The Canterbury Tales · Character
The Second Nun
A nun who tells the life of Saint Cecilia.
minor
First appearance: The Second Nun's Tale
The Second Nun shows up with force in The Second Nun's Tale. The page is where that presence becomes real.
Narrator of the tale; invokes the Virgin Mary and explains the meaning of Cecilia's name.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
In The Second Nun's Tale: Narrator of the tale; invokes the Virgin Mary and explains the meaning of Cecilia's name. Later, in Endnotes: Her tale, the Life of Saint Cecile, is noted as originally composed by Chaucer as…
Continue beside the text
The fuller portrait of The Second Nun sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See The Second Nun in The Second Nun's TaleCharacter Web
2 connectionsA slice of how The Second Nun 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
Explore ties, sentiment, and clusters while you read
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- 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 Second Nun appears across 2 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 Second Nun unlock in the free preview.
See The Second Nun in The Second Nun's Tale