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  • Essay / Unconventional love story in The Miller's Tale

    When the Miller proposes to "quite" or take revenge on the Knight's tale in the Prologue to his tale (3127), he modifies the use of word “quite” by the host (3119). ). While the host asks the monk to follow the knight's story, the miller wants to reward him, and that's exactly what he does. The Miller tells a story that both resembles and parodies "The Knight's Tale", and in doing so ultimately displays a valid and optimistic alternative to the ideals of chivalric courtship and love presented by the Knight. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay The Miller, like the Knight, uses a love triangle as the central element of its story; however, it significantly modifies this convention. Instead of dramatizing idealized aristocratic notions of courtly love, the Miller presents a story about lower-class characters set in a rural village. He rejects the long-suffering courtship ritual by replacing it with a daring sexual encounter between Nicholas and Alison in which the intelligent clerk attempts to seduce Alison by grabbing her "queynte" (3276). While Arcite and Palamon relentlessly adore Emily in the knight's tale, Nicholas convinces Alison in the space of three lines "This Nicholas had pity to weep,/And spoke so well, and uttered it so quickly, / That she growled her hymn of love.” eaten of the last" (3288 3290). In these three lines, Miller doesn't even specify what exactly Nicolas is saying to Alison, perhaps suggesting that courting language is not important. Palamon and Arcite, meanwhile , compose elaborate laments about love, but Emily does not even hear their words The Miller denies the conventional ritual of courtship, parodying the figure of the courtly lover through his characterization of Absolon is bereft. of any masculinity possessed by the two lovers in the Knight's tale, as represented through literary descriptions generally associated with femininity. For example, "crul was his heer, and like gold he shoon" (3314). , and he sings with "his sweet and little voys" (3360) Although he obeys the traditional courtship code, "he wakes all night and all day... he impresses with meenes and brocage." ...he sends the rental payment, the meeting and the spicy beer" (3373 3378), Alison rejects him. Perhaps the most comical aspect of Absolon's characterization, however, is his disgust towards bodily functions like "fartyng" (3338) and body parts as he rubs his lips "with dust , with thread, with straws, with fabric, with clippers” (3748). ) after realizing that he just kissed Alison's rear end. Not only does the Miller present and mock the figure of the courtly lover through Absolon, but more importantly, he highlights the chivalrous suitor's inability to understand the realities of love. From the moment Absolon is introduced into the tale, the audience is informed that he is easily offended by bodily functions. When Absolon learns that he kissed Alison's bottom, "his love grew cold" (3754) and his "disease" was cured (3757). As a representative of conventional ideals of love, Absolon's inability to appreciate the body indicates not only his inability to understand love in realistic, human terms, but also the incompleteness of the principles presented in novels such than "The Knight's Tale". Sex and human contact are important parts of love. The body is an essential part of the relationship between lovers and this is manifested through courtship., 1987.