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Use of Digressions as a Rhetorical Device in The Nun’s Priest’s Tale

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The Nun's Priest's Tale is a notable literary work by Geoffrey Chaucer. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of The Nun's Priest's Tale.

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Discuss Chaucer’s Use of Digressions as a Rhetorical Device in The Nun’s Priest’s Tale

Digression is a literary device that refers to the temporary departure from the main subject in a speech, writing, or literature. This can be referred to as a barrier when reading literature. When a reader starts to read any literary work, he is diversified from the main action. 

The reader finds background information, an example or anecdote, creates anxiety, establishes the reader’s interest, a character’s motivation, and so on. After that narrative part, the author returns to the main action. Chaucer uses digression several times in the poem The Nun’s Priest’s Tale. 

Main Function of Digression in The Nun’s Priest’s Tale: Through anecdotes, Chaucer emphasizes an idea that is one of the functions of digression. For getting the attraction and attachment of the readers, Chaucer uses anecdotes as well as examples in The Nun’s Priest’s Tale.

Digression Is Revealed in the Dream Debate: To prove the futility of dreams, Pertelote gives examples. On the other hand, Chaunticleer mentioned two anecdotes to prove that dreams are true and that they signify something. Pertelote stated that Chaunticleer is very worried about his dream. So Pertelote tries to cheer him up. She says that his dream is just the result of overeating. She gives the luminous example of a Roman historian and orator, Cato,

Regard dreams as of no impertinence.

Dreams mean nothing. Then Pertelote advised her husband to be cheerful and not to be worried about his terrible dream. In reply, Chaunticleer mentioned several anecdotes as digressions in the main story.

Anecdote of Two Pilgrims: Once, two best friends went on a pilgrimage. On the way back, they came into a city where they did not find a single cottage together for the night. They have to stay in separate places. One friend stayed in a stall with oxen, and another lodged well who dreamt his friend saying that he would be murdered tonight. The man woke up and took the dream just as a

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