The Miller's Tale by Chaucer

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How Does Chaucer Present The Characters Of Nicholas And Absolon?
The Miller’s tale by Chaucer presents the reader who two characters, Nicholas and Absolon. It can be said that the pair are opposites of one another. It is also open to interpretation to who out of the pair is the ‘Courtly Lover’. Some may say that it is Nicholas and others Absolon. It can be said that this idea of the pair is not easy to understand and will be able to convey.

The character of Nicholas is an important character in the tale. This is because the prologue presents the reader with the suggestion that the tale will reflect the Miller. The Miller is a drunk who loves to tell rude stories which draw people’s attention especially those of men. It can be said that Nicholas is in the forefront of this idea. The character of Nicholas is an extremely private man, “alone, withouten any compaigne”, as he lives alone in a rented bedroom. We can presume that he has a single bed as he has no company and that he and Alison don’t sleep together in this room. Another suggestion for Nicholas being a private and sly character is because the reader doesn’t receive any physical description of him. The reader finds out more information about Nicholas’ room then they do him. Some argue that Chaucer has done this deliberately to reinforce the idea that he is a private man. We never see Nicholas anywhere bar the Carpenter’s house. He plays his music on his own, “So sweetly that all the chamber rong”, which is significant because it shows he is gifted and doesn’t want others to hear his gift. It can also be seen to be a way of wooing women as music is romantic.

Furthermore Nicholas is a well educated man. He is very interested in astrology, “his astrelabie longinge for his art”; this is a subject which many at the time wouldn’t have understood. He has the ability to predict events, “to deman by interogacious”, especially the weather. Another ...