15th-century England, in which Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, was governed by a Christian morality that had defined precepts regarding character and to the ideal behavior of women. Modesty and chastity in both manner and speech were praiseworthy attributes in every God-fearing, obedient, married woman. "The General Prologue" presents the Prioress Madame Eglantine as an ironic exemplum of avarice and immodesty. The Prioress's worldly aspirations stand in stark contrast to the ascetic lifestyle led by the widow in "The Nun's Priest's Tale". Chaucer provides these diametrically opposed representations of women to convey that women of the time were expected to be content above all with their position in the social order of life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Prioress fails to embody the asexual meekness expected of her title, but rather is portrayed as a very affected woman who desires romance and wealth. Madame Eglantine, named after a proud rose, seems overly concerned with appearances. It is suspicious that a woman who claims total devotion to her Lord and the church would make such an effort to appear lovely. Wrapping her body in an elegant cloak adorned with a gold brooch, the Prioress emulates the attitude of a regal lady. His physical appearance is supposed to be tertiary to his spiritual presence and pious nature, but the narrator makes little reference to his saintly disposition. The introduction of the Prioress in the "General Prologue" is, in fact, dedicated almost exclusively to the description of her very temporal and materialistic mannerisms. When the narrator describes Madame Eglantine as "so charitable and so pitiful" (143), and all "conscience and tendre herte" (150), he is clearly making an ironic jab at her vanity. The narrator has enough wit and education to quickly pierce Madame Eglantine's saccharine facade, pointing out that her French is a remote variety, used by the Prioress to flaunt her erudition. The Prioress is clearly dissatisfied with being a holy roller. She doesn't yet realize that her ambitions have made her a mockery. The widow, however, is grateful for her miserable lot in life. He is a naive character, not dependent on delusional pretensions as a means of coping with life. In contrast, the widow is self-sufficient and sufficient. She has not simply submitted to the role assigned to her, the widow is grateful: "La goute lette pays nothing to dance" (74). Not even severe arthritis can stop this woman from expressing her joy in the form of dance. Here Chaucer presented the woman of ideal character. The widow is devoid of any social ambition. The widow is not looking for a replacement husband; the widow works her meager dairy farm and sets an example of moderation and temperance to her daughters. Both the narrator of the "General Prologue" and the priest of the nuns spend many words describing the eating habits of the two women. A comparison offers an interesting look at what really matters to women. During meals the Prioress "will not leave any morsel from the hir lippes falle" (128). The destitute widow has similarly conscientious eating habits, though she is motivated by self-preservation rather than vanity, as would be anyone whose daily meal "was served chiefly with white and black, / Milk and brown race" (77-8). Madame Eglantine's palate enjoys more varied delicacies than the widow's. “No dainty morsel passed through [the widow's] throat” (69). These delicious indulgences to which the.