The

is the concluding tale of the largest fragment in the

, fragment VII (2821-3446; B2 4011-4636 in the old “Chaucer Society” numbering still found, with no manuscript authority, in some editions). The “fragments” of the

are made up of stories connected by linking passages that can be firmly ascribed to Chaucer; later scribes or editors sometimes furnished further linking passages of their own, so making non-authentic further connections between tales. The links are normally given editorial headings as prologues to the next tale though they may well serve more as epilogues to the previous story. The

is unusual in that its prologue – in this case, more of an epilogue to the previous tale, the Monk’s –…

2035 words

Citation: Cooper, Helen. "The Nun's Priest's Tale". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 October 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=19960, accessed 22 November 2024.]