At the beginning of the prologue, Chaucer informs the audience that he will
“Tell you al the condicioun of eech of hem, so as it seemed me, and whiche they were, and of what degree,” and as a result give the readers insight as to what he believes the characters to be like. Going into his characterization of the knight, it seems as if Chaucer is going to have a very optimistic and genuine appreciation towards all the characters. Chaucer describes the knight with nothing but positive connotation as seen when he says the knight “never yi not villainye ne said in al his lif unto no manere wight: He was a verray, parfit, gentil knight.” It is evident that Chaucer depicts the knight as genuinely noble and kind. His positive characterization of the knight creates a sharp contrast with his depiction of the prioresse. While Chaucer begins complimenting the prioresse by describing as “charitable and so pitous” and “ful plesant and amiable of port” there is a sense of irony detected in his description of her. Although the prioresse would weep when she saw a dead mouse as seen by the quote “she wolde weepe if that she saw a mous caught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde,” it is clear that she is trying to create a façade. In the next line Chaucer describes how the prioresse would feed the flesh of dead animals to hounds when he says that “of smale houndes hadde she fedde with rosted flesh.” By reflecting on the Prioresse feeding animals with flesh directly after talking about the Prioresse crying over dead animals, Chaucer is intentionally sardonic. However, it is clear that there is an obvious difference between Chaucers point of view as the man observing “eech of hem as it seemd to [him]” and Chaucer as the author of the story. While Chaucers character is more naïve and doesn’t realize the superficiality of the Prioresse, the author does which is why he includes the ironic excerpts. There are other examples of the superficiality of the Prioresse. Chaucer uses words like “coy” and “fetisly” to portray the Prioresse as an elegant and dainty woman. However, he later describes the Prioresses’ physical stature as more masculine by describing her forehead as “almost a span brood” implying that is broad. It is evident that the prioresse tries very to appear lady like and classy, as seen through the quotes “and frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly” and “in cuteisye was set ful muchel hir lest.” It is interesting that Chaucer focuses so much on the Prioresses’s good manners and grace given the occupation of a priorreresse. Throughout the prologue he barely discusses the prioresses’ devotion to god. Given the time period, it seems likely that a prioreresse would be a very simple, unembellished, and religious woman but it is not the case in this situation. The prioresse wears embellished clothing as seen by her “paire of beedes, gauded all with greene” and “brooch of gold ful sheene.” From what it seems, the prioresse tries very hard to project a superficial part of her that appears to be very ladylike even if it is not necessarily true.