What Is An Example Of Marxism In The Miller's Tale

In the stories told in the Canterbury Tales we see various examples of Marxism. This economic and political theory states that capitalism causes separation of the working class and the owning class. In The Canterbury Tales, the idea of social classes coming together to produce a change, power developed through propaganda and the upper class keeping the lower class ignorant shows how Chaucer has chosen to agree with Marxism and also go against the theory. The Canterbury Tales begins with different social classes coming together to produce a change. In the prologue we see Chaucer going against the theory of Marxism. The pilgrims have come together to ride to Canterbury to see the holy martyr. Chaucer who is the narrator in the story introduces us to the many different people going on the pilgrimage. We see people of high social class, such as The Knight and lower class, such as the miller. The idea of everyone coming together

The Miller tries to tell his tale after the Knight is finished, but the host sees his status and intoxication and tells him “We’ll get some better man to tell another.” (Pg 103) The host wants the Monk to tell his story next because he is the next highest rank after the knight. The Miller takes over and tells his tale, by this we see him challenging the system of social classes. The narrator also warns us that the story that is about to be told is going to be unpleasant. “So if this tale had better not be heard, Just run the page and choose another sort;” (Pg 104) The shift from hearing the story told by the knight’s tale, to reading the millers tale is an example of antithesis. The miller is drunk, rude and vulgar, unlike the knight who is chivalrous. Chaucer is trying to express the struggles of the lower class during his lifetime. Constantly the lower classes are forced to submit to the upper class, but the Miller finally takes a stand against the