At the beginning of the prologue for the tale the Monk has just finished telling a tragic tale, and the Knight begs to hear a story of happiness and good fortune. The Host picks the Nun's Priest to tell a tale that will raise happy and joyful spirits. The Nun's Priest gladly agrees to tell his tale and he begins.
The tale opens up with an elderly widow living a simple life with her two daughters in a cottage. Out of the small group of animals that she owns there is a rooster, named Chanticleer, who had no equal in terms of crowing, in all of the land. He crows at the exact hour every day (his crowing is more trustworthy than a clock) and has the most handsome appearance out of all the roosters. Chanticleer is so attractive that he has many hen-wives, but the one that is the most beautiful and the one he loves the most is Demoiselle Partlet.
One night when Chanticleer and the hens are sleeping, Chanticleer wakes up from a terrible nightmare. He recalls the nightmare to Partlet, which is about an orange, hound-like beast who threatens to kill him while he is in the yard. Partlet tells him that he is letting the dream get the best of him and that it is a result of a physical ailment. She tells him to take some herbs and to not think of, fear, or dread about the dream. Chanticleer is still not satisfied or calmed by her advice, and he again tries to convince her of the importance of the dream. He tells a story about a man who dreamed of his friend's murder and did not at first believe the dream. Then when we awoke he discovered that his dream was true and that his friend had been murdered. Chanticleer also tells a story about a sailor who had a dream wherein a man stood beside his bed and said "If you sail tomorrow, you shall be drowned; my tale is at an end". The man told the other sailor of his dream and he just laughed it off and made fun of the worried sailor. The ship still went out to sea and during the trip the bottom of the ship burst and the entire ship sank. By telling these stories Chanticleer is trying to convey that murder will reveal itself even in dreams. He also uses textual sources like Hector and Achilles to show that dreams can foreshadow death. At the end of his speech he praises Partlet's beauty and they mate.
Over a month has passed when Chanticleer, feeling perfectly happy, he is overcome with a feeling of distress. That night the fox begins to stalk Chanticleer and his hen-wives. The very next day, Chanticleer is watching a butterfly when he notices the fox watching him. The fox confronts him and tells him not to be afraid. The fox begins to compliment his singing voice and Chanticleer is so proud that he closes his eyes and crows loudly. Part of the reason Chanticleer does this is becaue the fox told him that his father used to close his eyes and stretch out his neck when he sang, in order to make his voice stronger. At that second the fox grabs him by the neck and carries him away to the woods. No one even sees what has happened, but they notice that Chanticleer is missing. When Partlet finds out what has happened she wails with grief. The widow and her daughters hear the wailing and notice the fox running away with Chanticleer in his mouth. Soon all the barn animals are chasing after the fox, so eventually Chanticleer suggests to the fox : "Sir, if I were you, so help me God, I would say, 'Turn back, all you proud peasants! May the bitter plague take you! I have reached the edge of the wood now; the rooster shall stay here; in spite of you I will eat him, in faith, and not be long about it!'". The fox takes his advice, and as he turns around and opens his mouth to speak, Chanticleer flies into a high tree. The fox tries to flatter him again to get him to come down, but Chanticleer is too smart to listen. He tells the fox that flattery will no longer work for him.
The epilogue to the tale is that the Host comments that the Nun's Priest would make a very good rooster, saying, "For if you have as much spirit as you have strength, you have need of hens". He compliments his strong muscles, great neck, and big chest. He then joyfully wishes the Nun's Priest good luck.
ANALYSIS/CHAUCER'S THOUGHTS
The Nun's Priest is a character who is not described in the General Prologue and is also not depicted much in the prologue to this tale. From this tale that he tells, it can be seen that he must be witty to create such a well put together story. His story suggests his modesty and humility because he doesn't tell a story about himself or his own life; he tells a story about a rooster. However, the fact that he uses animals behaving like humans may suggests his feelings that humans behave like animals. It can also be seen that the Nun's Priest has an ironic take concerning the tale. This irony comes from the contrast between the simple life of the widow and the rich life of Chanticleer. Through his description of the widow it can be seen that he thinks living a humble, Christian life is easier for the poor than for the rich, because the rich have more obligations and responsibilities (like Chanticleer and his duty of crowing and caring for the hens). From this, it may be viewed that the Nun's Priest is a witty Christian man who thinks that he should be valued for his hard work.
When the Nun's Priest talks of Chanticleer, he speaks of this great talents and responsibilities, but although the rooster is very proud of his talent, it is a very ridiculous one: crowing. The fact that crowing can also mean bragging or boasting means a lot in the context of what the Nun's Priest is saying.about the rich. Chanticleer's responsiblities are also rather vain and unecessary; he basically thinks if he does not crow, the sun would come down in the morning.
The Nun Priest's physical description of Chanticleer uses many words that are likely to be used to describe someone of nobility. The fact that Chanticleer, a farm animal, is so "noble", ironically contrasts the farmyard setting he lives in. The Nun's priest is saying that the widow's farmyard is similar to the real world; people think themselves to be of more importance or strive to be as much like royalty as possible, but ultimately everyone is all living in the same world, the same farmyard.
The Priest also tries to get across that flattery should not be trusted and people should not be full of pride. Chanticleer is blinded by flattery from the fox, but then uses a form of flattery on the fox, which results in his escape. Ultimately, Chanticleer finds that flattery is good to use when it comes to pride and acheiving what is best for him.
Chaucer views this character as one person who is a part of the Church that he finds disagreeable. From this tale and the description of the Nun's Priest, Chaucer may feel that this character is just another corrupted man of the Church. From the Nun's Priest's view of the simple lifestyle to the extravagant lifestyle in relation to Christianity, Chaucer may see him as an insincere member of the Church. A true person of the Church would give love and value to everyone as equals, but the Nun's Priest is more judgmental. Chaucer would not like his view of the people and would view him as corrupted because the Priest's view of the well-to-do and noble people (which was what Chaucer was) is not very flattering.
SUMMARY
At the beginning of the prologue for the tale the Monk has just finished telling a tragic tale, and the Knight begs to hear a story of happiness and good fortune. The Host picks the Nun's Priest to tell a tale that will raise happy and joyful spirits. The Nun's Priest gladly agrees to tell his tale and he begins.
The tale opens up with an elderly widow living a simple life with her two daughters in a cottage. Out of the small group of animals that she owns there is a rooster, named Chanticleer, who had no equal in terms of crowing, in all of the land. He crows at the exact hour every day (his crowing is more trustworthy than a clock) and has the most handsome appearance out of all the roosters. Chanticleer is so attractive that he has many hen-wives, but the one that is the most beautiful and the one he loves the most is Demoiselle Partlet.
One night when Chanticleer and the hens are sleeping, Chanticleer wakes up from a terrible nightmare. He recalls the nightmare to Partlet, which is about an orange, hound-like beast who threatens to kill him while he is in the yard. Partlet tells him that he is letting the dream get the best of him and that it is a result of a physical ailment. She tells him to take some herbs and to not think of, fear, or dread about the dream. Chanticleer is still not satisfied or calmed by her advice, and he again tries to convince her of the importance of the dream. He tells a story about a man who dreamed of his friend's murder and did not at first believe the dream. Then when we awoke he discovered that his dream was true and that his friend had been murdered. Chanticleer also tells a story about a sailor who had a dream wherein a man stood beside his bed and said "If you sail tomorrow, you shall be drowned; my tale is at an end". The man told the other sailor of his dream and he just laughed it off and made fun of the worried sailor. The ship still went out to sea and during the trip the bottom of the ship burst and the entire ship sank. By telling these stories Chanticleer is trying to convey that murder will reveal itself even in dreams. He also uses textual sources like Hector and Achilles to show that dreams can foreshadow death. At the end of his speech he praises Partlet's beauty and they mate.
Over a month has passed when Chanticleer, feeling perfectly happy, he is overcome with a feeling of distress. That night the fox begins to stalk Chanticleer and his hen-wives. The very next day, Chanticleer is watching a butterfly when he notices the fox watching him. The fox confronts him and tells him not to be afraid. The fox begins to compliment his singing voice and Chanticleer is so proud that he closes his eyes and crows loudly. Part of the reason Chanticleer does this is becaue the fox told him that his father used to close his eyes and stretch out his neck when he sang, in order to make his voice stronger. At that second the fox grabs him by the neck and carries him away to the woods. No one even sees what has happened, but they notice that Chanticleer is missing. When Partlet finds out what has happened she wails with grief. The widow and her daughters hear the wailing and notice the fox running away with Chanticleer in his mouth. Soon all the barn animals are chasing after the fox, so eventually Chanticleer suggests to the fox : "Sir, if I were you, so help me God, I would say, 'Turn back, all you proud peasants! May the bitter plague take you! I have reached the edge of the wood now; the rooster shall stay here; in spite of you I will eat him, in faith, and not be long about it!'". The fox takes his advice, and as he turns around and opens his mouth to speak, Chanticleer flies into a high tree. The fox tries to flatter him again to get him to come down, but Chanticleer is too smart to listen. He tells the fox that flattery will no longer work for him.
The epilogue to the tale is that the Host comments that the Nun's Priest would make a very good rooster, saying, "For if you have as much spirit as you have strength, you have need of hens". He compliments his strong muscles, great neck, and big chest. He then joyfully wishes the Nun's Priest good luck.
ANALYSIS/CHAUCER'S THOUGHTS
The Nun's Priest is a character who is not described in the General Prologue and is also not depicted much in the prologue to this tale. From this tale that he tells, it can be seen that he must be witty to create such a well put together story. His story suggests his modesty and humility because he doesn't tell a story about himself or his own life; he tells a story about a rooster. However, the fact that he uses animals behaving like humans may suggests his feelings that humans behave like animals. It can also be seen that the Nun's Priest has an ironic take concerning the tale. This irony comes from the contrast between the simple life of the widow and the rich life of Chanticleer. Through his description of the widow it can be seen that he thinks living a humble, Christian life is easier for the poor than for the rich, because the rich have more obligations and responsibilities (like Chanticleer and his duty of crowing and caring for the hens). From this, it may be viewed that the Nun's Priest is a witty Christian man who thinks that he should be valued for his hard work.
When the Nun's Priest talks of Chanticleer, he speaks of this great talents and responsibilities, but although the rooster is very proud of his talent, it is a very ridiculous one: crowing. The fact that crowing can also mean bragging or boasting means a lot in the context of what the Nun's Priest is saying.about the rich. Chanticleer's responsiblities are also rather vain and unecessary; he basically thinks if he does not crow, the sun would come down in the morning.
The Nun Priest's physical description of Chanticleer uses many words that are likely to be used to describe someone of nobility. The fact that Chanticleer, a farm animal, is so "noble", ironically contrasts the farmyard setting he lives in. The Nun's priest is saying that the widow's farmyard is similar to the real world; people think themselves to be of more importance or strive to be as much like royalty as possible, but ultimately everyone is all living in the same world, the same farmyard.
The Priest also tries to get across that flattery should not be trusted and people should not be full of pride. Chanticleer is blinded by flattery from the fox, but then uses a form of flattery on the fox, which results in his escape. Ultimately, Chanticleer finds that flattery is good to use when it comes to pride and acheiving what is best for him.
Chaucer views this character as one person who is a part of the Church that he finds disagreeable. From this tale and the description of the Nun's Priest, Chaucer may feel that this character is just another corrupted man of the Church. From the Nun's Priest's view of the simple lifestyle to the extravagant lifestyle in relation to Christianity, Chaucer may see him as an insincere member of the Church. A true person of the Church would give love and value to everyone as equals, but the Nun's Priest is more judgmental. Chaucer would not like his view of the people and would view him as corrupted because the Priest's view of the well-to-do and noble people (which was what Chaucer was) is not very flattering.
-Lauren and Camille