By: Kylie Schwartz and Melisa By: Kylie Schwartz and Melisa ArcherArcher

Main Main CharactersCharacters: •The widow--mother of the choir boyThe widow--mother of the choir boy

•The widow’s son--a seven year old choir boy who went to The widow’s son--a seven year old choir boy who went to a catholic school and was deeply devoted to his religion. a catholic school and was deeply devoted to his religion.

•The Jews--had the widow’s son killed for singingThe Jews--had the widow’s son killed for singing Alma Alma RedemptorisRedemptoris

•The Provost--ordered the Jews death by hangingThe Provost--ordered the Jews death by hanging

•The Abbot--sprinkled Holy Water on the boy and The Abbot--sprinkled Holy Water on the boy and questioned how he could sing and talk.questioned how he could sing and talk.

Setting:Setting:The prioress’s tale takes place in a town in Asia where there is a The prioress’s tale takes place in a town in Asia where there is a

Jewry. At the far end of the town there was a Christian school where the Jewry. At the far end of the town there was a Christian school where the widow’s son went. He learned the song widow’s son went. He learned the song Alma RedemptorisAlma Redemptoris, which is about the , which is about the Virgin Mary. He walked through the Jewry singing this song. The Jews felt Virgin Mary. He walked through the Jewry singing this song. The Jews felt disrespected so they had someone slit the boys throat. His mother went disrespected so they had someone slit the boys throat. His mother went looking for him and found him by his singing of looking for him and found him by his singing of Alma RedemptorisAlma Redemptoris. All the . All the Christian folk from the neighborhood came running to see this miracle, and Christian folk from the neighborhood came running to see this miracle, and they called the Provost. The Provost had the Jews hung for their crime, and they called the Provost. The Provost had the Jews hung for their crime, and the abbot came with his monks. They sprinkled holy water on the boys body, the abbot came with his monks. They sprinkled holy water on the boys body, and he began to talk. They asked him how he could sing and talk, and the boy and he began to talk. They asked him how he could sing and talk, and the boy said the Virgin Mary placed a grain on his tongue so he could honor her until said the Virgin Mary placed a grain on his tongue so he could honor her until the grain was taken off. The abbot took the grain so the boy could go to the grain was taken off. The abbot took the grain so the boy could go to Heaven. They buried him in a marble tomb and he was named a martyr.Heaven. They buried him in a marble tomb and he was named a martyr. The theme of this tale has to do with being devoted to Christianity and The theme of this tale has to do with being devoted to Christianity and

Jews being evil.Jews being evil.

Genre of the Genre of the Tale:Tale:The genre of the Prioress’s Tale is “a Miracle of the Virgin”, a The genre of the Prioress’s Tale is “a Miracle of the Virgin”, a

common Christian genre of literature. It focuses on Christian common Christian genre of literature. It focuses on Christian devotion to the Virgin Mary, but at the same time has much devotion to the Virgin Mary, but at the same time has much anti-Semitism showing some corruption.anti-Semitism showing some corruption.

Source of the Source of the Tale:Tale:The source of the Prioress’s Tale is William HerebertThe source of the Prioress’s Tale is William Herebert

Contemporary Contemporary Counterparts:Counterparts:Contemporary counterparts to the Prioress’s Tale would be a Contemporary counterparts to the Prioress’s Tale would be a

story of a miracle. It could also be a story relating to justice story of a miracle. It could also be a story relating to justice

against an evil.against an evil.