The Canterbury Tales Essay, Research Paper

Central Character: young Christian boy

Point of View: Told by the Prioress in

3rd person

Setting: Town in Asia

Summary of the Plot: A young Christian

boy 7 years old learns a new Christian hymn and sings it all of the time.

He walked through a Jewish ghetto to and from school singing it. Satan

tells the Jewish people that the boy was disgracing them and he should

be killed. So the Jewish people catch him and slit his throat. His mother

finds him dead, but still singing the hymn. The Jewish people are dragged

by horses and then killed. Later, he is silenced when the grain is removed

from his tongue.

Nature of Conflict: Jewish boys don’t want

the Christian boy to sing anymore.

Tone: A sad story of hatred between different

religions.

Style: informative, easy to read, simple

Central events: A boy is killed by Jewish

boys, but continues to sing

Theme: The Jewish people are evil

Evaluation: A story about religions told

by a nun. It views the Jewish people are bad and the Christian people are

good. The tale shows the Prioress’ feelings for Jewish people.