Chaucer’s Treatment of Dreams in The Nun’s Priest’s Tale

Answer

Evaluate Chaucer’s treatment of dreams in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale. 

Or, Write a note on dream debate in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale.”

The English poet and civil servant Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400) is the father of English poetry. He is best known for his remarkable creations, including The Parlement of Foules, Troilus and Criseyde, and The Canterbury Tales. In “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” one of The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer utilizes dreams to seek meaning in human life. Here is a point-based discussion with meaningful references to display Chaucer’s treatment of dreams in the poem. 

Dream of Chaunticleer: One morning, Chaunticleer wakes up terrified from a bad dream. He describes Pertelote as his dream that a scary red beast was swallowing him. Pertelote rebukes him and claims him to be a coward. She also says that she cannot love a coward. She mentions the Roman philosopher Cato (234-149 BC), who forbids the fear of dreams.

She thinks Chaunticleer’s dream comes from feeling sick and suggests taking medicine to help him feel better. She thinks it is just some nasty stuff in his body making him dream scary things. She says Chaunticleer’s bad dream comes from his overeating and suggests taking medicine to help him feel better. She says taking no importance of the dream in the following manner:

“Attach no importance of dreams.”

However, Chaunticleer refuses to take laxatives and mentions various references to prove the meaning of dreams. 

Dream of The Two Pilgrims: Chaunticleer first narrates the story of two pilgrims who were two best friends. Chaucer relates,

“That on a time two comrades went

On pilgrimage, and all in good intent;”

They went to a small town for a pilgrimage. However, they did not find a single cottage to stay in at night. They had to stay at different residences. One friend stayed in a stall with oxen, and another housed well. The later friend dreamt of his friend saying that he would be murdered tonight. He did not pay any heed to the dream.

Later, in his second dream, he saw his friend saying that he had already been murdered and described every detail of the murder. The following day, he woke up and found his friend’s dead body in a dung-cast. That dream was absolutely true.

Dream of the Two Sailors: In the second tale, a man is commended in his dreams to refrain from setting sail in the morning, as the ship will meet a wreck on that day. But the other man does not hear him and declares he does not care about his dream. This dream also comes true. The man starts his journey, and accidentally, the ship sank. Chaunticleer makes several other references from history to prove his viewpoint. He reminds Pertelote of St. Kenelim. He saw his own murder in a dream. 

Biblical Reference of Dream: Chaunticleer tells Pertelote to read about Daniel’s and Joseph’s interpretation of dreams. Daniel said the king’s dream was about a giant statue that was destroyed by a stone cut out of a mountain. The statue represented the kingdoms of the earth. The stone cut out of the mountain represented the kingdom of God that would fill the earth.

Joseph once dreamed eleven bundles of grain, each representing one of his brothers, bowed to his bundle. In another dream, which Joseph faithfully recounted, the sun represented his father, the moon represented his mother, and eleven stars represented his brothers, all bowed to him.

Mythological Reference to a Dream: Chaunticleer also referred to mythology. He reminded Pertelote about Andromache’s dream. She dreamt that Hector, her husband, would lose her life if that day he went to the battlefield. But Hector did not pay any attention to her. He went to fight against Achilles, and he was slain by him. 

The Authenticity of Chaunticleer’s Dream: Pertelote finally realizes that dreams should not be ignored when Sir Russell catches Chaunticleer by the throat and carries him off toward the wood. 

In conclusion, dreams are an inevitable part of human life. Chaucer masterfully treats this subject in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale.” Chanticleer believes in the significance of dreams, whereas his beloved Pertelote considers dreams to be meaningless things. Though Chanticleer initially agrees with his beloved, he brings some allusions to prove the dream is meaningful. As the story progresses, the dream comes true. Chanticleer is entrapped by a fox and is tried to be killed.