Canterbury Tales

Canterbury Tales

Character Analysis

Chaucer's greatest work came after everything else. Canterbury tales was the last of his literary works. It followed such stories as Troilus and Creseyde. It is considered as one of the greatest works of literature during the English Middle Age. The ironic thing is that it wasn't even finished the way Chaucer had intended it to. He had planned to have over a hundred tales, four for each pilgrim. He ended up with twenty-four, less than one for each pilgrim. One wonders if he had finished how much better would it have been.

The story is a unique one, especially during the time in which it was written. Rather than a traditional author story format, Chaucer uses a different method to spin a number of different types of stories. By telling different stories through different pilgrims Chaucer uses their attitudes and characteristics so that he may tell tales of many different varieties and styles. This shows the many different creative sides and motives of the great author. He was not the first to use such a method, but he may be one of the most famous, earliest of its users.

Among the number of characters and different storytellers you come across a character by the name of Robin. His standing among the company was the Miller, so that was what he would be more commonly known. Immediately following the Knight the Miller had a pretty tough act to follow. The Knight was obviously of high standing, and would previously tell a noble tale with a moralistic flavor to it. It would leave the crowd in state of appreciation for someone of his stature. When his tale was done the people knew why it was that he was Knight. Although, when the Miller was done the people did also realize why he was the Miller.

When the Knight's tale had finished the Miller decided it was his turn for the spotlight. Chaucer makes it quite easy to understand the contrast in the characters. Especially making the claims one right after the other. The comparison is easily made. The drunken boisterous Miller pipes up claiming to have a tale that would contend with the Knight's for being noble and attractive. Sensing the drunkenness, the host speaks up telling the Miller to save his tale for another time knowing of what was to come. The loud and cocky Miller overpowers him. He states that his tale is one of infidelity between a carpenter and his wife. The narrator even tries to apologize for the following drunken blabbering. The stage had pretty much been set.

In short, the tale is of a carpenter and his wife. Being very busy with business the carpenter is not around much and eventually his wife would be seduced by a man of a lower social standing than her husband by the name of Nicholas. She also would be sought after by a guitar-playing luster, who for the times would have been more suitable for an adulterous escapade. His name was Absolom. She would trick her husband into distraction so that she may sleep with Nicholas, all the while teasing and insulting Absolom with cruel and somewhat disgusting technique. In the end, each man had been punished, the carpenter was thought