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Kahleb J. Plak

Argumentative Paper

ENG 100-32

14 November 2019

Anti-semitism in “The Prioress’ Tale”

Former U.S. Senator and Politician Paul Sabarnes once said, “Where Anti-

Semitism persists, the well being of all our people is at risk” which closely relates and can be

applied to the “Jewerye” or a ghetto, where all of the Jews (who make up ¼ of the population in

the town which the tale is set.) In this ghetto, is where the true antisemitism is shown, with

respect to the Jews being placed into a ghetto, as well as the mistreatment of them by the

Christians in the town. The Anti-Semitism in Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” is

represented by the mistreatment of Jews by the Christians in the small Asian town in which the

tale takes place. While the Prioress puts on a front of her being kind and caring, deep down she is

racist, and showcases Anti-Semitism against the jews in the town.

Within the Christian city in Asia, “Ther was in Asye, in a greet citee” (488) antisemitism

takes form of the Christian citizens of the town segregating and placing the Jews (¼ of the towns

population) into a ghetto, similar to what we have seen later in history, the Holocaust. In the tale,

the Prioress creates an opposition between Jews and Christians, Jews only concerned with power

and money, and Christians who are actually concerned with things that matter to society. This

ideology is revealed in the tale when the Prioress says, “For foule usure and lucre of vileynye, /

Hateful to Crist and to his compaignye” (491-92) disclosing that the Jews “ Hate christ and his

company” and only seek profits from life, instead of happiness. Further on in the tale, after the

young Christian boy is murdered for singing a song in the ghetto, the Jews are punished by the
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magistrate for these actions, “This provost dooth thise Jewes for to sterve that of this mordre

wiste, and that anon … Yvele shal have that yvele wol deserve, Therfore with wilde hors he did

hem drawe, and after that he hung hem by the lawe” (629-34) this quote reveals the “eye for an

eye” ideology that our current society knows well, and shows that the Jews were torn apart by

horses, then hung for public display, just for the murder of the child. Throughout the reading of

the Prioress’ Tale, it is revealed slowly that the Prioress herself is racist, based off of her

descriptions, and the inclusion of these events in her tale.

In Pope Gregory X’s speech on the Christian Mistreatment of Jews, Gregory X mentions

the situation that is experienced in the Prioress’ Tale, “Since it happens occasionally that some

Christians … and of making sacrifices of the heart and blood of these very children” (pg. 485)

this reveals that Gregory X was aware of the antisemitism that is being experienced in the world,

and he also recognizes that the Jews have struck back, and will continue to fight back against it.

In respect to the living conditions in the Prioress’ Tale, Gregory X says “Moreover no Christian

shall presume to seize, imprison, wound, torture, mutilate, kill, or inflict violence on them” (pg

485) which is quite contrary to what is mentioned in the tale, about the Jews being held in a

“ghetto” as well as many vivid descriptions of the mistreatment of the Jews.

The “Prioress’ Tale” provides insight into how bad the situation of the Christians vs.

Jews truly is, and opens the eyes of the reader to the mistreatment of normal human beings, just

because of their religion. However, it is her that is racist as well, not just the people of the town.

The placement of the Jews into Ghettos, as well as the dehumanization that is experienced by the

Jews caused by the Christians, easily can be summarized as anti-semitism.

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Works Cited

The Prioress' Prologue and Tale -- An Interlinear Translation,

sites.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/teachslf/pri-par.htm.

“The Prioress' Tale.” The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer, Popular Classics

Publishing, 2012.