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Chaucer's Miller's Tale in Context | |
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The Miller's Tale | |
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The Miller's portrait: General Prologue | |
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The Miller's Prologue | |
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The Miller's Tale | |
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The Reeve's Prologue | |
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Notes | |
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The Miller's portrait: General Prologue | |
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The Miller's Prologue | |
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Reactions to The Knight's Tale: lines 1-11 | |
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The Miller's interruption: lines 12-35 | |
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The Reeve's objection: lines 36-58 | |
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Chaucer's apology: lines 59-78 | |
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The Miller's Tale | |
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Introduction and portrait of Nicholas: lines 79-112 | |
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The carpenter's marriage: lines 113-24 | |
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Portrait of the carpenter's wife: lines 125-62 | |
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Nicholas molests Alison: lines 163-98 | |
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Portrait of Absolon: lines 199-230 | |
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Absolon begins to woo Alison: lines 231-61 | |
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Absolon's method of wooing: lines 262-88 | |
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Alison and Nicholas make their plans: lines 289-310 | |
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John wonders what has happened to Nicholas: lines 311-39 | |
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John responds to his servant's report: lines 340-65 | |
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John rouses Nicholas from his trance: lines 366-92 | |
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Nicholas tells John about the second flood: lines 393-425 | |
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Nicholas tells John how to avoid the flood: lines 426-54 | |
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More advice from Nicholas and a warning: lines 455-92 | |
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John prepares for the flood: lines 493-524 | |
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John awaits the flood; Nicholas takes over his bed: lines 525-48 | |
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Absolon decides to speak to Alison at her window: lines 549-78 | |
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Absolon goes to the window and confesses his love: lines 579-605 | |
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Alison puts her bottom out of the window: lines 606-35 | |
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Absolon learns his lesson and plans his revenge: lines 636-77 | |
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Absolon's revenge: lines 678-705 | |
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John's fall and the reaction of his neighbours: lines 706-46 | |
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The Reeve's Prologue | |
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Reaction to The Miller's Tale | |
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Interpretations | |
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The Miller as a character and contrasts with the Knight | |
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Genre | |
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Characterization | |
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John | |
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The courtly characters | |
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Nicholas | |
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Alison | |
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Absolon | |
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Language, style, and structure | |
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Realism | |
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Parody | |
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Proverbs | |
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Imagery | |
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The narrator's voice | |
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Structure | |
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Themes | |
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Destiny, justice, and providence | |
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Concealment, secrecy, and deception | |
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Other possible themes | |
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Critical views | |
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Origins and derivations of the fabliau and Chaucer's use of the form | |
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Focus on morality | |
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Focus on the principles of life | |
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Examination of other principles: spiritual versus freedom of will | |
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Examination of the burlesque of courtly idealism | |
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Who is the narrator? | |
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Essay Questions | |
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Chronology | |
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Further Reading | |
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A Note on Chaucer's English | |
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A Note on Pronunciation | |
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Glossary | |
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Appendix | |
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The description of the Clerk | |
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The description of the courtly lady | |
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The behaviour of the courtly lover | |
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Two examples of the fabliau | |