The Shipman's Tale doesn't receive the greatest share of critical attention, possibly because it is seen as somewhat straightforward. A merchant has a close friend, who is a young monk, that pays a visit to his wife while the merchant is away on business. Complaining of her husband's tightfisted approach to finances, the wife asks the monk for 100 francs to pay her debts in exchange for sex. The monk agrees, then goes to see the merchant in town and asks to borrow 100 francs. The monk returns to the wife, gives her the money, and has his dalliance. Later, when speaking to the merchant, the monk tells him he has already returned the money to the merchant's wife, who, caught in the act, must make amends with her husband. This is interesting in regards to the correlation between exchange and marriage, but it does read somewhat shallowly.
The Prioress' Tale:
Honestly, I'd like to say as little as possible about this tale. Hugely antisemitic, The Prioress' Tale involves a nameless group of Jews who conspire to murder and hide an innocent Christian child.
Sir Thopas:
Incredibly insipid, Sir Thopas is Chaucer-the-pilgrim's first tale that is so full of romance cliche that the host cuts him off after only a few hundred lines. The tale starts sketching out the titular figure, his birthplace and physical appearance, but is so overly flowery that it is hard to take it as more than satire.
Tale of Melibee:
The Tale of Melibee is the second attempt from Chaucer-the-pilgrim, and is generally more successful. Melibee is a lord who's household is attacked while he is away. Most notably, the attackers beat his wife and severely wound his daughter. Distraught, Melibee grieves for a period then calls a council of his neighbors. He is offered advice and support from the crowd, and declares that he will go to war against the attackers. His wife, however, takes Melibee aside and enters into a long dialectic with her husband, advising caution and temperance. This seems to be another example of Chaucer's interest in the wise wife able to make extensive and effective argumentation with a wide range of exempla (such as The Wife of Bath's Prologue). Also, the section in which Melibee's wife advises on the proper use of wealth is of specific relevance to my interests.
The Monk's Tale:
The Monk is asked to tell a jolly tale, as might be expected considering his dress and general demeanor. Instead, the Monk chooses to launch into a scattershot of seventeen exempla on tragedy of various types. The examples range from biblical to mythological to historical stories, and the specific theme of tragedy varies from tale to tale.
The Nun's Priest's Tale:
One of the more well known tales, the Nun's Priest's Tale is surprisingly well told and composed considering its previously quiet teller. The rooster of a yard, Chauntecleer, wakes in a fit after a nightmare involving his death at the hands of a fox. One of his seven wives attempts to calm him, advising laxatives, but Chauntecleer is not convinced as his parents both died at the fox's hands. Later, the fox arrives and, tricking the rooster's pride, is able to capture the bird. After successfully evading the pursuers, however, the fox is himself tricked as the rooster convinces him to taunt the pursuers. Once the fox opens his mouth Chauntecleer escapes and, regardless of the fox's attempts to convince him to fly back down, foils the fox's plans. The style of the tale mirror romances, and is generally rather amusing.
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