O'Connell's Advanced Placement Literature and Composition class's blog about The Canterbury Tales. Bedford High School, Bedford, NH.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Miller's Tale Discussion Question #3
Note the clever way in which the cleric Nicholas get the better of the carpenter John. Does this cleverness make him the hero of the tale? Who is the cleverest trickster in the Miller's Tale? Why?
I do not think that Nicholas is the hero of the tale. I think he just happened to be in the right place at the long time. He was manipulative, not a hero. I think Absalom is the cleverest trickster because he messed with everyones plan. While one may argue that it was not his plans, or intentions to trick John, he still did. He was the one that put Nicholas's plan into place.
I also agree that Absalom is the cleverest trickster, because he gets the better of Nicholas, who was clever enough to trick John. However, I think Nicholas is still the hero, because he wins Alison's heart, and is described in a sympathetic way by the Miller, unlike John, who is described as foolish, or Absalom, who is described as annoying.
I agree that Absalom is the cleverest trickster because Nicholas thought he was about to trick him for the second time but was really about to get his payback.
The cleverness of Nicholas in this case does not make him the hero of the tale because even though he does end up with Alison, he still gets branded on the butt by Absalom with the hot iron as a form of punishment, or karma, for tricking the carpenter and stealing Alison. He had to further push his luck by taunting Absalom by sticking his butt out, portraying himself as more of a jerk than a hero. Also, the cleverest trickster in the Miller's tale is Alison, who tricks not only her husband the carpenter, but also Absalom, as well as the rest of the town by declaring her husband mad, and in the end coming out unscathed or harmed and out of the bindings of her husband and into the folds of her true love, Nicholas.
This cleverness makes him the hero of the tale because he is able to trick John and make him stay in the tub while he and Alison sleep together. Since he is able to pull this off, Alison is content because she gets to be with him instead of her husband. The cleverest trickster in the "Miller's Tale" is Nicholas because he uses his knowledge about astronomy to fool John. He makes him think that a huge flood is coming and that he needs to prepare for it. His cleverness caused his trick to be successful, and he ends up sleeping with Alison. Then, when everyone in town finds out about the "flood" from John, Nicholas makes everyone believe that John is crazy and is not in his right state of mind.
I think that Nicholas is the most clever trickster in the tale because he carried out his plan the way he intended to and he got to spend the night with Alison, which was his goal.
I agree with this, and the reason that Absalom is not the most clever trickster is that he does not trick the person he intended to trick. He put the hot iron on Nicholas's butt when he was trying to get alison's butt. Because of this, is it true that Nicholas was the only one to reach his intended goal.
I agree with Allison that Nicholas is the most clever trickster even if he got branded on the butt by Absalom. Nicholas got what he wanted will Absalom just got the satisfaction of hurting Nicholas. If Nicholas had not come up with the "flood" plan then he would not have won over his love, showing his cleverness.
I agree. Nicholas may have been humiliated, but in the end he did get what he wanted all along. He made up the story about the flood in order to have alone time with Alison, and it worked. He tricked Nicholas into believing him, and ultimately got what he wanted.
I do not think that Nicholas is the hero of the tale. I think he just happened to be in the right place at the long time. He was manipulative, not a hero. I think Absalom is the cleverest trickster because he messed with everyones plan. While one may argue that it was not his plans, or intentions to trick John, he still did. He was the one that put Nicholas's plan into place.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that Absalom is the cleverest trickster, because he gets the better of Nicholas, who was clever enough to trick John. However, I think Nicholas is still the hero, because he wins Alison's heart, and is described in a sympathetic way by the Miller, unlike John, who is described as foolish, or Absalom, who is described as annoying.
DeleteI agree that Absalom is the cleverest trickster because Nicholas thought he was about to trick him for the second time but was really about to get his payback.
DeleteThe cleverness of Nicholas in this case does not make him the hero of the tale because even though he does end up with Alison, he still gets branded on the butt by Absalom with the hot iron as a form of punishment, or karma, for tricking the carpenter and stealing Alison. He had to further push his luck by taunting Absalom by sticking his butt out, portraying himself as more of a jerk than a hero. Also, the cleverest trickster in the Miller's tale is Alison, who tricks not only her husband the carpenter, but also Absalom, as well as the rest of the town by declaring her husband mad, and in the end coming out unscathed or harmed and out of the bindings of her husband and into the folds of her true love, Nicholas.
ReplyDeleteThis cleverness makes him the hero of the tale because he is able to trick John and make him stay in the tub while he and Alison sleep together. Since he is able to pull this off, Alison is content because she gets to be with him instead of her husband. The cleverest trickster in the "Miller's Tale" is Nicholas because he uses his knowledge about astronomy to fool John. He makes him think that a huge flood is coming and that he needs to prepare for it. His cleverness caused his trick to be successful, and he ends up sleeping with Alison. Then, when everyone in town finds out about the "flood" from John, Nicholas makes everyone believe that John is crazy and is not in his right state of mind.
ReplyDeleteI think that Nicholas is the most clever trickster in the tale because he carried out his plan the way he intended to and he got to spend the night with Alison, which was his goal.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this, and the reason that Absalom is not the most clever trickster is that he does not trick the person he intended to trick. He put the hot iron on Nicholas's butt when he was trying to get alison's butt. Because of this, is it true that Nicholas was the only one to reach his intended goal.
DeleteI agree with Allison that Nicholas is the most clever trickster even if he got branded on the butt by Absalom. Nicholas got what he wanted will Absalom just got the satisfaction of hurting Nicholas. If Nicholas had not come up with the "flood" plan then he would not have won over his love, showing his cleverness.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Nicholas may have been humiliated, but in the end he did get what he wanted all along. He made up the story about the flood in order to have alone time with Alison, and it worked. He tricked Nicholas into believing him, and ultimately got what he wanted.
Delete