The Canterbury Tales | The Miller's Tale Summary & Analysis | Geoffrey Chaucer
Summary
TLDRIn 'The Miller's Tale' from Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales,' the story humorously revolves around a carpenter, his young wife Alison, and two suitors, Nicolas and Absalon. Nicolas deceives the carpenter with a fake flood prophecy, leading to a series of comical misunderstandings and tricks. The tale is a fabliau, highlighting social class contrasts and dramatic irony, culminating in a chaotic and comical climax that leaves readers questioning the morality and humor of the situation.
Takeaways
- 📜 The Miller's Tale is one of the stories in Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales', known for its humor and satire.
- 🍻 The story is introduced by Harry Bailey, who notes that the Miller, being drunk, might tell a tale that could be offensive to some.
- 🏠 It revolves around a carpenter named John, his wife Alison, and a lodger named Nicholas.
- 🎓 Nicholas is a student who is clever and charming, and he makes advances towards Alison, who agrees to meet him later.
- 💘 Another character, Absalon, a young parish clerk, also desires Alison and tries to win her love with gifts.
- 🌊 A key plot device is Nicholas's fake prophecy of a flood, which he uses to trick John into preparing for a non-existent disaster.
- 🤓 Nicholas and Alison use the flood ruse to secretly meet for an affair, while John is asleep in a tub.
- 🔥 Absalon, seeking a kiss from Alison, is tricked into kissing her behind, and later tries to get revenge with a hot iron.
- 😱 The plan goes awry when Nicholas is branded with the hot iron, and the noise wakes John, causing chaos.
- 🎭 The tale is an example of fabliau, a genre characterized by humorous and often bawdy stories that play with social norms.
- 🤔 The story uses dramatic irony, where the audience knows more than the characters, to heighten the comedic effect.
- 🤔 The tale ends with a twist that leaves readers questioning the morality of the characters and the humor of the situation.
Q & A
What is the setting of 'The Miller's Tale' in 'The Canterbury Tales'?
-The setting is within the context of a storytelling competition among a group of pilgrims on a journey to Canterbury.
Who initiates the storytelling turn in 'The Miller's Tale'?
-Harry Bailey, the innkeeper, initiates the storytelling turn by indicating it is the monk's turn, but the Miller interrupts and insists on telling his story.
What kind of story does the Miller claim to have?
-The Miller claims to have a story about a carpenter's wife, which is a tale that contrasts with the moral and virtuous themes of the Knight's Tale.
What is the profession of the main character in 'The Miller's Tale'?
-The main character is an old carpenter named John.
Who are the two young men that compete for Alison's love in the story?
-The two young men are a student named Nicolas and a young parish clerk named Absalon.
What is the elaborate plan devised by Nicolas and Alison in the story?
-Nicolas and Alison devise a plan where Nicolas pretends to have a biblical revelation about a flood, advising to hang tubs with provisions from the ceiling to float away during the flood.
How does Absalon attempt to win Alison's love?
-Absalon attempts to win Alison's love by offering gifts and hoping to get a kiss from her through the window.
What trick does Alison play on Absalon when he comes to the window for a kiss?
-In the dark, Alison tricks Absalon by sticking out her naked behind instead of her face, leading him to unknowingly kiss her behind.
What is the dramatic irony in 'The Miller's Tale'?
-The dramatic irony lies in the fact that the reader is aware of Alison and Nicolas's plan for an affair, which the carpenter is oblivious to.
What is the outcome of the trick played on Absalon, and how does it affect the story?
-The outcome of the trick is that Absalon, enraged, returns with a hot iron intending to mark Alison, but instead, Nicolas is branded by the hot iron when he unknowingly plays along with the trick.
How does the tale end, and what is the reader's reaction to it?
-The tale ends with the carpenter's tub crashing through the house due to the commotion, revealing the deception. The reader's reaction is mixed, with some finding humor in the situation while others may feel sympathy for the carpenter, questioning the morality of the joke.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to 'The Miller's Tale'
The paragraph introduces 'The Miller's Tale' from Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales'. It sets the scene at the inn where the tales are being told. The Miller, despite being drunk, insists on telling a story that might not align with the moral standards of the gentlefolk. The story revolves around a carpenter named John, his wife Alison, a student lodger named Nicolas, and a young parish clerk named Absalon. It foreshadows a tale of trickery and humor, contrasting with the moral and virtuous themes of the 'Knight's Tale'.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡The Miller's Tale
💡Fabliau
💡Harry Bailey
💡John the Carpenter
💡Alison
💡Nicolas
💡Absolon
💡Dramatic Irony
💡Moral Codes
💡Social Class
💡Comic Relief
Highlights
The Miller's Tale in The Canterbury Tales is enjoyed by the company, especially the gentle folk.
Harry Bailey indicates it is the monk's turn to tell a story, but the drunk Miller interjects.
Chaucer forewarns that the Miller's Tale may not suit those who prefer moral stories.
The tale features an old carpenter named John who takes a student, Nicolas, as a lodger.
Nicolas is clever and charming, while John's wife Alison is young and pretty.
Nicolas makes advances towards Alison, who agrees to meet him later.
A young parish clerk, Absalon, also desires Alison and tries to win her love with gifts.
Alison is in love with Nicolas, not Absalon, despite his attempts.
Nicolas and Alison devise an elaborate plan involving a fake flood预言.
The carpenter, believing the flood story, prepares by stocking tubs with provisions.
While the carpenter sleeps in his tub, Nicolas and Alison sneak out for an affair.
Absalon visits Alison's home, hoping for a kiss, which leads to a trick.
Alison tricks Absalon into kissing her behind, angering him.
Absalon seeks revenge by getting a hot iron from the blacksmith.
Nicolas is branded by the hot iron when he also falls for the trick.
The commotion wakes the carpenter, leading to the destruction of his home.
The tale is an example of fabliaux, a genre known for humorous stories involving sexual shenanigans.
Normal moral codes are suspended in this tale, contrasting with other moral stories.
Alison is presented as a contrast to the virtuous Emily from the Knight's Tale.
Social class is highlighted through the competition for Alison's love by two middle-class men.
Dramatic irony is used, where the reader knows information unknown to the characters.
The unexpected fall of the carpenter's tub adds to the tale's comedic effect.
The tale leaves readers questioning whether the ending is truly humorous.
Transcripts
in the Millers tale in The Canterbury
Tales trouser notes that the company
especially the gentle folk enjoyed the
Knight's Tale Harry Bailey says it is
the monks turn to tell the story the
Miller who is drunk says he has a story
to tell about a carpenter
that's wife Chaucer warns this tale may
not be to the liking of those who prefer
morality good breeding or saintliness
the Millers tale precedes an old
carpenter named John takes a student as
a lodger the student Nicolas is clever
and charming John's wife Alison is young
and pretty
one day Nicolas makes advances to Alison
she promises that they could meet later
a young parish clerk Absalon also
desires Alison and hopes to win her love
with gifts but she is in love with
Nikolas Nikolas and Alison make an
elaborate plan Nikolas pretends he's had
a biblical revelation that there will be
a terrible flood he advises stocking
three tubs with provisions and hanging
them up with ropes so when the
floodwaters rise they can just float
away
the carpenter believes Nikolas and makes
preparations when John falls asleep in
his tub Nikolas and Alison sneak out of
theirs to have sex meanwhile Absalon
goes to the carpenter's home to see if
he can get a kiss from Alison he says he
will go away if she'll just give him a
kiss through the window it is dark and
as a trick she sticks out her naked
behind he kisses it and is enraged with
this trick he goes to the blacksmith and
gets a hot iron to bring back to
Alison's this time it is Nikolas who
sticks his bare buttocks out the window
to get in on the trickery only to be
branded by the hot iron all the uproar
wakes the carpenter and his tub bars
crashing through the house all the way
down to the cellar
this tale is an example of fab leo
a humorous story that usually features
sexual shenanigans and outlandish tricks
normal moral codes are temporarily
suspended in tails like these Alison a
young beauty who agrees without much
persuasion to have sex with Nicolas is
presented as a contrast to the virtuous
Emily in the Knight's Tale social class
is a point of contrast in this tale to
two young men of the emerging middle
class of clerks scholars and teachers
compete for her love dramatic irony is
used in which the reader has important
information not known to the characters
in the story to increase the tales
comedic effect Alison and Nicolas are
planning an affair but the carpenter
does not know the sudden fall of the
carpenter Ernest Tubb is the unexpected
final straw this revelation about the
outcome for the carpenter may elicit
laughs and some and stir sympathies in
other readers leaving them to wonder
whether the joke was really funny after
all
[Music]
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