Geomancy - The art of placing or arranging buildings or other site auspiciously.
Liquorice - A sweet chewy, aromatic black substance made by evaporation from the juice of a root used as a candy and in medicine. Yeoman - A servant in a royal or noble household ranking between a sergeant and a groom or a squire and a page. Solemn Promise - A pledge or personal commitment. Lecherous - Having or showing excessive or offensive sexual desire. Lunacy - extreme folly or eccentricity. unbeknowings -without knowledge of someone. Sprites - an elf or fairy. Solace - Comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness. Stratagem - A plan or scheme, especially one used to outwit an opponent or achieve an end. |
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Summary |
The Miller's tale is a rollercoaster of events. It starts off with a carpenter named John and his much younger wife, Alisoun. Alisoun is a very beautiful woman and can catch the eye of almost any man around. In this tale she actually does catch the eye of multiple men and that starts many affairs in her life. John needs to make more money so he rents a room of his house out of his way to get with her. Later in the story Nicholas and Alisoun start to have an affair. One day John decides to go out of town leaving his beautiful Alisoun alone with Nicholas. Alisoun and Nicholas end up sleeping together. She ends up feeling kind of quilty and goes to church, and catches the eye of another man, Absolon. Absolon falls not only in love with Alisoun but also in lust and serenades her with songs, and even enters a play to win her attention and ty to get to know her sexually. Top bad for Absolon, Alisoun is already in love with Nicholas, and her husband John. Nicholas and Alisoun long to have time alone together without the chance of getting caught by John. Nicholas eventually hatches a plan to get Alisoun alone in his bed. Nicholas convices John that there will be a great flood like the one in the popular story "Noah's Ark" and tells him that if they all hang giant buckets from the ceiling and sleep in them so that when the flood comes they will just float away in safety. John is apparently super gullible and falls for it, and while John sleeps in an uncomfortable bucket Nicholas is shacking up with his wife. Because everyone is so obsessed with Alison, Absolon makes his final attempt at the beautiful lady. Absolon comes to Alisouns window and begs her for a kiss. Alisoun is already kind of full in the house of “lovers” so as Absolon goes in for what he thinks is a kiss and she sticks her butt out instead. This action takes the phrase “kiss my ass” to a whole other level. As if that isn’t enough humiliation Alisoun convinces Absolon to do it again, but this time to be a little more extra she convinces Nicholas to stick his butt out instead. Little do both of them know Absolon has tricks up his sleeve too and comes back with a piece of burning hot metal ready to brand Alisoun to get back at her. So instead of Alisoun Nicholas gets the brand, which is almost basically instant karma for his actions. Nicholas screams causing a sleeping John to think the flood is upon them, so he cuts the rope and goes crashing down. The noise causes the attention of the townsfolk to gather around the wild night at John’s house, and as if the guy he’s been letting live in his house sleeping around with his wife isn’t enough, he also has the humiliation of the whole town watching his fall in a bucket. Poor John apparently just can’t catch a break.
Contemporary Personality |
The Miller reminds my group of the dad off brave, King Fergus. The reason why is because The Miller and Fergus are both red beard and built bigger boned. They both like to tell folk tales. Each one of them come off strong but really they are both cowards. Enough though Fergus is a leader and the Miller is not, they both take roll in what they need to do. They are both heavy drinkers.
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Significance of Tale
The Miller's tale is a tale of adultery. Which is significant because adultery in those times is highly frowned upon and can be punishable, by death. It is still frown upon in todays time because everyone says to save yourself for marriage and once you are married that is the person you shall be with tell death do them part. It is not as nearly as significant as modern time as it was back then. Now it happens all the time. Which brings lawyers and distress and even divorce. This tale talks about cheating which did not happen as much as it does now. Which is quite sad.
Irony: "This lad was known as Nicholas the Gallant making love in secret was his talent"(89).
Dramatic: "I am your honest, true and wedded wife. Go dearest husband" (99).
Dramatic: "I am your honest, true and wedded wife. Go dearest husband" (99).