The Mller's Tale

The Miller’s Tale Guide

After reading “The Miller’s Tale,” AP students should be able to respond to all of the following:

Describe all four characters in the tale—paying special attention to each character’s greatest desires. How does Chaucer use his descriptions to develop “character”? Which character looks the most foolish by the end of the tale? Why?

Describe Nicholas’ plot to sleep with Alyson. Why does he go to such lengths to achieve his goal? Nicholas has sometimes been described as “handy.” What does this mean?

In “The General Prologue,” Chaucer’s narrator describes the Miller as a brutish man who knows many “tavern” stories which are “filthy in the main.” Is his tale “filthy” by today’s standards? Were you shocked by it? What social class is the Miller making fun of? Why is this ironic? How does this irony relate to Chaucer’s overall satire of the middle class? How does this tale alter or relate to your preconceptions of older pieces of literature?

You are judging the story telling contest so far. Who wins? Why? Be specific.

It has been suggested in class that each pilgrim’s tale relates to his personality and/or his purpose for being on the trip to Canterbury. Is this also true for the Miller? Explain.