Geoffrey Chaucer: The Miller's Tale

by Lee, Victor; Mack, Peter; Walton, Chris

• ISBN13: 9780198325772
• ISBN10: 0198325770
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-07-15
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Each book in this established series contains the full and complete text, and is designed to motivate and encourage students who may be writing on these challenging writers for the first time. It contains useful notes to add depth and knowledge to students' understanding, comments to explain literary and historical allusions, tasks to help students explore themes and issues, and suggestions for further reading.

Table of Contents

Chaucer's Miller's Tale in Context	p. 1
The Miller's Tale	p. 9
The Miller's portrait: General Prologue	p. 9
The Miller's Prologue	p. 10
The Miller's Tale	p. 13
The Reeve's Prologue	p. 33
Notes	p. 37
The Miller's portrait: General Prologue	p. 38
The Miller's Prologue	p. 40
Reactions to The Knight's Tale: lines 1-11	p. 40
The Miller's interruption: lines 12-35	p. 41
The Reeve's objection: lines 36-58	p. 44
Chaucer's apology: lines 59-78	p. 47
The Miller's Tale	p. 49
Introduction and portrait of Nicholas: lines 79-112	p. 50
The carpenter's marriage: lines 113-24	p. 55
Portrait of the carpenter's wife: lines 125-62	p. 56
Nicholas molests Alison: lines 163-98	p. 59
Portrait of Absolon: lines 199-230	p. 62
Absolon begins to woo Alison: lines 231-61	p. 65
Absolon's method of wooing: lines 262-88	p. 67
Alison and Nicholas make their plans: lines 289-310	p. 69
John wonders what has happened to Nicholas: lines 311-39	p. 70
John responds to his servant's report: lines 340-65	p. 72
John rouses Nicholas from his trance: lines 366-92	p. 74
Nicholas tells John about the second flood: lines 393-425	p. 76
Nicholas tells John how to avoid the flood: lines 426-54	p. 78
More advice from Nicholas and a warning: lines 455-92	p. 80
John prepares for the flood: lines 493-524	p. 83
John awaits the flood; Nicholas takes over his bed: lines 525-48	p. 84
Absolon decides to speak to Alison at her window: lines 549-78	p. 86
Absolon goes to the window and confesses his love: lines 579-605	p. 88
Alison puts her bottom out of the window: lines 606-35	p. 90
Absolon learns his lesson and plans his revenge: lines 636-77	p. 92
Absolon's revenge: lines 678-705	p. 94
John's fall and the reaction of his neighbours: lines 706-46	p. 96
The Reeve's Prologue	p. 99
Reaction to The Miller's Tale	p. 99
Interpretations	p. 103
The Miller as a character and contrasts with the Knight	p. 103
Genre	p. 106
Characterization	p. 109
John	p. 112
The courtly characters	p. 117
Nicholas	p. 118
Alison	p. 123
Absolon	p. 126
Language, style, and structure	p. 132
Realism	p. 132
Parody	p. 139
Proverbs	p. 143
Imagery	p. 144
The narrator's voice	p. 147
Structure	p. 148
Themes	p. 150
Destiny, justice, and providence	p. 150
Concealment, secrecy, and deception	p. 156
Other possible themes	p. 158
Critical views	p. 159
Origins and derivations of the fabliau and Chaucer's use of the form	p. 159
Focus on morality	p. 160
Focus on the principles of life	p. 160
Examination of other principles: spiritual versus freedom of will	p. 161
Examination of the burlesque of courtly idealism	p. 161
Who is the narrator?	p. 162
Essay Questions	p. 164
Chronology	p. 167
Further Reading	p. 169
A Note on Chaucer's English	p. 173
A Note on Pronunciation	p. 181
Glossary	p. 183
Appendix	p. 193
The description of the Clerk	p. 193
The description of the courtly lady	p. 194
The behaviour of the courtly lover	p. 195
Two examples of the fabliau	p. 196
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.