The significance difference between the death of Virginia and the death of Jephtha's daughter is that Virginia rejoices that she will die a virgin, and Jephtha's daughter grieved that, by dying a virgin, her life would be unfulfilled. The pathetic speech in which Virginia chooses death rather than the dishonor involved in losing her virginity can be found in many treatises of the time, but it rings false when she invokes the example of Jephtha. Likewise, the pleas of the daughter Virginia ring false even though the description of Virginia's maidenly virtues and her chastity are found in many treatises on virginity, the reader should remember that these works were written by men to apply only to young women.
It tests the reader's credulity to hear of the father, who symbolically idolizes his perfect daughter, brutally cutting off her head and then, like a barbarian, taking it by the hair and carrying it to the judge. We do not even learn the name of this ideal person (Virginia) until line 213, about three-quarters of the way through the tale. Lady Nature, a personified abstraction, speaks of her marvelous construction as though Virginia were a piece of statuary, creating in the reader's mind an image of Virginia not as a person but as a wondrous figurine, artfully contrived. The Physician introduces Virginia in highly artificial terms. But always with Chaucer, the value of the tale lies in the narration.
As a moral allegory, the tale lies in the tradition of many moral allegories of the fourteenth century. The child, Virginia, represents Christian purity (virginity), and the false judge, Appius, may be identified with impurity. The wicked judge hangs himself when thrown in prison, and his henchman, Claudius, and the other conspirators are exiled or hanged. Viewing the tale as a moral allegory, it is the story of a man (Virginius - one who upholds purity) who, to save his virtuous daughter from a wicked judge (Appius), cuts off her head. For some, it is part romance, part moral allegory, and part realistic horror. Many Chaucerian critics find this tale to be among the weakest, the least well constructed, and direly lacking in motivation. The Physician concludes his tale with the moral that "the wages of sin is Death" and let everyone forsake his sins. Claudius is to be hanged, but the knight pleads mercy and suggests exile instead. The judge orders the knight hanged for murder, but a throng of citizens, aroused by the Apius' treachery, imprisons the judge. Then she faints, and her father "smote off her head." Virginius returns to the judge and hands him Virginia's head. So do your will upon me ("Blissed be God, that I shal dye a mayde! / Yif me my deeth, er that I have a shame / Do with youre child youre wyl"). Virginia tells her father: "Blessed be God that I shall die a Maid (virgin), / I take my death rather than take my shame. She must, he says, accept either death or shame at the hands of Claudius and Apius. Virginius returns home and calls his daughter into his presence. Before Virginius can defend himself, the evil judge orders that the young girl be brought immediately to the court.
In court before Judge Appius, Claudius falsely accuses Virginius of having stolen a servant girl (Virginia) from his house many years ago and keeping her all these years, pretending that she is his daughter.
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