Chaucer s Prologue Of The Miller s Tale Essay - 1229 Words

In Chaucer’s â€Å"Prologue to the Miller’s Tale†, the Miller’s physically disgusting appearance closely matches his grotesque morality of heart. The prologue opens at the closing of the Knight’s tale, as the Host asks the Monk to rival the tale with a noble story of his own. However, the Miller barges in and doesn’t hesitate to belligerently interrupt the conversation by claiming that he has a noble story of his own to share. Despite attempts to silence the Miller, he proceeds to tell his tale, exhibiting a lack of compassion, respect and self-awareness. His inebriation only fuels the fire, as he continues to illustrate recklessness and disrespect by proclaiming, â€Å"I am drunk†¦If I can’t get my words out, put the blame / On Southwark ale,† (Chaucer 28-30). He takes no responsibility for his actions in blaming his hostile state of mind on the alcohol. Following the Knight’s noble tale, the Miller completely shift s the tone by introducing a story about adultery. Not only is the story inappropriate in its nature, but it also directly insults the Reeve, who is a carpenter by trade. â€Å"It is a sin and a great foolishness to injure any man by defamation,† (Chaucer 36-37) yet the Miller â€Å"refused to hold his tongue for any man,† (Chaucer 59) and fails to consider his hurtful words. The speaker of the poem warns the reader that the story is bawdy and offensive, which is a testament to the Miller’s vulgar nature. Ultimately, the â€Å"Prologue to the Miller’s Tale† introduces the Miller as aShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis Of Chaucer s The Canterbury Tales 2650 Words   |  11 PagesAnalysis of Chaucer’s Miller in The Canterbury Tales In the prologue to The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer introduces the Miller as a crude, rude, loud character who cheats his customers. The tale, which the Miller later narrates, is appropriate because the Miller’s tale clearly reflects this individual’s unrefined personality by telling a typical, filthy tavern story. 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