How does the narrator in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” make the story seem epic and heroic? How do the word choice and phrasing affect the narration?

How does the narrator in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” make the story seem epic and heroic? How do the word choice and phrasing affect the narration?

Answer:

“The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” from Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” is a story that, while not strictly epic in the classical sense, does employ certain elements and techniques to make it seem heroic and epic in nature.

1. Grandiosity of Language: The narrator often uses grandiose language and employs poetic devices such as alliteration, metaphor, and simile to elevate the story. This lends an air of importance to the events being described, making them seem more epic.
2. Elevated Tone: The tone of the narrator is often elevated, emphasizing the significance of the events taking place. This creates a sense of grandeur and heroism, even in the midst of a story about a rooster and a fox.
3. Moral Lessons: Like many epics, “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” contains moral lessons and teachings. The characters face challenges and must overcome them, displaying virtues such as courage, wit, and perseverance.
4. Heroic Characters: Though the characters may be animals, they are depicted in a way that emphasizes their heroic qualities. For example, Chanticleer the rooster is portrayed as brave and wise, while the fox, despite being a trickster figure, possesses cunning and intelligence.
5. Narrative Structure: The structure of the tale, with its clear beginning, middle, and end, echoes the structure of many epic narratives. There is a journey, obstacles to overcome, and a resolution that brings about a sense of closure and triumph.

Overall, the combination of grand language, moral teachings, heroic characters, and narrative structure creates a sense of epicness in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” despite its relatively small scale compared to classical epics like “The Iliad” or “The Odyssey.”