Fabliau In The Miller's Tale

The Canterbury Tales is not only a collection of individual tales told by the pilgrims, but an account of the personalities of the pilgrims and contrasting characteristics between them. One of the most abstract characters is the Miller based on his indifference to the rules and lack of care what others may think of him. The Miller’s role as a source of comedy and comic relief in his tale is shown through his elaborate story and way of presenting himself. He is also used as a contrasting image to the other pilgrims. Not only is the Miller used to show the dialectic between classes, but his tale also shows the differences between the classes, while being presented in a humorous way, as represented by its’ classification as a fabliau. The main aspect of a fabliau is its’ comedic style, which is also paired with sexual or inappropriate content. The Miller is a fan of inappropriate stories that test the restraint of those listening. Not only does his tale contain the humorous aspects of a fabliau, but it also uses inappropriate and rude situations as comedic

The carpenter is a member of the upper class, and so is his wife, although she is very young, however, Nicholas is a student and Absolon is a clerk. The three men have completely different approaches to convincing Alison to choose them , which shows a major contrast between the classes. As written by Sauer, “The characters are, for the most part, stock types: John, the cuckolded husband, is a wealthy would-be social climber who is ridiculed at the end; Alison is an attractive and lusty young wife; Nicholas is a scheming student; Absolon is a squeamish fop.” The use of these characters in the tale adds excitement and relatability. The readers have the ability to relate to the social standing of one of the men, and can enjoy the entertainment that is created by the competition over