1

LG: Link Nicolas' introduction to Courtly Loveand explore how Chaucer presents The Carpenter, his wife and Nicholas

SC:

THE MILLER'S TALETHE MILLER'S TALE

Nasty Nick...

HENDE NICHOLAS

A poure scolerhad lerned artinterested in astrologydeerne lovesleigh and full privee sly and very private

plays the sautrie ­ 5 stringed instrument, complex

ful fetisly ydight with herbes swoote

as sweete as is the roote/Of licoris

sings 'angelus ad virginem'his mirie throte

spends his time:after his freendes finding and his rente The placing of "and his rente" at the end of the line creates an effect. What is it?

­educated, "art" ­ skill

­secret love courtly love cliche

2

Hende Nicholas

A scholaryoung and poor.

­attractive ­ polite gracious

Handy! when repeated over and over, it loses its meaning and comes to suggest the complete opposite

a gay sautriealmageste

Vain. likes to smell nice and attract the ladies

wants toattract ladies

Educated.

a complex instrument ­ 5 Stings.

Supposedly.

Becomes a tag which is repeated

A predicting machine... a bit like an abacus

Angelus ad virginemVery interested in 'deerne love' ­ secret love. Courtly Love.He live in a room all alone... useful for... lady visitors

3

LG: SC:

THE MILLER'S TALETHE MILLER'S TALE

a riche gnofhadde wedded newe a wyfJalous he wasdemed himself a cokewoldHe knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude

Use the notes from Winny. Who was Catoun? "rude" means ignorant.

What impression is Chaucer giving us of the carpenter?

Link Nicolas' introduction to Courtly Loveand explore how Chaucer presents The Carpenter, his wife and Nicholas

4

LG: Link Nicolas' introduction to Courtly Loveand explore how Chaucer presents The Carpenter, his wife and Nicholas

SC:

THE MILLER'S TALETHE MILLER'S TALE

ALISOUN

This carpenter hadde wedded newe a wyf, Which that he lovede moore than his lyf; Of eighteteene yeer she was of age. Jalous he was, and heeld hire narwe in cage, For she was wylde and yong, and he was old, And demed hymself been lik a cokewold. He knew nat catoun, for his wit was rude, That bad man sholde wedde his simylitude. Men sholde wedden after hire estaat, For youthe and elde is often at debaat. But sith that he was fallen in the snare, He moste endure, as oother folk, his care. Fair was this yonge wyf, and therwithal As any wezele hir body gent and smal. A ceynt she werede, barred al of silk, A barmclooth eek as whit as morne milk Upon hir lendes, ful of many a goore. Whit was hir smok, and broyden al bifoore And eek bihynde, on hir coler aboute, Of col­blak silk, withinne and eek withoute. The tapes of hir white voluper Were of the same suyte of hir coler; Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye. And sikerly she hadde a likerous ye; Ful smale ypulled were hire browes two, And tho were bent and blake as any sloo. She was ful moore blisful on to see Than is the newe pere­jonette tree, And softer than the wolle is of a wether. And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether, Tasseled with silk, and perled with latoun. In al this world, to seken up and doun, There nys no man so wys that koude thenche So gay a popelote or swich a wenche. Ful brighter was the shynyng of hir hewe Than in the tour the noble yforged newe. But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne As any swalwe sittynge on a berne. Therto she koude skippe and make game, As any kyde or calf folwynge his dame. Hir mouth was sweete as bragot or the meeth, Or hoord of apples leyd in hey or heeth. Wynsynge she was, as is a joly colt, Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt. A brooch she baar upon hir lowe coler, As brood as is the boos of a bokeler. Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye. She was a prymerole, a piggesnye, For any lord to leggen in his bedde, Or yet for any good yeman to wedde

5

LG: Link Nicolas' introduction to Courtly Loveand explore how Chaucer presents The Carpenter, his wife and Nicholas

SC:

THE MILLER'S TALETHE MILLER'S TALE

Using Winny's notes,translate this section into modern English.

Pull out key quotations which describe this character. Look for image clusters.

What impression of Alison is Chaucer trying to create for his readers/listeners?

What connections can you see between Alisoun and a courtly lady?

How does Chaucer satirise this character?

Alisoun's introduction

THE LOVE TRIANGLE

JONThe Carpenter

ALISON NICHOLAS

6

Alison. A bit wilde and yonge

held "narwe in a cage"

a wild caged animal

Lots of nature imagery: animals... young ones

" a joly colt""a wezele"" a wether" ­ lamb"kide or calf"

"a perejonette tree"... known to be very sweet and ripen easily (sexual undertones here)

"Hir mouthe was sweet as braggot or the meethe"(intoxicating breath)

perejonette treeprimerolepiggesnie

All the soft 'p' sounds ­ plosives which suggest sensual kisses.Hmmm... is Chaucer getting carried away with his own character?

Dresses in a great of silk ­ v. expensive. She has lots of jewelry ­ a tad unusual for a carpenter's wife don't you think?

More references to Nature:"as whit as morne milk""swalwe sittinge on the berne""hord of apples leyd in hey or heath"

perhaps Chaucer is suggesting she is down to earth with natural impulses?

"She has a likerous ye"a lecherous eye

Without a doubt Chaucer paints her as an attractive young woman, but look how he undercuts this seemingly attractive description of"She was a primerole, a piggesnie"with"For any Lord to leggen in his beddeOr yet for any good yeman to wedde."

No Lord is going to choose to marry her, but he doesn't mind having sex with her...