The Nun’s Priest Tale

1. The Nun’s Priest Tale By Geoffrey Chaucer

2. Once upon a time… There was a poor, old widow She did not have much But she made do.

3. In fact she had a handsome rooster His comb was redder than a fine coral His bill was black He kept better time than any clock

4. This rooster, Chanticleer, was a rooster’s rooster He was, in fact, BRAD PITT

5. Chanticleer was quite the “Lady’s Man” His main boo was the fine, young hen Pertelote

6. Then one night, Chanticleer ZZZZ …had a dream He nearly …. himself!!!!

7. And this was Chanticleer’s Dream: “I dreamt that roaming up and down a while Within our yard I saw a kind of beast, A sort of hound that tried or seemed at least To try and seize me…would have killed me dead!”

8. What exactly did our brave Chanticleer see in his dream?

9. This did not impress Pertelote “Alas, what cowardice! By God above, you’ve forfeited my heart and lost my love.” “I cannot love a coward.”

10. The following was said to Chanticleer: “By God above, how dare you say for shame, and to your love, that anything at all was to be feared? Have you no manly heart to match your beard? And can a dream reduce you to such terror?” (98-101) DIVA

11. Questions for Thought: Does Pertelote’s reaction to Chanticleer’s dream seem fair? What is Pertelote’s ideal man look like?

12. Chanticleer’s defense:

13. He heard a story one time… Two men traveled together

14. One of the men dreamt that he would be murdered… He told his traveling companion this He ended up dead in a dung-cart

15. What other evidence does Chanticleer use? The Bible A life of a Saint A classic Myth

16. You could say that Chanticleer was full of himself…. “Upon your laxatives I set no store, for they are venomous… I defy them. (334-335)”

17. Like any, good husband he flatters his wife… “Dang, Girl you lookin’ good” Thanks, Babe.

18. And the beat goes on… Chanticleer does his rooster thing. The stage is set… Compare lines 366-380 to Beowulf, lines 1-29 What are some differences between the two passages? Why are there these differences?

19. “A coal-tipped fox of sly iniquity, that had been lurking round the grove for three long years, that very night burst through and passed… into the yard where Chanticleer the Fair was wont, with all his ladies to repair.” (396-400)

20. It is time now to ponder Read 416 – 434. Who is in control? God? Fate? Is it okay to talk about God and Fate in a story about a cock and a fox?

21. And the cock, or the nun’s priest blames the folly to come on women (lines 440-450) Painting by Michelangelo (He is kind of important)

22. What do those lines tell us about Chaucer’s culture? Her versus Him?

23. Everyone relaxed throughout the day… “Merrily in her dust-bed in the sand lay Pertelote. Her sisters were at hand basking in sunlight. Chanticleer sang free, more merrily than a mermaid in the sea.” (451-454)

24. Chanticleer saw the fox

25. Before Chanticleer could run the fox spoke to him: “Sir! Whither so fast away? Are you afraid of me, that am your friend? A fiend, or worse, I should be, to intend you harm, or practice villainy upon”

26. “Dear sir, I was not even spying on you! Truly I came to do no other thing than just to lie and listen to you sing. You have as merry a voice as God has given to any angel in the courts of Heaven.” (472-476)

27. Questions What is the fox doing? Why is he doing this? Will it work??

28. And the fox said: “Oh, for charity of heart, can you not emulate your sire and sing?” (Like Will Ferrell)

29. “This Chanticleer began to heat a wing As one incapable of smelling treason, So wholly had this flattery ravished reason. “Alas, my lords! there’s many a sycophant And flatterer that fill your courts with cant And give more pleasure with their zeal forsooth Than he who speaks in soberness and truth Translation…. Some people just like to be flattered and other people like to flatter in order to get what they want.

30. This Chanticleer stood high upon his toes, he stretched his neck, his eyes began to close, his beak to open; with his eyes shut tight he then began to sing with allhismight.

31. Sir Russel Fox then leapt to the attack, grabbing his gorge he flung him o’er his back O Destiny that may be evaded! Alas that Chanticleer had so paraded! Alas that he had flown down from the beams! O that his wife took no account of his dreams! And on a Friday too to risk their necks! O Venus, goddess of the joys of sex, Since Chanticleer thy mysteries professed And in thy service always did his best, And more for pleasure than to multiply His kind, on thine own day is he to die? Lines 521-530

32. The women lamented… “O woeful hens, louder your shrieks and higher than those of Roman matrons when the fire consumed their husbands, senators of Rome, when Nero burnt their city and their home” (555-558)

33. “Look! Look! O mercy, look at that! Ha! Ha! The fox!” And everyone gave pursuit… Lines 566 - 587

34. It was now Chanticleer’s turn for a little trickery… “Sir Fox, if I were you, as God’s my witness, I would round upon these clods and shout, ‘Turn back, you saucy bumpkins all! A very pestilence upon you fall! Now that I have in safety reached the wood do what you like, the cock is mine for good; I’ll eat him there in spite of every one.’” (593-599)

35. The fox replying, “Faith, it shall be done!” Opened his mouth and spoke. The nimble bird, breaking away upon the uttered word, flew high into the tree-tops on the spot”

36. And there Chanticleer would stay until the fox went away. The END

37. What are the morals of the story? “Curses on us both, and first on me if I were such a dunce as let you fool me oftener than once.” “Nay, rather his plagues be flung on all who chatter that should hold their tongue”

38. Questions: What moral does the narrator draw from this tale? What does this tale tell us about the nun’s priest? Why is flattery such a powerful tool?

39. Writing Assignment RAFT R – Role of the writer (Who are you?) A – Audience for the writer (To whom are you writing?) F – Format of the writing (What form will your writing take?) T – Topic of the writing (What are you writing about?)

40. Topic On Advice: Recapturing Chanticleer Protecting the farm Singing (Crowing) well Sneaking up on your prey And any other advice you could give based on the tale told by the nun’s priest.