Bring Out The Blend of Serious and Comic Elements in “The Nun’s Priest Tale.”

Answer

Bring out the blend of serious and comic elements in “The Nun’s Priest Tale.”

The blend of serious and comic elements aims to attack the societal immoral through comic and humorous tales or incidents. The famous mock-heroic epic “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” from the Middle English period (1066-1500) perfectly combines these two literary elements. Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400), the father of English literature, masterfully employs these elements to uphold contemporary society. In this discussion, we will know how he has blended the serious and comic elements.

Comical Elements

Comical Description of Chaunticleer: The narrator vividly describes Chaunticleer. This description is comical and makes you laugh. The narrator describes Chaunticleer in such a way it seems that Chaunticleer is an epic hero. Chaucer describes Chaunticleer’s physical appearance. Chaunticleer’s comb was redder than fine coral, his black bill shone like a jet, his enthusiasm was whiter than the lily, his legs and toes were blue, and his colour was like burnished gold. Chaucer rightly remarks about Chaunticleer,

His coomb was redder than the fyn coral

And betailled as it were a castle wal.

Comical Description of Pertelote: Chaucer gives Pertelote a romantic name, that is Dame Pertelote. This name is used only for a pretty and attractive lady. Comparing the beauty of a hen with a beautiful lady and admiring the hen is totally a comic element. In the Nun’s Priest’s Tale among the seven hens, Pertelote is Chaunticleer’s favorite wife for her ideal beauty. Chaunticleer says,

Madame Pertelote, so have I blis,

Of o thyng God hath sent me large grace;

For whan I se the beautee of youre face.

The Comical Dream Debate: Chanticleer and Lady Pertelote began to debate about the significance of dreams. This debate is highly comical. Pertelote expresses that she desires a husband who will be wise, generous, trustworthy, and brave, but not a coward like Chaunticleer. Here, she proves Chaunticleer a fool for his dream at the very outset of the debate.

Comical Comparison of a Fox with Judas: The comparison of Sir Russell with some notorious traitors like Judas, Sinon, and Ganelon is really comical. Actually, this comparison is shown based on the flattering characteristics of Sir Russell.

Comical Manner of the Fox: The impressive manner that the fox used to catch Chaunticleer is really comical. Again and again, he has tried to impress Chaunticleer. Sir Russell praises not only Chanticleers’s voice but also the voice of Chanticleers’s late father:

Save yow. I herde nevere man so synge

As dide youre fader in the morwenynge

(Except for you, I never heard anyone sing as your father did in the morning).

Finally, He was able to ensure Chaunticleer that he would not do any harm to him. But after getting the chance, he utilized it properly, though he became a fool to the ready wit of Chaunticleer.

Serious Elements

The Poor Widow’s Possessions:  The poem begins seriously enough. The first twenty-five lines describe a poor widow’s modest possessions, insufficient income, simple way of life, and simple diet. Reading these lines, we will be treated to a moralistic tale of human distress, mainly because of the reference to the widow having two daughters. Here, in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale”, Chaucer gives a vivid description of the plain and simple life of the widow.

No deyntee morsel passed through hir throte;

Her diete was accordant to hir cote;

Scene of Chaunticleer’s dream: Chanticleer has seen a dream that troubles him. However, upon learning the reason for his depression of spirits, Pertelote feels annoyed and scolds him for his cowardice. Any human wife might scold her husband in a similar situation. On the other hand, seen of the dream has taken high seriousness in the Chanticleer’s mind. 

Horrible Picture of Murder:  Chaucer remarks on several incidents of murder. The murder of a pilgrim between the two represents a horrible picture. Again, Andromache foresees the murder of her husband Hector. But Hector did not listen to her and was stained by Achilles. Chanticleer refers to the dream that Kenelm had seen shortly before he was murdered. These dreams refer to the horrible picture of Murder.

To sum up, “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” is a masterful blend of serious and comic elements. Through its themes of pride and deception, the tale imparts a serious message while entertaining readers with its witty dialogue, humorous depictions of animals, and satirical take on medieval fables. These comical scenes are highly ridiculous in the poem Nun’s Priest’s Tale. Chaucer added these scenes to make the audience laugh and never feel bored while reading his poem.