Imagery is one of the key ways that Chaucer describes his character. He does this through similes using animals repeatedly even within the tale miller compares animals to people.
Chaucer describes the miller’s beard as sow’s ear, suggesting that the hair is coarse; however this could be hidden symbolism for him as a person being coarse. Quote; ‘Reed as the bristles of a sowes erys’. (Translated as ‘Red bristly hair as if it were a sow’s ear’.) The simile suggesting coarse.
Another animal Chaucer compares the miller to is a fox. This emphasises the vibrancy of the colour of the miller’s ginger hair. It also gives us inklings about our upcoming story and the character’s personality traits. Foxes are notorious for being ‘sneaky’ in the sense they thieve out of bins and our scavengers; suggesting that the miller is similar to the fox in his behaviour. Foxes are also considered as vermin or pests; suggesting the same of him. Quote; ‘His berd as any sowe or fox was reed’. (Translated as ‘ His beard as any fox was red’.) The simile implying how very red his beard was, similar to a fox.
Another simile used is that he is broad like a spade. This would seem a rather unusual comparison to make. A spade is used for digging earth Chaucer could be trying to subtly implying that he is dirty. Coincidentally the miller’s tale is very dirty; it could mean in the sense of vulgarity rather than actual filth, or it could mean both! Quote; ‘And, therto brood, as though it were a spade’. (Translated as ‘And he was broad, as if he were a spade’.) The simile in simple terminology implying his bodily width.
One other simile used is about his mouth being a like large furnace. The use of the word great suggests he has a large mouth and could symbolise the fact that he’s a large fellow. It could symbolise him being large in body and personality and the furnace meaning he has a fiery personality. The great could symbolise him being quite chatty, so he talks a great deal. The furnace could also symbolise him telling quite lively and vibrant stories. Fiery as well could also symbolise his temper, as well as his ginger appearance.
Quote; ‘His mouth as greet was a greet forneys.’ (Translated as ‘His mouth was like a great furnace.’) Great emphasising the size and the furnace symbolising himself or fire.
Chaucer also uses colours to show us what the miller is like. Red is the colour used to the most to describe the miller. The colour red is associated with different types of behaviour and emotions i.e.; being angry, fiery, and is used for lots of ‘stop’ signs to warn people not to go on further! Blood and gore is associated with red. Red is also a very vibrant and loud colour.
It could also be indicating he’s a Scottish stereotype. As redheads at this time were usually common in Scotland, and there is a mention of him playing the bagpipes as well. Quote; ‘A baggepype wel could he blowe and sowne’. (Translated as ‘He was able to play the bagpipes well.) This is another aspect that fits in with a stereotypical Scottish person. This could contain a hidden clue for the upcoming story, suggesting he’s long-winded like the instrument he plays.
Red is a loud and bright colour suggesting that he’s loud and brass. As red symbolises danger and stop, it could be suggesting to stop reading the story or read it if you dare. Or quite simply suggesting he’s overall a ‘dodgy’ character and not to be trusted. Two animals are linked with these colours a fox and a sow.
Black is also used suggesting he’s devious and black usually symbolises all around badness implying that of him. Or it could mean crooked. Generally black is considered as a negative colour. Quote; ‘His nosethirles blake were and wide’. (Translated as ‘His nostrils were black and wide’.) Suggesting looking up at him would be like looking into black holes.
The colours white and blue are used together. These are the colours nuns often wore together in particular Virgin Mary was notoriously stereotyped to be dressed like this. This could be ironic in the sense even though he is on a pilgrimage he doesn’t necessarily take religion seriously and he’s far from being a nun. These are also the colours for the Scottish flag and would have been in Chaucer’s time as well relating back to the Scot stereotype. Quote; ‘A whyt cote and a blew hood wered he’. (Translated as ‘He wore a white coat and a blue hood’.) This shows the colour clothes he was wearing and his outward appearance symbolising his inner traits.
The descriptions Chaucer uses are usually to accentuate his body. He is described as a large man overall. He is described as being exceedingly strong, broad, big, short-shouldered and a knotty fellow. He is a good wrestler and often wins. Quote; ‘He was short-shouldered, brood, a thikke knarre’. (Translated as ‘He was short-shouldered, broad, a knotty fellow’.) Chaucer wants to make him seem like a threatening character and rather imposing, so not only does he speak of his size, but what he is willing to do with it. Quote; ‘Ther was no dore that he nolde heve of harre; Or breke it at a renning with his heed’. (Translated as ‘There was no door he wasn’t willing to heave off hinges; Or breaking it by butting it with his head.’) This is suggesting that he has violent tendencies and is strong enough to heave a door off its hinges.
Chaucer also indicates the miller as being a fighter he wrestles and he has a small shield and a sword by his side and we already know he is very strong. Quote; ‘A swerd and bokeler bar he by his side’. (Translated as ‘A sword and a small shield he had by his side’.) This is pretty self-explanatory it just shows he is equipped for a fight.
Chaucer indicates he’s a thief and not to be trusted. Quote; ‘Wel koulde he stelen corn and tollen thries; And yet he hadde a thombe of golde, pardee.’ (Translated as ‘He sold corn three times it’s value and often speaks of stealing in his tales; And yet he had a thumb of gold, by God!) The thumb of gold could be symbolism for a thief; as in modern day terms someone who would be called light fingers would be a thief. Selling corn for three times it value means he wants to get as much money as possible. Other indications of him being a thief is the comparison to a fox; foxes being sneaky and renowned for stealing out of bins.
Chaucer gives several indications of him being a Scottish stereotype, even though he might not be Scottish. He may want to mock Scottish civilisation, therefore if he creates a negative character with many Scottish traits he is able to do so. It clearly shows a conflict between Scotland and England at the time of his writing for Chaucer to give such a negative image. Indications of him being a Scot stereotype come from bagpipe playing, ginger hair, and at the time they would have been stereotyped as thieves as well by the English.
Chaucer doesn’t put forward his own opinion of the miller. He puts negative aspects on the miller’s image creating the audience to have a negative perspective of him. He says the facts of the miller and how the miller comes across to others.
The host thinks of him as a drunken fool. Quote; ‘Oure Hoost answered, ‘Tel on, a devel wey! Thou art a fool; thy wit is overcome.’ (Translated as ‘Out Host answered, ‘Carry on, in devil’s name!’ You are a fool; your wit has been overcome’.) The fact that the host says his wit has been overcome is suggesting that the miller is drunk and isn’t thinking about what he is doing or saying.
The reeve also has a rather strong opinion of the miller. The reeve is a carpenter as well as a steward and isn’t pleased with the miller’s chosen character. He believes the miller to be speaking obscene ribaldries. Quote; ‘The Reve answerde and seide, ‘Stint thy clappe! Lat be thy lewed drunken harlotrie’’. (Translated as ‘The Reeve answered and said, ‘Stop this talk! Of your vulgar, drunken and obscene story’’.) This clearly shows he disapproves of the miller’s story. He also later retaliates by telling a similar story about the outwitting and cuckolding of a rascally miller. This is rather ironic considering the statement the reeve makes earlier. Chaucer is again using irony about the lack of morals most of them have being on a holy pilgrimage. Another use of irony Chaucer uses is that even though these pilgrims are heading for a pilgrimage they are really out for the entertainment.
The host tries to keep the position of tales to positions in society, therefore the people of higher social rank tell their stories first. Chaucer also apologises for not presenting the pilgrims according to their social status. The miller however would not stand for this and tells his tale straight after the knight after much reluctance by the host.
The knight tells a rather noble tale a big contrast compared to the crude tale the miller tells. Perhaps Chaucer is trying to show us the behavioural differences in richer societies compared to poorer societies. Or Chaucer could be showing even though the knight is of higher rank than the miller, there is no issue of rank or money because everyone is as equal a character in this pilgrimage, perhaps because they are all going for the same reasons even if they don’t admit it. The miller unknowingly starts a random order, after this tale the other pilgrims tell their stories disregarding social status.
The miller’s tale comes before the reeve’s tale. This is probably due to the fact that the miller has humiliated him, and the reeve wants revenge so makes a similar tale to the miller’s, except this time the miller is the idiot. Chaucer could be simply changing the variety of pilgrims telling their tales. So he starts of with someone of higher class, then lower class and then middle class. Even though the miller’s tale comes second in Canterbury Tales he didn’t write them in order, maybe this is because of the sheer rudeness in the miller’s tale and the tension it might have caused at the time of the writings.
The language is most obviously written in Middle English. It’s graphically expressive and it gives a very vivid image of the miller. Quote; ‘Upon the cop right of his nose he hade A werte, and theron stood a tuft of herys, Reed as the bristles of a sowes erys’. (Translated as ‘At the top right of his nose he had A wart and there stood a tuft of hairs, Red as the bristles of a sow’s ears’.) Rather than just saying he had a wart on his nose, Chaucer goes into emphatic detail to describe it even going so far as to use a simile. The language Chaucer uses to create imagery breaks away from the world of courtly ideals.
The miller has a basic and limited grasp of spoken language, whereas someone such as the knight would have had a much higher standard of spoken speech, which is another contrast between the knight and miller’s tale. It is also written as a poem in rhyming couplets, which I believe keeps the story lively with continuity.
In conclusion, Chaucer presents the miller to be a vivid and vibrant character by mainly imagery and colours. Chaucer is clear on his descriptions and gives incredible detail on his character. Chaucer hopes that the physical appearance of the miller will reflect the miller as a person as well. Chaucer relies on symbolism and similes to reveal the miller’s character to us; therefore Chaucer does not have to make a direct opinion of him. This keeps him as a neutral story teller, but another benefit of this is that the audience cannot hold Chaucer responsible for the miller’s tale as he is merely a neutral messenger.
