Lesson video

Hello, and welcome to the eighth and final lesson about The Canterbury Tales: 'General Prologue.

' My name is Ms. King and today we'll be learning about how Chaucer presents the character of the Miller.

And then we'll reflect on what we've learned about each of the pilgrims that we've studied in this series of lessons For today's lesson, all you need is a pen and paper or something to write on and with.

Please take a moment now to clear away any distractions, including turning off the notifications on any apps or conversations you have running, if you know how to.

Finally, if you can try to find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed during the lesson, okay.

So when you're ready, let's begin.

First, let's recap what we learned last lesson.

Pause the video now and see if you can fill in the gaps, resume the video once you're finished.

Well done.

Let's have a look at some answers, you might like to correct any mistakes you made and give yourself a big tick for the ones you got right.

So the wife of Bath is a woman who has been married five times.

Chaucer describes her as large, red-faced and well-dressed with a large hat and headdress.

She's a proud woman who has had lots of romantic relationships and been on pilgrimages all over the world.

Now, let's move on to today's lesson.

Today we'll start by learning how Chaucer describes what the Miller looks like and how his personality is described.

Then you'll have the opportunity to use what you've learned today in an extended writing task.

And a chance to reflect on what we've learned about each of the pilgrims that we've studied and not to forget your quiz at the end.

Before we get started.

Here's a quick reminder of what the Miller's role was.

He was a man who works at a mill, a machine used to make flour from grain.

Can you remember, which is estate does the Miller belong to? Well done, if you said the third estate, that's the peasantry the Miller belongs to this estate because he was one of those who worked.

So now let's find out what the Miller looks like.

Well first of all, Chaucer tells us that the Miller is a big man.

The Miller was a chap of 16 stone, a great stout fellow, big in brawn and bone.

So stout here means fat or heavy, and brawn refers to physical strength muscles.

Chaucer further emphasises the Miller's size and strength later on in the general prologue.

He did well out of them, for he could go and win the ram at any wrestling show.

Broad knotty, short shouldered, he would boast he could heave any door off hinge and post or take a run and break it with his head.

Let's check you understand all of the words Chaucer is using here.

So a ram is a male sheep.

And in this case, it's the prize which is offered for winning the wrestling competition.

And Chaucer tells us the minute Miller always does.

He tells us that the Miller is broad, wide, and knotty, muscular, he's strong enough that he's able to heave.

That means to lift a door off its hinges or run at it and break it by headbutting it.

But why he might want to do that, isn't clear.

Chaucer also doesn't exactly make this sound like something which is worth boasting about.

Which leads us to question what Chaucer might be hinting to us about the Miller.

Chaucer's has focus on the Miller's physical appearance and strength might suggest that this is all there is to him "all brawn, no brains.

This was a common stereotype about the peasantry.

Let's see if you're following.

What have we learned about the Miller so far? The correct answer was option four, he's big and strong.

Another element of the Miller's appearance we learn about is that he has red hair.

His beard, like any sow or fox was red and broad as well, as though it were a spade.

And at its very tip his nose displayed or wart on which there stood a tuft of hair red as the bristles in an old sow's ear.

Think back to lesson seven, on the wife of Bath.

Can you remember what the connotations of the colour red were from last lesson? Well, connotations are the ideas and feelings associated with a word.

And the connotations of red are ideas such as love and passion, temptation like that experienced by Eve.

But as red is a bright colour, which catches our attention.

It can also be used on signs and warnings.

And another idea linked to the colour of red is that of anger.

So, what might this quotation suggest about the Miller? Pause the video for a moment to write down your ideas and resume it again once you're finished.

So we could say that the use of the colour red might suggest that the Miller is short tempered or aggressive as it has connotations of anger.

It could also suggest that he is lustful because we tend to associate the colour red with love, passion and temptation.

Let's look a bit more loosely at that quotation.

What else do you notice about this description? His beard like any sow or fox, was red.

Well, Chaucer was using a simile here to compare the Miller firstly, to a sow that's a female pig and then to a Fox.

So we need to ask ourselves why he might've chosen these particular animals to compare the Miller to.

What connotations do pigs and foxes have.

Pause the video for a moment now to write down your ideas about what this simile might suggest about the Miller.

Resume the video again, once you're finished.

I think that this simile might suggest that the Miller is stupid because sow's or pigs, are generally thought of as being unintelligent creatures.

It might also show that he's fat because we sometimes think of pigs as being quite fat.

And it might also suggest that he is sly because foxes are associated with being sneaky.

The final thing that Chaucer shows us about the Miller's appearance is that he is pretty disgusting.

He says, at it's very tip his nose displayed a wart on which there stood a tuft of hair.

So not only as he got a big old wart on the end of his nose.

But there were red hairs growing out of the wart.

Right, so let's check that you're paying attention.

Which colour is the Miller associated with? The answer is red.

To which animals is the Miller compared? The Miller is compared to a Fox and a sow female pig.

And lastly, which of these details makes the Miller sound disgusting? It's the wart on the end of his nose.

So, now that we've got a clear idea of what the Miller looks like.

I'd like you to try drawing a picture of him, including these details.

So he is big and strong, he's red haired, he's got a large red beard and a hairy wart on the end of his nose.

Overall, he looks a bit like a pig or a fox.

So pause the video now to complete your task and resume it again once you're finished.

Great work.

So, here's a picture of the Miller from the Ellesmere Chaucer.

One of the earliest manuscripts of "The Canterbury Tales." We can see that the Miller is quite a heavy built, built.

Has red hair and a red beard and displaying the bagpipes.

Have a look at your drawing, does it look anything like this? Now we know what the Miller looks like.

Let's move on and find out how his personality is described.

Well, we find out something pretty bad about the Miller first of all.

He is a thief is, his was a master hand at stealing grain.

He felt it with his thumb and thus he knew its quality and took three times his due.

A thumb of gold by God to gauge an oat.

So this means that when weighing grain, seeds which are to be ground into flour in his mill, the Miller charges is not what it's worth or even twice what it's worth.

But three times the money he's due.

Very sneaky bit like a fox and it doesn't get any better.

Next Chaucer tells us that the Miller is quite stupid.

The first thing we're told about him is that he is a wrangler and a buffoon.

A buffoon, meaning a ridiculous, but amusing person, a bit like a clown.

And if we think again about this quotation, we looked at earlier.

He would boast he could heave any door off hinge and post or take a run and break it with his head.

It's evident that the Miller isn't the brightest, not only does he break down doors by headbutting them, but he boasts about it as if that might impress people.

Not a good move.

And finally, Chaucer hints that the Miller is the worst he could possibly be.

By implicitly linking him to the devil.

He tells us that his mighty mouth was a furnace door.

Now, a furnace is a word used to describe a very hot place, such as the type of fire used by blacksmiths to create tools out of metal.

And in the middle ages, where did people think was the hottest place of all? The burning fires of hell, home to the devil himself.

Now it's not only this quotation, which makes the Miller seem devilish.

His lustful short-tempered personality and his red hair also suggest this too.

So, which of these words does not describe the Miller? Well done if you said, admirable.

Chaucer really doesn't give us much to admire about the poor Miller.

Now, let's see if we can put all of our ideas about the Miller together into a piece of writing.

This is your opportunity to show off all the fantastic learning that you've done today.

So follow these steps to write an answer to the question.

How does Chaucer present the Miller? So first you need to identify a technique used such as a simile, the connotations of red or another element of the physical description of the Miller.

Secondly, give a relevant quotation from the text, which demonstrates that the Miller has this quality.

And thirdly, explain what this quotation suggests about the Miller.

Maybe that he's stupid, aggressive, sly or lustful.

And most importantly, why the quotation shows you this.

You can use the sentence starts to help you.

Pause the video now to complete your task and resume it once you're finished.

Well done, right.

Let's take a look at some example answers.

You can use these to add to, or correct your own work.

Don't worry if you phrased yours slightly differently to mine, or if you've chosen different techniques and quotations.

So first an acceptable answer.

Chaucer uses a simile to show that the Miller is stupid.

For example, in the text it says "His beard like any sow or fox was red." This shows the reader that the Miller is stupid because pigs, they usually thought of as being unintelligent.

Now let's see what a good answer would look like.

Chaucer uses a simile to show us that the Miller is quite stupid although he does have a sneaky side to him.

For example, in the text it says, "His beard, is like any sow or fox was red" This shows the reader that the Miller is stupid because sow's, pigs are generally thought of as being unintelligent creatures.

However, it also shows that he may be sly because foxes are associated with being sneaky.

This fits in with what we find out later on in the prologue about him charging more for grain than it's really worth.

Notice how much more detailed the explanation is in this answer and how it explores different parts of the Miller's personality and links together different pieces of evidence from across the text, okay.

So now let's reflect on what we've learned about each of the pilgrims in this series of lessons.

First, we look at the knight.

A man who served his Lord as a soldier in armour.

Who is all that a chivalrous knight should be noble, courteous, honourable, and modest.

Then, we found out about the prioress.

A woman who is head of the house of nuns.

She does not live up to the expectations of a woman in her position.

Being pretentious unchaste and immodest.

She's inappropriately concerned with appearances, unlike treating herself.

Next, we studied the character of the Friar.

A member of a religious community of men.

Again, he's a bit of a letdown, totally failing to stick to his vows and instead being unchaste and corrupt.

He's very well dressed, spends his time in taverns a negative stereotype of a friar.

Then we have the wife of Bath.

A woman who has been married five times.

She's well-dressed, proud and successful.

She also tells us that she is experienced in love and enjoys a good time.

And finally, we looked at the Miller.

A man who works at the mill.

Who also presents a strong red head, mostly stupid if a little bit sly when it comes to making money and overall quite animalistic.

So, for your final task, here's a chance to have your say.

Who is your favourite character and why? Pause video now to write down your opinion, Using these sentence starts if you like.

Resume the video again, once you've finished.

That brings us to the end of today's lesson.

And to the end of this series of lessons on "The Canterbury Tales; General Prologue" Very well done for all your hard work today and throughout this whole unit of work.

Now before you go, I've got two final things I'd like you to do.

First, don't forget to complete the quiz.

Secondly, if you're able to please take a picture of your work and ask your parent or carer to share it with your teacher.

so they can see all the fantastic things you've learned today.

Well, all that's left for me to say is thank you, take care and enjoy the rest of your learning for today.