Canterbury Tales - Comparison of the Millers Tale and...

A Comparison of the Millers Tale and the Knights Tale It is common when considering The Canterbury Tales to discuss how some tales seem designed to emphasise the themes of others. Two such tales are the Millers Tale2 and the Knights Tale3. At first glance these two tales seem an incongruous pairing. The Knights Tale is told by an eminent person, is an historical romance which barely escapes a tragic ending, and its themes are universal: the relationship of individuals to providence, fortune and free will. The Millers Tale is told by a drunken cherl (MT 3182), is a farcical fabliau, and has a plot, not themes4. And yet, in my opinion, there is much to be gained by reading the Millers Tale with the themes and†¦show more content†¦In this section the carpenter is: ironically fooled by his wife; used as a comparison in order to cast ridicule on Arcites and Palamons fervent love of Emelye; an example of the folly of age, rather than the wisdom that was developed in Theseus; and, of course, set up as the climaxs fall guy. Farce is the most obvious form of humour in the Millers Tale, but I think irony is the most important. Chaucer plays off text against text to great ironic effect, both inter and extra-textually. In fact, the carpenter is a perfect ironic antidote to the Millers advice of the Prologue. We read there that the best way for husbands to escape the humiliation of being cuckolded is that: An housbonde shal nat been inquisityf Of Goddes pryvetee, nor of his wyf. (MT 3163-3164) Yet it is the carpenters lack of inquisitiveness that not only makes him a cuckold, but leads to his public humiliation. If he had been a little more inquisitive of his wifes secrets, and if he had known a little more of Goddes pryvetee first hand he would have been saved humiliation! He is, however, a complacent, ignorant man. In the opening lines of our extract it becomes clear that he is oblivious to Alisouns agreement with Nicholas, and he sees nothing incongruous in the casting of himself as a pseudo-Noah. The crowning irony of this scene is in theShow MoreRelatedWhat a Story Reveals about the Story Teller Essay1377 Words   |  6 Pageswrote the Canterbury Tales from the view of a pilgrim journeying with many other travelers who all had tales to tell. I believe that the stories told by the characters in Chaucers book gives us insight into the individual spinning the tale as well as Chaucer as the inventor of these characters and author of their stories. 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