sentimental She cries even when she sees a mouse caught in a trap Chaucer says She wolde wepe if that she saugh a mouse Kaught in a trappe She would weep if she saw a mouse Caught in a trap She was well taught in table manners She never dipped her fingers too deeply in the sauce She eats neatly She never let a piece of food fall from her lips on her breast Chaucer says She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle She let no morsel fall from her lips She loves her little dogs more than the poor She feeds her little dogs roasted flesh and milk Her golden brooch bears the words Amor Vincit Omnia Love conquers all This shows her worldly heart Through her Chaucer humorously shows how religion and vanity are often mixed in the Church She is sweet delicate and graceful but not truly spiritual The Second Nun The Second Nun accompanies the Prioress Chaucer does not describe her deeply in the Prologue He says she is the Prioress s chapeleyne Chaucer says about her Another Nonne with hire hadde she That was hir chapeleyne She had another NUN with her Who was her secretary She represents the quiet sincere side of religious women Later in her own tale she tells a saint s story She speaks about Saint Cecilia This shows her purity and devotion Chaucer includes her to balance the false piety of the Prioress with real religious faith The Wife of Bath The most famous female character in The Canterbury Tales is the Wife of Bath Her real name is Alisoun She is bold talkative and full of life Chaucer says about her knowledge of romantic matters in such a way Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce She knew as it happened about remedies for love She already had five husbands but she is not tired of marriage She proudly says that she still wants another husband Her dress is bright and rich She is proud of her experience and travels She has been to Jerusalem Rome Boulogne and Cologne She is gat-tothed wide-toothed a sign of passion and energy Chaucer says Gat-tothed was she She had teeth widely set apart She rides boldly on her horse The Wife of Bath represents a new type of woman independent strong and worldly She speaks freely laughs loudly and enjoys life Chaucer paints her with both humour and admiration This makes her the first modern woman in English literature In The General Prologue Chaucer s female characters are drawn with warmth variety and realism The Prioress shows false gentleness The Second Nun shows quiet devotion and The Wife of Bath shows worldly strength and freedom Together they reflect medieval English womanhood its beauty weakness humour and power Through them Chaucer proves himself not only a great poet but also a wise observer of human life