The Canterbury Tales · Character
The Prioress
A dainty nun who sings the service through her nose, feeds her little dogs on fine bread, and weeps over a trapped mouse.
supporting
Also known as Madame Eglentine
First appearance: The Prologue
As a supporting figure in The Canterbury Tales, The Prioress is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
A lady prioress present among the pilgrims, called upon by the Host to draw a cut.
Madame Eglentine wears a coral rosary with a golden brooch that reads 'Love conquers all,' and she speaks French after the school of Stratford-at-Bow. Her tender heart aches for any small suffering creature, yet she tells a tale of a little Christian boy murdered by Jews, a story of fierce devotional cruelty. Her delicate manners and her tale's violence sit side by side, showing how gentility and religious zeal can share one breast.
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Character Web
9 connectionsA slice of how The Prioress sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Diverse pilgrims and tale characters
- Moral exemplars and advisors
- Noble romance and corruption
- Lower-class and bawdy characters
- Animal fable and minor pilgrims
+4 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This passage marks the story's dramatic climax because it shifts the focus from the external, ritualistic acts…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingIn the story
The Prioress appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for The Prioress unlock in the free preview.
See The Prioress in The Prologue