How important is the prologue to understanding the 'Millers Tale'

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Laura Phillips 12DM                The Millers Tale

April 2006                 The Prologue

How important is the prologue to understanding the

‘Millers Tale’

At the start of each of the individual Canterbury Tales, there is a prologue, which simply acts as a connector. A prologue allows a series of short stories to become a longer piece and provides an insight into the behaviour and views of the pilgrims telling each tale. The prologue preceding the ‘Miler’s Tale’ is filled with the rules of social etiquette and touches on the boundaries Chaucer daringly elaborates with his use of characterisation in the tale itself.

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        The prologue begins with a reference to the last tale told, that of the knight, which Chaucer describes as “a noble storie”. By using this reference to the knight’s tale provides the opportunity to contrast with the crude character of the miller and thus these two juxtaposing characters enhance Chaucer’s characterisation. The miller’s tale runs on the key themes of sex, love, lust and adultery to name but a few, which immediately throws into light the sharp contrast between the knights “noble” tale and the miller’s.

        The interaction, in the prologue, gives a wider perspective of the pilgrimage itself and ...

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