The Canterbury Tales · Chapter
The Second Nun's Tale explained
The Second Nun recounts the life and martyrdom of Saint Cecilia, a noble Roman virgin who converts her husband Valerian and his brother Tiburce to Christianity.
What happens
The Second Nun recounts the life and martyrdom of Saint Cecilia, a noble Roman virgin who converts her husband Valerian and his brother Tiburce to Christianity. She withstands persecution under Prefect Almachius, survives an attempted execution by fire in a bath, and is finally beheaded after three strokes, spending her last days preaching and converting others.
Themes in this chapter
Sin and Redemption
Cecilia's martyrdom exemplifies redemption through faith and suffering, contrasting the sin of idolatry with Christian salvation.
Corruption and Hypocrisy in the Church
Almachius represents corrupt secular authority that persecutes true believers, while the tale upholds the purity of the early Church.
Gender and Power
Cecilia, as a woman, exercises spiritual authority over men, converting her husband and brother-in-law and boldly confronting the prefect.
Characters to notice
- The Second Nun
Narrator of the tale; invokes the Virgin Mary and explains the meaning of Cecilia's name.
- Cecile
Saint Cecilia, a devout Christian virgin who converts her husband and brother-in-law, withstands Almachius, and is martyred.
- Saint Urban
The Pope who baptizes Valerian and Tiburce, and later receives Cecilia's converts and belongings.
- Almachius
The Roman prefect who interrogates and condemns Cecilia to death.
- Tiburce
Brother of Valerian, converted by Cecilia, baptized by Urban, and martyred alongside Valerian.
Key passages
“The minister and norice unto vices, Which that men call in English idleness, The porter at the gate is of delices; T' eschew, and by her contrar' her oppress— That is to say, by lawful business — Well oughtë we to do our all intent, Lest that the fiend through idleness us hent.”
Idleness is the nurse of vices and the gatekeeper of pleasures; we should avoid it by engaging in lawful work, lest the devil catch us through laziness.
The Second Nun opens with a moral warning against idleness, framing her tale as a productive spiritual exercise.
“And, for that faith is dead withoutë werkës, For to workë give me wit and space, That I be quit from thennes that most derk is;”
Since faith without works is dead, grant me wisdom and time to act, so I may escape the darkest place.
Cecilia's invocation echoes the Epistle of James, emphasizing the necessity of good works alongside faith.
“Lo, right so as the love of Christ, quoth she, Made me thy brother's wife, right in that wise Anon for mine allý here take I thee, Since that thou wilt thine idolës despise.”
Just as Christ's love made me your brother's wife, I now take you as my ally because you reject idols.
Cecilia welcomes Tiburce into the Christian community after he renounces paganism.
“I speakë not but steadfastly, quoth she, Not proudly, for I say, as for my side, We hatë deadly thilkë vice of pride.”
I speak only truth, not out of pride, for we Christians mortally hate the vice of pride.
Cecilia defends her boldness before Almachius, distinguishing steadfastness from pride.
“Three strokës in the neck he smote her tho, The tórmentor, but for no manner chance He might not smite her fairë neck in two: And, for there was that time an ordinance That no man shouldë do man such penánce, The fourthë stroke to smitë, soft or sore, This tórmentor he durstë do no more;”
The executioner struck her three times on the neck but could not sever it; because of a law forbidding a fourth stroke, he left her half-dead.
Cecilia's incomplete beheading allows her three more days to preach and convert before dying.
