The Miller's Tale from Canterbury Tales By: Geoffrey Chaucer
Written by: EmoGoddessQueen-6th
Summary
The Miller’s Tale is a funny story about a love square which doesn’t end well. An old carpenter, John, is married to Alisoun. She has an affair with a clever student named Nicholas, who tricks John into thinking a flood is coming so he can spend the night with her. Meanwhile, another man, Absolon, also loves Alisoun and tries to woo her. She plays a prank on him by sticking her bottom out the window for a kiss. Absolon gets angry and returns with a hot poker and ends up burning Nicholas instead. John crashes to the ground in his tub, and everyone ends up looking foolish. The tale mocks love, jealousy, and foolishness in a silly and dramatic way.
How Postmodern of you Geoffrey!
Intertextuality:
"For she was just as his heart was set on her,
So was she with him, for a love,
That they might dally both in youth,
And put away all heartaches,
And that made him glad,
And they enjoyed their lives in joy and bliss."
(Chaucer, "The Miller's Tale")
Chaucer references courtly love tradition. Miller’s Tale mocks the idealized concept of courtly love, where a knight devotes himself to a lady in a chaste and elevated manner. In the story Alisoun’s relationships with Nicholas and Absolon are far from the noble love depicted in many medieval romances. This passage shows how the love between Nicholas and Alisoun is far removed from the idealized love found in medieval romance.
Irony and Playfulness:
"‘Ah, Nicholas, so help me God, I shall be burned!’
And Nicholas began to shout, ‘Water! Water!’
For he was burned too much."
(Chaucer, "The Miller's Tale")
The story is full of irony, especially in how characters are portrayed. John is the jealous husband and ends up looking foolish, while the young lovers, Nicholas and Alisoun, manipulate and out smart him. After being humiliated by Alisoun’s prank, Absolon returns with a hot poker to get revenge. This leads to an ironic situation where Nicholas, thinking it’s Alisoun, also gets burned by the poker. Absolon’s attempt to get back at Alisoun backfires on Nicholas, highlighting the irony that the trickster gets tricked in return.
Lady Gaga Vs. Alisoun
Watch the music video here!
Humor and Satire:
The Miller’s Tale is comedic and uses irony to show the foolishness of the characters and the ridiculousness of their actions. Absolon’s failed attempt to kiss Alisoun, and Nicholas’s branding underscores the humor in the characters’ pursuit of selfish desires.
Bad Romance has a sense of detached irony, acknowledging the flaws and toxicity in the romance while still embracing it. This mirrors the playful yet cynical approach Chaucer takes toward love in The Miller’s Tale.
Shatter Me: Adam Vs John
One of my favs: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
The themes of destructive love are emphasized in both the Miller's tale and shatter me through irony.
In the Miller’s Tale, the characters’ actions are ridiculous, and their desires lead to comedic outcomes The Postmodern dramatics brings for a great laugh at so called- "courtly love!"
In Shatter Me, although more serious and dystopian, there are still moments of irony. within the characters outcomes. Juliette, who believes she is a weapon, begins to see herself as someone with the potential for change, love, and leadership. This transformation is a switch up because for the majority of the novel she sees herself as broken and dangerous, but she is, in fact, capable of incredible power and empathy.
Can this love hold as tight as her fist? Can you break free from your mind?
Comparison to this lyrical poem!
The Miller's Tale is a tale of moral consequences, but it presents them in a comedic and ironic light. While the characters, especially John, suffer embarrassment from their actions, it emphasizes the consequences of selfishness, an internal war.
“ Making a Fist” also has internal reflection. The lyrical poem reflects on life, illness, and mental strength.
Overall reaction!
10/10 for this post... JK (not really kidding), anyways...
10/10 for the Postmodern work of The Miller's tale! It perfectly intertwines intertextuality and irony to perfectly satirize an idea of "perfect" romances, never come out the way they wish to be. In a world that fantasizes love, and even mostly toxic love- The Postmodern twist adds a lighthearted way of exposing that the grass is never greener on the other side. It perfectly connects to other works by matching the sense of dramatics, comedy, and intense irony. This holds a strong meaning in which we can all resonate with at some level. in our lives!
Works cited
Big Nerd. “Source #2 - Postmodernist Lyrical Poetry.” Nerdy Publishing, 3 Apr. 2020, nerdypublisher.wixsite.com/website/post/read-between-the-lines. Accessed 15 May 2025.
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. 1476. Accessed 15 May 2025.
Lady Gaga. “Lady Gaga - Bad Romance.” YouTube, 24 Nov. 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrO4YZeyl0I. Accessed 15 May 2025.
The Audible Editors. “Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.” Audible Blog, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi | Audible.com, 11 Apr. 2025, www.audible.com/blog/summary-shatter-me-by-tahereh-mafi. Accessed 15 May 2025.
I like how you related The Miller's Tale to Bad Romance. That really is the best way to describe the story. It's toxic, chaotic, and unorthodox. Also including the Irony and Playfulness, elements in postmodern literature, help deepen your argument about the connections of your sources and their postmodern elements.