The Miller’s Tale” by Chaucer, centres around one female and three men. Chaucer skilfully uses the limited number of characters to represent more than just two simple genders. By linking to feminist literature, critics spot a clear pattern within these texts of a woman’s struggle for equality and acceptance as a human being, before becoming a victim of gender stereotypes , similarly to Alisoun. However, in contrast, we can debate that the male characters within this prose experience gender stereotypes also.
The more obvious gender role to become a victim of gender stereotypes are females. Without a doubt, females have faced degrading labels and a lack of freedom throughout history, even more so during Chaucer’s time. Contextually, 90% of medieval …show more content…
Chaucer uses his three male characters to highlight different stereotypes and can also be used to depict the direction Chaucer uses to portray women, or at least feminine characters. The most questionable scene to focus on is the ending, as it is arguably what makes “The Miller’s Tale” fabliaux. Absolon’s actions of striking Nicholas on the butt with a red-hot poker becomes funny, but why? Is it the homosexuality reference made? If so, gender roles and stereotypes become significant for the three males and how they are viewed in …show more content…
Chaucer carefully constructs a scenario where Nicholas’ anal end is scolded, fabricating the image of homosexuality. As stated in the critical anthology, gender roles are merged because “in one of the traditional representations of homosexuality, maleness and masculinity are uncoupled.” When we first meet Nicholas, readers are greeted with his womanizing ways as he gropes Alisoun (“And heeld hire harde by the haunchebones”) and are described as “hende” (meaning he’s ‘handy’), labelling him as ‘manly’. Chaucer’s choice of description, however, can be indicting in a feminine way. Elaine Treharne points out that the gender roles between Nicholas and Absolon are both incredibly different, but when it comes to their appearance they are the same. Both are described as feminine as they are equally “sweet smelling”, however, a significant difference comes from the idea that Nicholas possesses a real penis and effectively employs it with Alisoun, whereas Absolon has to wield the idea of a penis from a red-hot poker but does not use it effectively with Alisoun as he ends up striking Nicholas in the buttocks instead. We then learn that Nicholas is simply sweet smelling “And he hymself as sweete as is the roote/ Of lycorys or any cetewale” with little effort, but Absolon has to chew (and therefore work hard) in order to achieve the same “sweet smelling” effect, “But first he cheweth greyn and
The more obvious gender role to become a victim of gender stereotypes are females. Without a doubt, females have faced degrading labels and a lack of freedom throughout history, even more so during Chaucer’s time. Contextually, 90% of medieval …show more content…
Chaucer uses his three male characters to highlight different stereotypes and can also be used to depict the direction Chaucer uses to portray women, or at least feminine characters. The most questionable scene to focus on is the ending, as it is arguably what makes “The Miller’s Tale” fabliaux. Absolon’s actions of striking Nicholas on the butt with a red-hot poker becomes funny, but why? Is it the homosexuality reference made? If so, gender roles and stereotypes become significant for the three males and how they are viewed in …show more content…
Chaucer carefully constructs a scenario where Nicholas’ anal end is scolded, fabricating the image of homosexuality. As stated in the critical anthology, gender roles are merged because “in one of the traditional representations of homosexuality, maleness and masculinity are uncoupled.” When we first meet Nicholas, readers are greeted with his womanizing ways as he gropes Alisoun (“And heeld hire harde by the haunchebones”) and are described as “hende” (meaning he’s ‘handy’), labelling him as ‘manly’. Chaucer’s choice of description, however, can be indicting in a feminine way. Elaine Treharne points out that the gender roles between Nicholas and Absolon are both incredibly different, but when it comes to their appearance they are the same. Both are described as feminine as they are equally “sweet smelling”, however, a significant difference comes from the idea that Nicholas possesses a real penis and effectively employs it with Alisoun, whereas Absolon has to wield the idea of a penis from a red-hot poker but does not use it effectively with Alisoun as he ends up striking Nicholas in the buttocks instead. We then learn that Nicholas is simply sweet smelling “And he hymself as sweete as is the roote/ Of lycorys or any cetewale” with little effort, but Absolon has to chew (and therefore work hard) in order to achieve the same “sweet smelling” effect, “But first he cheweth greyn and