Reading the Miller’s tale was…interesting. Also confusing,
due to the middle English. I’ll be honest, I skimmed the middle English from
the previous stories due to the time-crunch I’ve been struggling with lately,
but this story definitely had some confusing points either way. I’m still a
little unsure if the carpenter’s student, the clerk, and Nicholas are the same
person (all mentioned near the beginning of story, somewhere before line 3220).
I’m also confused as to who was this jealous-person of Alison (carpenters wife)
mentioned line 3224 (was it the carpenter or Nicholas?).
I don’t know exactly
what Chaucer was talking about with the church scene in lines 3306-3338, but I
did recognize it’s main purpose was to introduce the priest-assistant Absolon. A
person who many of my questions are about. At line 3350, it seems Absolon won’t
take offerings from…wives in-general due to his love for Alison? But I don’t
know if that’s correct, or if it is, why. I’m also confused to his motives
throughout the whole story…it seems she denies him the first time (or he
realizes he’s chances suck) around line 3387 (pg78) after he sneaks under their
(carpenter/Alison) bedroom window and sings his love for her with her husband
THERE. Then later, he sneaks under their window again (this time when he thinks
husband is away) believing that he WILL kiss her. Why?? Hasn’t she already
denied him? What makes him think she would do this? Then after she tells him
she loves another (second time?), he realizes he’s kissed her arse, and says he’s
done with her (line 3757)…he comes back AGAIN with his mother’s gold ring to
try and get another kiss (promising ring in return). What??? Why? Not only is
she a MARRIED woman, but she also says she loves another and has
mistreated/tricked him. I don’t understand Absolon much at all…he’s supposed to
be a godly/church person too. Wouldn’t he be looked down upon in the church for
stealing/pursuing/loving a married woman of another man?
Then I’m confused as to the plan that Nicholas and Alison
create to trick the carpenter. I understand that Nicholas stayed in his room
alone until John (carpenter) forced his way in, thinking that he’s gone mad
from his astrology. I also understand that he tells in (in private/secret)
about his prophecy about a Noah’s-Ark type flood coming on Monday. But what
exactly does he say to do to keep them three safe? It was something about
hanging tubs (dough kneading troughs specifically) from the ceilings so the
servants wouldn’t see (for the purpose of floating in flood)…then something about taking an axe
and cutting a hole in the garden wall…? The lines I’m referring to are
3569-3572, if someone would like to try and explain. Is line 3632 trying to say
the carpenter sent the servants to London (with excuse for his business trip in
his place) to keep them safe from flood? Then I’m completely confused as to the
order of events and/or what actually happens in lines 3816-3825…
I have more questions, but if these could be answered (to
any degree) that would be really helpful for my comprehension of this story. Overall
though, I did find the story entertaining. I just wish they got to the point a
little more often. Some of the descriptions in the plot seemed unnecessarily
long.
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