Courtly love became the subject of some of the most famous medieval poems, and where we get today’s word, ‘courtesy’.
Throughout The Miller’s Tale, Chaucer is exploring a variety of attitudes towards love. There is the idealized and fashionable love of court romance and there is ‘love of the world’ and the ‘love of God’. These mixed together gives an idea of love in The Miller’s Tale.
Absolon is in true romantic flight, ‘like a true turtle dove’, and Alison ignores this and tells him to go away. This brings out the contrast in Absolon’s courtly ways and Alison’s country manner.
Courtly romantic love is mocked harshly. Absolon’s behaviour fits well with will traditional romantic standards, but he is the victim of Alison’s scorn and receives only one vulgar ‘kiss’ for his efforts. In the tale, his romantic affections mark him as foolish and effeminate and in a way feminine. The Miller notes how Absolon combed his curly blonde hair to prepare himself for Alison, a satire of courtly love and romance for which the Miller has no use. The unfaltering devotion that John holds for his wife is equally subject to mockery. It is his love for his wife that allows him to be tricked by Nicholas into taking tubs on the roof.
Marriage in the 14th century
Grooms, on the average, were much older than their brides. More than 3/4 of women were married before they reached 19. This would make Alison and John’s relationship not unusual.
While medieval country marriages were often the result of love, marriage among the noble class was more a business transaction. Passion was considered sinful in the 11th and 12th centuries, but these ideals were being worn away with the rituals of courtly love.
