Story Telling In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

One of Chaucer’s most detailed, extensive and studies works is The Canterbury Tales. It tells the story of pilgrims both of noble and common classes within society, travelling from London to Canterbury. While they are staying at an inn they decide to take part in a story telling game or competition. Stories are heard from those such as the Knight, the Miller, the Pardoner and the Wife of Bath to name a few. Each tale is very different in the subject and virtues or morals it portrays. This is due to the fact that each of the story-tellers is part of a different class or holds a different positon, which is reflected in the stories that they tell to their fellow pilgrims. This allows us an insight into the lives of different people in varying classes within medieval society.

In particular this essay will attempt to examine that of The Miller’s Tale. It will be looked at as a response to the tale told by the Knight, but also how it can be taken as a stand-alone tale. There are varying ways in which the Miller’s Tale is seen to be responding to the Knight’s tale and there are also different reasons for his response. Although the Miller’s Tale predominantly seen as a response to the Knight’s Tale there are other aspects or attributes of it that show that it differs and is an interesting and valuable addition to The Canterbury Tales as a whole. Some of the reasons the Miller’s tale is taken as a response to the Knight’s Tale is its plot and characters. However throughout the tale there are also aspects that differ and show it to not just be seen as a