“The Miller’s Tale”, a fabliau by Geoffrey Chaucer, centers on the lives of three different men and their rivalry to win the attention of a the same woman. Despite their common goal to keep the heroine for themselves, each of the three male characters use their own unique method of treating Alison. Chaucer, through the Miller’s voice, characterizes Nicholas as a crafty and provocative manipulator that serves as a foil and superior to both John’s naïve trust and Absolom’s subtle infatuation, highlighting the fabliau’s theme of cleverness over morality. Although both John and Nicholas succeed in having Alison in their own way, John’s trusting and innocent love for Alison contrasts with that of Nicholas’ deceitful and selfish lust, emphasizing …show more content…
Absalom, who tries to appeal to Alison with superficial expressions of romance, such as, “What do you, honeycomb, sweet Alison? My cinnamon, my fair bird, my sweetie… O darling mine…Truly, sweetheart, I have such love-longing That like a turtle-dove's my true yearning” receives no interest from her, as she exclaims, “…quoth Absalom, and welaway! That true love ever was so ill beset!” (512-520, 528-529). Despite his attempts to mask his lust with words of love, Absalom still fails to win the affection of Alison. However, Absalmon insists, and begs, “kiss me, since you'll do no more, my pet, For Jesus' love and for the love of me” (530-531). Absalom resorts to a desperate and stubborn plea for a kiss, revealing his underlying intentions for a sexual pleasure similar to that of Nicholas’. However, similar to John, Absalom’s gullibility causes him to meet unfortunate consequences, and fails to obtain the pleasure he sought from Alison. Although both Absalom and Nicholas share the same immortal attitude towards Alison, Nicholas’ blunt desire for sex and well-versed abilities in cleverness trumps Absalom’s initially obscure requests and foolish desperation. Once again, Chaucer conveys the theme of cleverness over morality by presenting Absalom’s originally hesitant lust and stupidity in a negative manner, thereby emphasizing Nicholas’ immoral and clever character as the favorable
Miller presents the character of John Proctor in an important way to show two sides to his character. These qualities make him have the most important role in ‘The Crucible.’ The key events that show him in this way is when the audience find out about the affair, how he tries to defend his wife, his confession in court and his hanging for the sake of others. Through the events in The Crucible, Miller then portrays John Proctor’s character with tension and suspense. This then makes the audience question whether or not he is a good man.
This begins with the description of Nicholas. Chaucer depicts Nicholas’ personality as ‘sleigh and ful privee’ instantly makin...
8. To get revenge, Absalom borrows a red-hot poker from a blacksmith and returns to Allison's window. He begs her once more to come out for a kiss, but little does she know he has a surprise for her. Thinking he was clever, Nicholas sticks his butt out the window and suddenly farts in Absalom’s face. Quickly, Absalom plunges the red-hot poker in Nicholas’s butt and he screams. “He was ready with his iron hot and Nicholas right in the arse he got it” (Chaucer 101).
Throughout literature, relationships can often be found between the author of a story and the story that he writes. In Geoffrey Chaucer's frame story, Canterbury Tales, many of the characters make this idea evident with the tales that they tell. A distinct relationship can be made between the character of the Pardoner and the tale that he tells.
In “The Pardoner’s Tale,” Geoffrey Chaucer masterfully frames an informal homily. Through the use of verbal and situational irony, Chaucer is able to accentuate the moral characteristics of the Pardoner. The essence of the story is exemplified by the blatant discrepancy between the character of the storyteller and the message of his story. By analyzing this contrast, the reader can place himself in the mind of the Pardoner in order to account for his psychology.
As the story begins, the narrator's compliance with her role as a submissive woman is easily seen. She states, "John laughs at me, but one expects that in marriage" (Gilman 577). These words clearly illustrate the male's position of power in a marriage t...
Forbes, Shannon. "'To Alisoun Now Wol I Tellen Al My Love-Longing': Chaucer's Treatment of the Courtly Love Discourse in the Miller's Tale." Women's Studies 36.1 (2007): 1-14. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 May 2013
Miller uses imagery and figurative language when Abigail Williams attempts to get John Proctor to admit his lust for her even though he is trying to repair his marriage with Elizabeth Proctor. “I have a sense for heat, John, and yours has drawn me to my window, and I have seen you looking up, burning in your loneliness. Do you tell me that you’ve never looked up at my window?” John Proctor’s humility as an adulterer lengthens as he is forced to give up his “good name” and confess to witchcraft in exchange for his life. “Because it is my name! Because I may not have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not wort...
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a play that discusses many issues and spurs contemplation within the reader. While reading this play, because of the controversy of many issues detailed within, it is difficult for one not to take a look at one’s own morals and determine what one would do if placed in a similar situation. The key issues discussed within this play, the effects of hysteria, marital betrayal, and the murderous powers of lies, are portrayed intriguingly and effectively. The lessons that can be learned from The Crucible are still quite applicable today.
The first way Miller illustrates the theme of lies and deceit is through Abigail’s conniving
...t flood, cuts loose the ropes holding his tub to the ceiling and falls to the ground, breaking his arm in the process. The ridicule that John receives from the neighbors who have been told by Alison and Nicholas that he is insane, serves to create enough of a triumph as to symbolize Christ's resurrection. The triumph would not have been nearly as dramatic if it had merely consisted of Nicholas's recovery or Absalon's defeat because it would not have fulfilled Nicholas's main goal of "killing" his father and "marrying" his mother.
...ssion and intrusiveness. John’s lack of having an open mind to his wife’s thoughts and opinions and his constant childish like treatment of his wife somehow emphasizes this point, although, this may not have been his intention. The narrator felt strongly that her thoughts and feelings were being disregarded and ignored as stated by the narrator “John does not know how much I really suffer. He knows there is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him” (Gilman 115), and she shows her despise of her husband giving extra care to what he considers more important cases over his wife’s case with a sarcastic notion “I am glad my case is not serious!” (Gilman 115). It is very doubtful that John is the villain of the story, his good intentions towards doing everything practical and possible to help his wife gain her strength and wellbeing is clear throughout the story.
Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale" should be tragic, because a lot of horrible things happen to the characters. The carpenter's wife is disloyal to him, sleeping with others and making fun of him with Nicholas. Also, he is depicted as a fool. However, readers get a humorous feeling from the story, rather than feeling sorry for the carpenter's unfair life. Chaucer makes the whole story come across as comic rather than tragic. This humor is created by the Miller's narration, the use of irony, the cartoon-like characters, and the twists of plot. These elements combine to produce an emotional distance which enhances the comic effect.
Florio, Thomas A., ed. “Miller’s Tales.” The New Yorker. 70 (1994): 35-36. Martin, Robert A., ed., pp.
Two of the greatest masters of British literature, Shakespeare and Chaucer, tended to look to the classics when searching for inspiration. A lesser-known example of this lies in an ancient tale from Greece about two star-crossed lovers. There are many variations on the names of these lovers, but for the purpose of solidarity, they shall henceforth be referred to as “Troilus and Criseyde” for Chaucer and “Troilus and Cressida” for Shakespeare. Chaucer’s “Troilus and Criseyde” offers up a classic tale of love that is doomed, whereas Shakespeare’s “Troilus and Cressida” is not only tragic but also biting in its judgment and representation of characters. This difference may be due to the differences in time periods for the two authors, or their own personal dispositions, but there can be no denying the many deviations from Chaucer’s work that Shakespeare employs. Shakespeare’s work, by making the characters and situations more relatable, builds upon Chaucer’s original work, rather than improving it or shattering it.