After the Knight's Tale is appluaded, the Miller is asked to match it, or even better the Knight's Tale. The Miller goes on to say he has the most noble tale, but the Host says to let a "better" man tell it. Drunk, the Miller threatens to leave, but the host stops him and the Miller goes on. He introduces his tale as a legend and a life of a carpenter and of his wife, and of how a clerk made a fool of the carpenter, which everyone understands to mean that the clerk slept with the carpenter’s wife. The Reeve objects to his profound story, but the Miller goes on. He finally began his story with a guy named Nicholas who studied astrology at Oxford and roomed with the carpenter, John. John's wife was Alisoun. Nicholas sleeps with Alisoun and goes on to caress her by buying gifts, etc. Since Alisoun ends up loving Nicholas, they end up scheming to spend one night together. Nicholas acts like he's ill and tells John that God has spoken to him and that there's going to be a terrible flood. Then goes on to tell John to get three tubs so they could sleep in them before the flood and escape. Once John falls asleep in the tubs, Nicholas and Alisoun run off to spend the night together. The run into Absalon who hopes for a kiss from Alisoun. Absalon persists so Alisoun gives him one kiss. Absalon goes in for another, but Alisoun puts her butt to his lips and Absalon seeks revenge for her prank. Absalon goes to the blacksmith with a hot iron and knocks on Alisoun's door, but Nicholas opens the door, farting on Absalon and he brands Nicholas's butt. Nicholas yells for water and awakes John. John, thinking the flood has come, cuts the tubs falling to the ground and breaking his arm. The noise attracts the townspeople and John tells the story of the flood. Nicholas and Alisoun tell everyone John is just ignorant and mad and lying about the flood. The townspeople laugh that all have received their dues, and the Miller merrily asks that God save the company.
1. The central character of this tale is John, the carpenter. Chaucer utilizes indirect characterization several times to introduce this character:
"He jealously kept her as if inside a cage, for she was one both young and wild, and he had fears of being a cuckold, so advanced in years." This example demonstrates his level of protection and jealousy over his new wife, Alisoun.
"In Oxford there once lived a rich old lout who had some guest rooms that he rented out, and carpentry was this old fellow's trade." This specific quote portrays the social/economical class John came from and also his career.
"Not educated, he had never read Cato: one like himself a man should wed, he ought to marry mindful of his state, for youth and age are often at debate." This depicts the carpenters intelligence and knowledge, it claims that he is an uneducated man who did not take age and youth into consideration before marrying."To cross himself the carpenter began, and said, "Help us, I pray, Saint Frideswide! This example tells the audience that John is a religious man who looks up to a saint for help/inspiration.
"It was for naught, his reasons were resisted. With such great oaths the fellow was put down, he was considered mad throughout the town; each learned man agreed with every other, saying, "The man is mad, beloved brother," and everyone just laughed at all his strife." This quote gives insight to the society's outlook on John the carpenter. No matter what he said or urged for, they all continued to make humor of him and the situation he was in and considered him as a foolish, mad man.
"This silly carpenter began to shake; he feared he was to witness verily Old Noah's flood come rolling like the sea to drown young Alison, his honey dear. He weeps and wails, he looks so sad and drear as many a sigh he heaves, a mournful sough. He goes and gets a kneading trough somehow, one tub and then another, which he then has privately transported to the inn; in privacy he hangs them as instructed." This use of indirect characterization depicts John's true love for his wife, his dedication to their relationship and love, and also his determination to keep his lovely wife safe and out of harms way.
2. This tale is the funniest that Chaucer has read, in many critics opinions. He wrote this tale because it abounds incongruity (a young, beautiful women with a rich, old man). The story is elevated to great literary heights through Chaucer's masterful use of comic incongruity and characterization, and by the incredible neatness of the tale's construction.
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