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The Parson's Tale seems, from the evidence of its prologue, to have been intended as the final tale of Geoffrey Chaucer's poetic cycle ''The Canterbury Tales''. The "tale", which is the longest of all the surviving contributions by Chaucer's pilgrims, is in fact neither a story nor a poem, but a long and unrelieved prose treatise on penance.〔"Though spoken by a parish priest to a group of listeners, The Parson's Tale is formally not a sermon or a homily but a handbook on penance." Oxford Press ''Riverside Chaucer'' Third Edition, 1988, "Explanatory Notes", p. 956〕 Critics and readers are generally unclear what rhetorical effect Chaucer may have intended by ending his cycle in this unlikely, extra-generic fashion. == Framing narrative == In the prologue to the tale, the host asks the Parson for a fable (the form used earlier with such apparent success by the Nun's Priest) but the Parson refuses with a round condemnation of fable stories, saying instead that he will tell an improving tale in prose since he can neither rhyme nor alliterate. It is also of interest that the host seems to be in some doubt as to the identity of the Parson, since he asks him to introduce himself: :''"Sire preest," quod he,, "artow a vicary?'' :''Or arte a person? Sey, sooth, by thy fey!'' :''Be what thou be, ne breke thou nat oure pley;'' :''For every man, save thou, hath toold his tale.'' (''Parson's Prologue,'' lines 22-5) Some idea of Chaucer's intended structure for the ''Canterbury Tales'' may be gleaned from this "final" prologue. The host speaks of ''al myn ordinaunce'' (being) ''almoost fulfild'' and says that the company ''lakketh...no tales mo than oon.'' Since known tales do not exist for all of the pilgrims, and since none reach the projected total of four tales each outlined in the ''General Prologue'', the host's remarks give a further indication of the way in which Chaucer's ultimate scheme for the cycle either was not realised or has not survived. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Parson's Tale」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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