Review by Vkaur -- The Miller's Tale

[Vkaur]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Miller's Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer (Brian Lamont translator).]

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4 out of 4 stars

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If you have shied away from Geoffrey Chaucer and his works of The Canterbury Tales, now is the opportune time to explore one: The Miller's Tale: A Modern English Translation by Brian Lamont. Offering an accessible path for the modern reader, it is as much a humorous tale as it is obscene. Such tones are alluded to before the tale even begins: in the prologue, the Miller is introduced as drunk, as he journeys on a pilgrimage with fellow pilgrims to the Canterbury Cathedral. He declares that he has a tale to tell, and claims no responsibility for his narration in his drunken state. Following failed attempts by the other pilgrims to stop him, Chaucer includes a warning for the reader to seek more "noble" tales, should this one be deemed too offensive.

Lamont's work additionally features a written play of The Miller's Tale after the poem. Here, while the Miller himself is staged to provide the background narrative, the actors enact the dialogue.

In this tale, a carpenter's wife, Alison, is pursued by two men: Nicholas and Absolon. The carpenter, John, is portrayed as a jealous husband, that is also taken for a "fool" (the term referring here to the husband of an unfaithful wife). He obliges in the execution of a task that would, unbeknownst to him, enable his wife to sleep with his lodger, Nicholas. The consequences entail obscenities, humiliation, and revenge, concluding with mockery of the characters' just desserts.

The Miller's Tale rollicks with profanities and religious mockery. Based on the French fabliaux, typically involving unfaithful wives and "fools", its comical sexual jokes are integral to the tale. In spite of its bawdiness, the Miller claims that his tale is a "noble" one. Chaucer's critical tone towards corrupt religious officials during the medieval period, however, indicates the irony in the message. This is illustrated clearly through the characters; whilst Absolon, a parish clerk, pursues a married woman, Nicholas exploits religion to trick the carpenter, a genuine devoter of his faith. Chaucer's critical tone through crude humour is both fantastically executed through his characters, and non-excessive. I appreciated and enjoyed the orchestration of each sequence, drawn together by a conclusion that was hilarious and left much to reflect on.

Brian Lamont's translation of this tale shows immediate accessibility for the reader beyond the literature classroom. In his short introduction, he helpfully lays out information on the Miller and the prologue, providing foresight on what to expect. Remarkably, Lamont has managed to "creatively maintain" the rhyme scheme of the original version and "define or replace archaic words". This left a very positive impression on my reading experience, for Lamont's efforts are no small feat. Through this translation, one can "listen" to this tale just like any other. The form is replicated as faithfully as possible in modern English, depicting a resonating and appealing community spirit that can be imagined from Chaucer's time.

Lamont's written play can be envisioned as enhancing the comical effect of the tale, with the Miller's drunken narration at the fore. Whilst the form of the play is slightly modified for dialogue purposes, most of its poetic form is left intact, rendering it pleasing to the ear. As a minor remark, however, the inclusion of the play does not feel compelling to read immediately after the poem. While common sense would suggest reading the play at an alternative point, it might face the danger of being overlooked against the poem. Nonetheless, its addition does not negatively impact on the reading experience.

In the work itself, there are no inherent flaws, according to the type of tale that it is supposed to be. Whilst enjoying the tale myself, an additional appeal to this work would've been to include the original, Middle English version alongside the translation. That said, Lamont's translation piece concentrates on accessibility, rather than serving as a textual study for academic purposes. Finally, as previously mentioned, an express warning has been provided in the tale for readers that may find the crudeness or religious elements offensive. To that, I concur.

Overall, Lamont's translation serves its purpose for enabling a wider readership on Chaucer's work, and it is professionally edited. While it may not suit everybody's taste, the tale has much to recommend it, even for readers today. I would rate this translated version 4 out of 4 stars.

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The Miller's Tale
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[Upeksha]

An amazing review! But I don't think that I'm in the target audience, so I'll pass on this one. Anyway, thanks for the great review!

[Vkaur]

An amazing review! But I don't think that I'm in the target audience, so I'll pass on this one. Anyway, thanks for the great review!

Thank you! Despite it not being up your street, I appreciate you reading through just the same

[kandscreeley]

I read Chaucer in college. Therefore, I haven't really considered it for leisure reading. Your review was interesting, though. I'm glad someone translated it.

[Vkaur]

I read Chaucer in college. Therefore, I haven't really considered it for leisure reading. Your review was interesting, though. I'm glad someone translated it.

I also read Chaucer in college and at the time it seemed a little alien to me. This translation appealed to me at a time where I felt ready to revisit his tales. It was worth it!