In The Canterbury Tales, most of the pilgrims that are in the clergy are symbolic of the clergy of the time, aside from the Parson. As Chaucer was writing The Canterbury Tales, the church and its members are quite corrupt with influences of money and appearance. The clergy members who are supposed to be chaste are having sexual relations, those members who are to be making only enough money to survive are becoming wealthy, and only a small percentage are obeying the age-old laws of the church. In The Canterbury Tales, the Prioress, Parson, Friar, and Monk represented the clergy of the time period in conjunction with the corruption of the church.

The Prioress's name is Madame Eglantine, and she is the most ladylike woman anyone could ever hope to meet. She makes every effort to be refined and elegant, and cares deeply for God's lesser creatures. In...