Chaucer’s, “The Miller’s Tale” is a classic comedic piece that tells a remarkable story. However, the language in the original story can be discouraging to the modern reader. Therefore the writer hopes to present the tale in a modernized version that will help individuals to better understand the story without losing the true meaning of the story. In addition, there is the hope that readers of all ages will be able to understand the modernized version of the story. The writer hopes to tell the legend and life of the carpenter and his wife. After the knight told his story, everyone thought that the story was well told. The Host then laughed and swore that the story was good, but hoped that someone else could tell “another tale, for truly the sport has begun well,” (MT, 3119). The drunken Miller, who could hardly “sit on his horse,” (MT, 3127) decided to tell a story that would rival the Knight’s Tale. The House realizes that he is drunk and tells him, “Wait, Robin, dear brother, some better man shall speak first; wait, and let us work thriftily." (MT, 3131).
The Miller tells the audience that if his story comes out in an unacceptable way, then he would blame the alcohol of Southwark. The Reeve tells him to close his mouth as it is wrong to tell a degrading story about any many and in turn include that man’s wife. Nevertheless, the drunken Miller retorted that he is no weakling without a wife; but that neither is the Reeve is such a man. The Miller would not listen to anyone and begins his tales in a way that suits his mood. He asks that no one judge his story based on evil intentions, but based only on the quality of the story. The Miller tells them that whoever does not want to hear his story should choose another story that is historically charged.
The Miller’s tale begins with the introduction of Nicholas. Nicholas is “a rich churl fellow,” in Oxford, who takes in boarders. He is a carpenter and took in a poor scholar who studied the arts. Still, his studies later turned to learning astrology. Nicholas is a clerk and well skilled at hiding his relationship with the carpenter’s wife. He lives in a room by himself at the carpenter’s house and has no company even though he smells as sweet as herbs, licorice and any set-wall. The carpenter, on the other hand has a new wife who is eighteen years old. The Carpenter loves his wife more dearly than his very soul. He is insanely jealous even though he is much older than his wife and as such he leaves himself “to be made a cuckold,” (MT, 3226). Of course, the Miller was quick to point out that the Carpenter made the fatal error of marrying someone who was not his equal. He says: Men should wed according to their own station in life, for youth and age are often at odds. But since he had fallen into the snare, he must endure his pain, like other people. (MT, 3232). The young wife, in her grace and beauty, is the subject of the desire of two men. She had a lecherous eye and her beauty sparked the interest of many men.
Throughout the world there was not a man who could imagine that this beauty. The Miller launches into an in depth account of her beauty and the way she carried herself as “a primrose, a pig's-eye, for a lord to lie in his bed or even a yeoman to wed.” (MT, 3270). Nicholas starts a secret love affair with this new bride. The young woman has no remorse for her actions as she helps Nicholas to deceive her husband so she could spend the night with him alone. Nicholas skill as a sexual young man is clear when he gets hold of her genitalia. He says "Surely, unless you will love me, sweetheart, I shall die for my secret love of you. And he held her hard by the thighs and said, "Sweetheart, love me now, or I will die, may God save me!" (MT, 3281). At first she resists his advances and tells him: “Why, let me be, let me be, Nicholas, or I will cry out, 'Alas! Help!' Take away your hands, by your courtesy!" MT, 3287). But Nicholas’ persistence pays off in the end as she grants him her love and gives him a chance.
One day she goes to church and the parish clerk, Absalom sees her and falls deeply in love with her. He too was handsome in his own right and carried himself in a dignified manner. The Miller notes that Absalom was quite handsome, as he drew the attention of many women in the village. But Absalom had eyes only for the Carpenter’s wife. He lays awake at nights because he loves the carpenter’s wife. Finally, he approaches her, but she shuns him daily. Nicholas remained at the center of her life and Absalom almost went crazy with his longing and desire for the Carpenter’s wife. One Saturday night, the Carpenter goes to Oseney and Nicholas and Alison decides to spend the night together. Nicholas tells the Carpenter that there would be a great flood and that he should keep himself safe in a bucket that hangs from the roof. The gullible Carpenter falls for the story. Nicholas took two days worth of food and drink and instructs Alison to tell her husband that she has not seen him if he should inquire of him. The day passes and Nicholas remains in his room. The Carpenter wonders about him and believes that “all is not well with Nicholas. God forbid that he has died suddenly! This world nowadays is so ticklish, surely; to-day I saw carried to church a corpse that I saw at work last Monday. Go up, call at his door," he said to his boy, "or knock with a stone; see how it is, and tell me straight." (MT, 3433).
Nicholas pretends to be mad and sparks an immediate concern in the carpenter. The carpenter believes that Nicholas’ madness comes from his studies of astrology as men were not supposed to question the actions of God. He checks in on Nicholas and sees that the story of Nicholas’ madness is true. But, Nicholas plans to deceive the Carpenter rests in this performance. He convinces the Carpenter of the impending flood. John quickly believes Nicholas’ word that Alison will die according the fabricated version of Noah and the flood. Nicholas continues with his deception when he tells the John that each of them should hide in separate buckets until the flood subsided. But, the audience knows that only John would hide in the bucket. The gullible Carpenter leaves with a heavy heart to plan for his survival. He tells his wife of the great “secret” that Nicholas tells him and she, who knew the plan well, says "Alas! Go your way at once and help us to escape, or else we are all lost; I am your true, faithful wedded wife. Go, dear spouse, and help to save us! (MT, 3610).
During the night, Absalom comes to Alison’s window singing his love songs. She turns him away as she tells him: "Go from the window, Jack-fool," she said. "On my soul, there will be no singing "Come kiss me now." I love another better than you, by heaven, Absalom, and else I were at fault. Go your ways, or I will cast a stone at you, and let me sleep, in the Devil's name!" (MT, 3713). But, Absalom does not waver in his heart’s desires. Alison turns her rear outside to Absalom when attempts to kiss her. He goes away and comes back with a hot iron as Nicholas puts his rear outside for Absalom to kiss. Absalom brands him with the iron. The humor in the tale intensifies as Nicholas cries out for water. The carpenter stirs from his sleep and thinks "Alas! Noah's flood is coming now!" (MT, 3822). He sits up quickly and cuts the cord in two and goes down into the tub: “they stopped for nothing until they came to the floor, and there he lay in a swoon. (MT, 3823). He eventually figures out that Nicholas had played a trick on him. The neighbors come when they hear the commotion. They told everyone that Nicholas was mad to believe the story of Noah’s flood and that it was the folly of marrying someone below his age that created his problems. The villagers laughed at his oddity as they gawked at all his troubles. In the end, the Carpenter loses his wife because of his jealousy and Nicholas had to contend with a sore rear, and God saved the entire company.
Works Cited
Chaucer, Geoffrey, “The Miller’s Tale” Viewed at http://english.fsu.edu/canterbury/miller.html
Accessed December 8, 2014
