853 when he responded to miners' need for durable clothing by adapting the blue canvas pants worn by Genovese sailors. Once, a cock is carried away by a fox but later escapes. The trivial events have been enlarged to look lofty and grand. The Nun's Priest's Tale tells the reader a cautionary mock-heroic tale. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." b. There can be no mock-epic without moral. (Such invocations are also called apostrophes). He dreams that he will be chased by a fox, a prophecy that comes true. This reference occurs when the widow and her daughters begin to chase the fox, and the whole barnyard screeches and bellows, joining in the fray. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. There are several examples of this in The Nuns Priests Tale, from the initial comparison of Chanticleers voice to a Courch-organ to the final suggestion that even the murderous mob which swept through the streets of London at the time of the Peasants Revolt in 1381 under the leadership of Jack Straw, was not half as terrifying as the pursuit of the fleeing fox. Authorities . Once, a cock is carried away by a fox but later escapes. He is the master, so he thinks, of seven lovely hens. The Nun's Priest's Tale is one of Chaucer's most brilliant tales, and it functions on several levels. She has cattle and sheep as is usual with the villagers. The most direct source text of the Tale is a fable by Marie de France. Chaucer could not but feel there was something to laugh at too in the pedantries of the rhetoricians. A mock-heroic poem is one in which the subject is mean or low or trivial, but the method or manner or style of it is clavated or high or grand. The Nun's Priest's Tale Summary. Ful many a rich contree hadde he wonne; What with his wysdom and his chilvalrie. the tale . The Nuns Priests Tale, one of the 24 stories in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Nuns Priests Tale is based on the medieval tale of Reynard the Fox, common to French, Flemish, and German literature. His wife screamed so loudly that all of Carthage heard her, and she died by throwing herself upon Hasdrubal's funeral pyre. Towards the end of the poem. For example, the fox has been called The False Murderer and the false dissembler and has been compared to various notorious rascals of the past Judas, Iscariot, Simon, Gauclon, etc. But what make it a mock-heroic epic is its trivial . "The Reeve's Tale" is the third story told in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. Friday, the day of Venus, the goddess of love, whose devoted servant the amorous Chanticleer so obviously was, is the day decreed by cruel fate to be the day of this heros downfall. The incongruity of style and subject matter produces comic effects; ridicule, by imitation, of chivalric literature and heroic characters. The more daring the comparison, the more mock-heroic it becomes in a low context. Reynard the Fox Neither the fall of Troy nor the conquest of Carthage, nor Neros burning of Rome caused such laments clucking in their yard, are compared to wives and mothers suffering some of the most tragic moments in history. Chaunticleer begins to run, but the fox gently calls out that he only came to hear Chaunticleer's beautiful voice. A slender meal ("sklendre meel") would of course be unthinkable among the rich, but it is all the poor widow has. then decides to become a nun. Chauntecleer tricks the fox into letting him go. This rooster is beautiful, and nowhere in the land is there a cock who can match him in crowing. 1. Although it appears to be a simple animal fable with a moral, the Tale ends up being much more complicated, with lots of allusions and plot twists. The Nun's Priest's ideas and positions are set up in his genially ironic attitude toward both the simple life of the widow and the life of the rich and the great as represented by the cock, Chaunticleer (in Chaucer's English, the name means "clear singing"). 2. The Nuns Priests Tale is a beast fable. What language is The Canterbury Tales written in?