Critiques the millers tale
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Critiques of "The Miller's Tale" in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
Intellectual and Manual Labor in "The Miller's Tale"
In "The Miller's Tale," Chaucer explores the dichotomy between intellectual and manual labor. The tale uses the character of John, who references the fall of an astrologer, to question what constitutes useful knowledge. This narrative device stages a confrontation between intellectual labor, represented by academics, and manual labor, represented by the working class. Chaucer does not favor one over the other; instead, he reveals both as equally deserving of satire and laughter.
Intertextuality and Parody
Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale" is rich in intertextual references, parodying various pre-texts such as the Arcite’s transcendental laughter in "Teseide" and Moses' glimpse of God's back in the Bible. Through these parodies, Chaucer critiques and assimilates these texts, creating a network of dialogues that add layers of meaning to the tale. The tale's humor and body narration serve to undermine human knowledge and elevate the desire to transcend earthly concerns.
Obscenity and Fastidiousness
Chaucer juxtaposes the refined love of "The Knight's Tale" with the coarse humor of "The Miller's Tale," challenging readers' open-mindedness. The tale employs obscene language not merely for shock value but to emphasize its meaning. Words like "swyven" and euphemisms like "queynte" are used with their full obscene force, highlighting the moral choices characters make. This juxtaposition underscores that both tales inhabit the same world, where courtesy and consideration are not universal.
Laughter and Animality
The humor in "The Miller's Tale" is often seen as liberating and human, contrasting with the more animalistic laughter associated with medieval buffoonery. However, Chaucer's complex forms of humor challenge these assumptions. The tale's comedy works against idealism and chivalric pomp, showing how laughter helps establish social hierarchies. This humor is not a celebration of the natural animal in humans but a tool for social commentary.
Anti-Chivalric Themes
"The Miller's Tale" serves as an anti-chivalric narrative that challenges the courtesy and piety of the Knight and courtly society. Through its playful and erotic language, the tale offers a model against which subsequent tales in "The Canterbury Tales" can be compared. This anti-chivalric stance is evident in the tale's sexualized "cloak of language," which contrasts sharply with the Knight's ideals.
Metaphor and Naturalism
The tale also engages in a debate about metaphor and naturalism. While the Miller's narrative derides metaphor as delusional, it indulges in the fantasy that a proper male subject can abstain from these tropes. This debate is further complicated by the Reeve, who presents metaphorical delusions as unavoidable consequences of human existence in a more-than-human world.
Conclusion
"The Miller's Tale" is a multifaceted narrative that critiques various aspects of medieval society, from the dichotomy between intellectual and manual labor to the use of obscene language and the role of humor in establishing social hierarchies. Through its intertextual references and anti-chivalric themes, the tale offers a rich tapestry of satire and social commentary, making it a pivotal part of Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales."
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