The Nun's Priest's Tale

This new educational edition of "The Nun's Priest's Tale" presents one of the best-known stories from "The Canterbury Tales" in an accessible form for college and A-level students. It uses the Riverside text and includes "The Nun's Priest's" prologue, tale, epilogue, as well as "The Portrait of the Prioress" from the "General Prologue". Supportive notes provide detail on the historical and literary background to the tale and the Approaches section offers commentary and activities on key themes and techniques, such as the significance of dreams in the tale, varying attitudes of the time to women, and Chaucer's use of the mock heroic alongside this beast fable. Practical guidance is also given on how to read Middle English, and the edition includes a pronunciation guide and full Glossary. A chronology of Chaucer's life and work, and illustrations of contemporary images offer further context for students' readings of the poem.