The characters introduced in the general prologue of the Canterbury Tales each represent a stereotype of a type of person with whom Chaucer would have been familiar in 14th-century England. Each character is unique, but embodies many physical and behavioral traits that would be common for someone in their profession. In preparing the reader for the tales, Chaucer first sets the mood by providing a general idea of ​​the type of character who is telling the story, then allows that character to introduce himself through a personal prologue, and finally the pilgrim tells his story. By providing the reader with detailed information about the pilgrim's physical and personal traits and then allowing that person to come to life and tell an animated story, the reader is better prepared for the story and able to connect the physical description to the narrative. of history. The physical and personal descriptions of the Miller, the Wife of Bath, and the Merchant all help tell their stories. Chaucer was able to create tales that perfectly suited the characters who presented them. By having each story told by someone who has a personal reason or motivation for telling that specific story, Chaucer creates more of a reaction from the reader and provides the entire work with structure. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Miller is a large, imposing person who personifies a dishonest but likable businessman. In "The General Prologue", Chaucer describes the Miller as having a "golden thombe, (563)" which the footnote on page 32 of The Riverside Chaucer notes, "is an ironic reference to a proverb, with the implication that there are no honest millers." The Miller's description and actions support the idea of ​​this proverb. Although the Miller is rude, speaks out of turn, acts inappropriately, and tells a story centered on deception and betrayal, he is also jovial and funny. Despite this unflattering introduction, however, Miller cannot be considered a hateful person because his purpose is to provide comic relief. The appearance of the Miller after the more solemn Knight creates a contrast in mood and provides the reader with a more relaxed feeling in the rest of the tales. The Miller is described as an unattractive man. His portrait is made in the following manner: He had a short brood, a brood, a thikke knarre, - his beard like any sow or fox was cane, and therefore brood, as if it were a spade On the policeman to the right of his nose he haddeA werte, and on top there was a toft of heresReed like the bristles of a sow heres; His nosethirles blake were and wyde. (“The General Prologue,” 551-559) These physical descriptions “were thought by physiognomists to denote variously a shameless, talkative, lascivious, and quarrelsome character (Riverside Chaucer, 820: PMLA 35, 1920, 189-209).” Like his appearance, his personality is also described as very loud and creepy. He is depicted as a young boy would be, only with the strength of a large adult. The Miller misbehaves and bangs his head against doors, which is a common trait of a two-year-old, however, he is so big that it is said: rennyng with his attention. ("The General Prologue", 552-553) Furthermore, comparing him to a teenager, he tells dirty jokes: He was a charlatan and a goliardeys, And that was more than synne and prostitutes. ("The General Prologue", "562-563) All these are annoying, but at the same time comical characteristics. Furthermore, the red color of the face and hair can be interpreted in two different ways. One interpretation given is that "The red is a widespread figure ofdeception and betrayal. (Riverside Chaucer, 820)" The other interpretation of the use of the color red would imply that his personality is sanguine and that he is fun-loving. His description supports both of these ideas, however, the importance of red seems to be in the creation of a comical atmosphere around the Miller that is carried by the reader into his tale. Overall, the introduction of the Miller in "The General Prologue", leaves the reader with the image of a loud and unattractive red man, which seems appropriate given. the Miller's next appearance. After the Knight concludes his tale, the Miller abruptly interrupts the guest, who asks the Miller to take his turn then insists that he will tell a story next and "a true story of the knight." ("The Miller's Prologue", 319)". He is obviously drunk and even admits that his speech may be a little off due to his condition. The Miller tells the reader that he must bear this in mind before he begins to tell his story: But first I make a protest that I am drunk; I know it by my sound. And so if this speaks to me or sees me, write Southwerk beer, please. ("The Miller's Prologue", 3138-3141) The narrator then, before allowing the miller to begin the telling of his tale, urges the reader to find another story to read before getting offended and wasting time listening to the Miller : And so, whoever lists it, no, turn the page and see another story, Because he fynde ynowe, grete and smale, Of historical things that touch the gentillesse, And eek moraletee and sanctity. Blame me if that chese amys. Millere is a cherl: you know it well. (“The Miller’s Prologue,” 3176-3182) Through Giving By advising the reader to walk away from the telling of this story, Chaucer does nothing but entice him and pique his curiosity about the story that Miller is so eager to share. Although Miller is vulgar and offensive, he is attractive. The Miller's likability and history are similar to his physical traits in that, while they are unattractive on the surface and even tacky, they are overall quite entertaining. "The Miller's Tale" is an obvious parody of "The Knight's Tale;" only that it is shaped like a lower-class Fabliau. Both stories contain a central love triangle, however the progression of the stories and the atmosphere of the stories differ greatly. Unlike "The Knight's Tale", "The Miller's Tale" is full of wit and at the end of the tale all the characters get what they deserve and seem to be somewhat satisfied with the outcome. For example, Miller's character, his story is lighthearted and very funny. While "The Knight's Tale" offers a lesson in courtly love and traditional marriages, the relationship between Alisoun, John, Nicholas and Absolon makes a mockery of the values ​​expressed by the Knight. In the essay "Personality and Styles of Affection", Irma Taavititsainen explains the role of courtly love in "The Miller's Tale" as follows: The inversion of courtly romance is explicit in the portraits of Alison and Absolon-No trace of is the emotional load of the contemplative monologue of the Knight's Tale is present; the pace is rapid accentuating the contrast- (229) Furthermore, the incorporation of a flood into the tale alludes to a religious theme, however, the humorous role that the flood takes within the action of the tale can be considered "blasphemous ( Taavitsainen 230 )." Considering the personality of the Miller the reader has been exposed to, these themes seem appropriate, and like his mannerisms, the story is crude, yet likable. Taavitsainen notes that as a narrator, Miller's character plays a key role in creating atmosphere and evoking reader reactions in the story: Readers comeguided through the story and asked to pay attention to certain points, enjoy the apprehensions and sudden turning points of the plot and laugh at the characters. The Miller commands and controls the reader's reactions, and is extremely skilled at doing so. ("Personalities and Styles of Affection", 231) The Miller represents himself very truthfully in his tale and there is a clear consistency between the hatefulness of the Miller's appearances within the dialogue of the "Canterbury Tales" and the type of story it tells. The description given to the Wife of Bath is very different from that given to the Miller. She has been married five times and admits that she will "welcome the sixth, whenever she does, ("The Wife of Bath's Prologue," 45)." Within these marriages, she is undoubtedly the one in control and, as her story shows, she believes that the woman should be in charge. Although The Wife of Bath seems to be the perfect example of a woman who fits the modern definition of being independent, Chaucer fails to describe her in a way that corresponds to a woman who is completely in control of her own life. She is presented as an aggressive, vivacious and wealthy woman, whose entire life revolves around the lives of her husbands. In her article "Feminism or Anti-Feminism: Images of Women in, The Wife of Bath", Annie White explains how the name Chaucer gave to The Wife of Bath is representative of her dependence on men in the following way: Despite the [ her] talent and position as an entrepreneur, Alison still relies on her husbands for wealth and status. Although Alison is a skilled craftsman in her own right, she is rarely seen as herself. Others on the journey to Canterbury are referred to by their name and occupation, for example clerk and merchant, but Alison is referred to as the Wife of Bath. This shows that his importance lies in his sexuality or marital status. She is not a person or even a craftsman; she is simply a wife. (No page number provided) Additionally, her dress, personal prologue, and short story demonstrate the importance she places on the men in her life. These descriptions only prove to make her seem less like a strong, independent woman and more like a “good wife” (“The General Prologue,” 447).” Her physical characteristics and history express that not only is marriage and role important of the woman within the marriage, but that until it is understood that the woman is responsible within the marriage, a man and a woman are not able to live in peace wife of Bath wears a fashionable wardrobe and somewhat ostentatious which is intended both to show off his wealth and to attract men. He wears a large hat and red stockings: His ful fyne headdresses were of earth; ) The color of his stockings, in particular, is significant, since, like the Miller, his face is also described as "reed of hewe ("The General Prologue: 460" In this case, the color red strongly implies a Sanguine personality, which is more than demonstrated by her flirtatious and playful tone as well as her sexuality, which defines her as the main woman and sexual object of the Pilgrimage. In his article "Chaucer's Wife of 'Foot-Mantel' of Bath and his 'Hipes Large'", Peter G. Beidler focuses on a possible misinterpretation of lines 471-474 of "The General Prologue":Su un amblere esily sat down, Ywympled wel, and on hir attention to a hat, as a brood as a bokeler or a targe; a cloak for the feet aboute hir hipes large, Beidler states that the whole image of The Wife of Bath can be reevaluated if the word large can be interpreted as an adverb rather than an adjective: Most of us have imagined it like a big, strong woman,fully capable of holding its own in the turbulent arenas of medieval business, pilgrimage and marriage. If these imaginings are not necessarily supported by Chaucer's text, we should reconsider his possible physical vulnerability towards husbands. This interpretation suggests that the entire world describes her leggings or dresses hanging largely on her hips. This is possible, however it seems more likely that the mention of hips, inside and outside, is meant to symbolize a woman's fertility and that by widening her hips, Chaucer is only enhancing her role as a good wife whose main purpose is to bear children. However, the physical description given to the Wife of Bath presents her as a very feminine and outgoing woman, who through her prologue and narrative embodies parts of what a man would consider a threat as a wife and as an ideal companion. Wife of Bath describes the story of her 5 marriages, the reader is shown that she is a manipulative and conniving woman who uses her many marriages to gain a sense of power. Within these marriages, she admits to accusing their husbands of cheating on her in order to gain the upper hand in a situation. The Wife of Bath considers marriage a game and has profited greatly from most of her husbands. He even suggests that a wife uses strategies and manipulations to get the better of her husbands in the following way: You wise wives, this can be understood. manSwere and lyen, as a woman, I can say this to wives who have been wyse, but if that's what they surround me. (“The Prologue of the Wife of Bath,” 225-230) The Wife of Bath insists on control and when she loses it, as she does with her fifth husband, Jankyn, and it causes problems within the marriage. Jankyn had a favorite book that recalled the many vilified women in history and literature. This book, which the Wife of Bath called "a book of wikiked wyves, ("The Wife of Bath's Prologue," 685)" was used by Jankyn to preach to her how horrible women are. After growing tired of Jankyn's obsession with this book, the Wife of Bath decides to use it as a way to manipulate him into returning his property. She initiates a violent act, which prompts him to hit her on the ear, during which she takes advantage of her femininity by acting as if she has been seriously injured: All three levels I covered from his book, just like he said, and ekeI with my party so took the hymn on the cheek, that in our fyr si ril bakward adoun. And he rose like dootha wood leoun, and with his party smoot me on the attention that in the floor I lay, as I was fit. (“The Wife of Bath's Prologue,” 790-796) This altercation, although it led to her becoming deaf in one ear, puts an end to the difficulties the Wife of Bath was having in getting along with her husband. The Wife of Bath becomes very emotional after Jankyn hits her and claims that she was terribly hurt and that Jankyn killed her for her money. When he realizes that he could have harmed her, he offers to return her money and property. This act restores order in the marriage. In her description of these events in "The Wife of Bath's Prologue," she seems almost proud of the way she influenced Jankyn: Lately, with much care and pain, we have made ourselves according to an agreement between just the two of us. He gave me the bride in my hond, to have the rule of the house and London, (795-814) The Wife of Bath has been married since the age of twelve and has adapted to the role of a wife. Over the course of her many marriages she has learned how to take control of her situations and use her position as a woman to gain the upper hand in the marriage. Her story, like her life, involves a woman who takes control of a man and uses iher feminine powers to have an advantage over him. The story told by the Wife of Bath seems to parallel the story she tells in her prologue of her marriage to Jankyn. Similar to Jankyn, the Knight in his tale shows little respect for women at the beginning of the story. When he is alone in the forest he meets a maiden and "By force, he chose to hire a maiden." ("The Wife of Bath's Tale", 888)" To avoid being put to death he must discover "What it is that women most desire, ("The Wife of Bath's Tale", 905)." To save his life, the knight places his trust in a strange woman who gives him the answer, which she conveys to the queen as: Women desired to have sovereignty as much over their husband as over his love, and to be in maistrie hym above.("The wife's tale of Bath," 1037-1039) That the knight is made aware of a woman's desire to "have sovereignty," ("The Tale of the Wife of Bath," 1037)" is the general theme not only of the tale, but of appearance of the Wife of Bath in her prologue. The knight begins the story in a position of sexual dominance by committing rape and ends the tale by submitting completely to his wife ("The Wife of Bath's Tale", 1230-1232). This shows that the purpose of the tale was to reveal that a man who submits to his wife can obtain a wife who is both "just and good" ("The Tale of the Wife of Bath", 1241). Merchant uses his short story and prologue to offer his opinion on love and marriage. His views, however, are strongly against marriage. The Merchant, also similar to the Wife of Bath, tells a story closely linked to a personal experience. He explains in his prologue that he has been married for two months ("The Merchant's Prologue", 1234) and in these two months he has become quite opinionated on the subject. In the essay "For craft is al, whoso that do it kan": The Genre of the Merchant's Tale," Leigh A. Arrathoon explains that: While the pretentious Merchant bitterly and somewhat squeamishly tells what he perceives as a story that exemplifies the wickedness of wives, the statement that Chaucer makes implies the responsibility of lecherous husbands for their own marital misery (241) Furthermore, the character of the Merchant seems to be opposite to that of the Wife of Bath in every way the masculine traits. the Wife of Bath may seek to oppress within a marriage However, the Merchant seems as consumed by his distaste for marriage as the Wife of Bath appears to be dependent on it general", 270)." Like his opinions that appear before and after his tale, the Merchant sits "on horseback ("The General Prologue", 271). He is obsessed with profit and is, as was typical of a 14th-century merchant, described in a way that embodies typical merchant traits such as "avarice, deceit, and usury (Riverside Chaucer, 809)." The Merchant, like the Miller, presents himself in a positive light. It is repeated several times that he is a "worthy man". ("The General Prologue", 283)". Considering the length of his total description, this seems to be a fairly important point that Chaucer was trying to make. His profession seems to be honorable and his character seems to be quite typical of a Merchant However, the Merchant is notable for his views on marriage, which seem to compliment his business acumen. He seems to think that women are a waste of time and troublemakers, and would probably much rather study profits than worry of the problems that arise in her marriage. These characteristics are very different from those of the Wife of Bath who, in love with Jankyn, gave up all the money she had accumulated from her four ex-husbands.>