Sexual and Bodily Subjects in The Miller's Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer

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"The Miller's Tale," a short story by Geoffrey Chaucer, deals frankly with sexual and bodily subjects. Chaucer is never obscene, he allows the reader to use his imagination to determine what some of the events actually mean. The tale is a "fabliau," which is a short story in verse that deals satiracally and humorously about sexual or monetary deception. When Chaucer describes the characters, he creates a unique theme for each person that helps the reader determine their role in the story. For example, he describes Alisoun as being a young, playful, and attractive girl that enjoys showing off what she has. "And by hir girdle heenu a purs of lether Tasseled with silk and perled with latoun." These two lines let us know something about her sexual side. The purse is a symbol of a woman's anatomy. Alisoun's purse is covered in silk and other trinkets which leads the reader to believe that she wants attention and would be willing if the right man came around. Another passage describes an interaction between Nicholas and Alisoun. "Fil with this yonge wif to rage a...

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