In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, thirty pilgrims journey to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury. During their voyage, each tells stories that make up "The Canterbury Tales." Each tale holds a moral, told by a peculiar diversity of people. Chaucer develops two very strong women, the Wife of Bath and the Prioress, who are as different as night and day, yet with subtle similarities.

The features of the graceful Prioress are far from the vigorous Wife of Bath. The Prioress is described as having a fine nose and "eyes as grey as glass", soft, red lips, a fairly spread forehead (The Prologue, 153-154), and a cloak with a "graceful charm" (The Prologue, 157). She wears a trinket on her arm reading "Amor vincit omnia" (The Prologue, 158-162), which means "Love conquers all." This gives her a dainty, delicate appeal. However, the Wife of Bath is coarse. "Bold was...