A Rambunctious Romp: Delving into Chaucer’s “The Miller’s Tale”

Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” is a treasure trove of stories, each contributing a vibrant thread to the tapestry of characters on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. Amongst this motley crew, one tale stands out for its earthy humor and playfulness – “The Miller’s Tale.” So, let’s dive into the riotous world of this particular story and analyze its elements.

The character of the Miller, robust and boisterous, is not just a teller, but part of the tale.

As the pilgrims travel, they engage in a storytelling contest. The Knight, a figure of nobility and chivalry, goes first, spinning a romantic tale of courtly love. The Miller, inebriated and eager, boisterously insists on going next, claiming his tale is a counterweight to the Knight’s polished yarn.

Set in Oxford, “The Miller’s Tale” revolves around a carpenter named John, his young wife Alison, a student (Nicholas) who boards with them, and a dim-witted parish clerk named Absolon.

Nicholas and Alison start an affair behind John’s back. Nicholas, known for studying astrology, convinces the gullible John that a great flood, akin to Noah’s, is imminent.

Nicholas suggests that they should hang three tubs from the roof and sit in them until the flood subsides. John believes him and does as suggested. Meanwhile, Nicholas and Alison enjoy their time together in John’s house.

Absolon, infatuated with Alison, comes to the window to serenade her.

Get quality help now

Writer Lyla

Verified

Proficient in: Literature

5 (876)

“ Have been using her for a while and please believe when I tell you, she never fail. Thanks Writer Lyla you are indeed awesome ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

She plays a trick on him which involves a very bawdy prank. Later, Absolon returns with a hot poker, and in a series of comical events, he and Nicholas end up hurting each other.

John, awakened by the ruckus, cuts the rope holding his tub, thinking the flood has arrived. He crashes to the floor, and the townspeople find him mad. The tale concludes with Nicholas and Alison successfully fooling everyone into believing that it was Nicholas’s enchantment that caused the strange events.

“The Miller’s Tale” is rich in the comedic tradition of fabliau. It incorporates bawdy humor, physical comedy, and clever deceptions. The farcical elements exaggerate the characters’ foolishness, particularly John’s and Absolon’s, and the wit of Nicholas and Alison. It is a lively, raucous story, in stark contrast to the chivalric romance of the Knight’s Tale.

The tale can be seen as a satirical commentary on aspects of medieval society. The gullibility of John reflects the populace’s naivety, while Nicholas’s cunning represents the manipulative nature of some members of the intellectual class. Alison embodies the challenge to the rigid, moralistic codes of the time.

“The Miller’s Tale” is a rollicking, boisterous story that adds a touch of earthy humor to “The Canterbury Tales.” Its place right after the Knight’s tale is no accident. It’s a palette cleanser, a jester’s jig in the middle of a noble court. Through outrageous antics and lively characters, Chaucer gives us not just a story, but a window into the diverse and teeming life of medieval England. And a figure of nobility and chivalry, goes first, spinning a romantic tale of courtly love. And farcical elements exaggerate the characters’ foolishness.