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The Host’s Interruption of Chaucer
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Canterbury Tales, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Social Satire
Competition
Courtly Love and Sexual Desire
Friendship and Company
Church Corruption
Writing and Authorship
Summary
Analysis
After the depressing Monk’s Tale, the Knight begs that no more tragedies be told, saying that they need some pleasure to set the balance right. The Host agrees and turns to the Nun’s Priest, who is travelling with the Prioress and the Second Nun, and asks for a merry tale. The Nun’s Priest says that he is happy to oblige the company.
The Nun’s Priest is barely mentioned in the General Prologue, yet he gets to tell one of the most memorable and lively of the Tales.
Themes
