**This was my part of the assignment. For the other parts of it, please see the links under the summary.
Summary of The Miller's Prologue
The prologue takes part right after the Knight has spoken. I imagine they are all gathered, sharing their stories in order. It wasn't the Miller's turn but he intervenes and says that he has a story just as good as the noble stories of the Knight. They all protest, as it isn't his turn and he is miserably drunk. He then reveals that the story will revolve around a bad wife. Everyone gathered is shocked that he would speak badly about a wife. The Miller then argues that there are also bad wives, and that if the story is bad and too insulting they should blame the alcohol and if they find themselves too insulted by the story they should turn away and ignore it.
Summary of The Miller's Tale
There was a rich carpenter in Oxford who had plenty of guest rooms in his house. He rented one room to a student, who had switched major from liberal arts to astrology. He would predict the weather for the men who asked him. His name was Nicholas. Nicholas had a very active and secret love life. He had many herbs and other astronomical and mathematical tools in his room arranged in order, as well as books and other documents of the sort. He would spend his time playing the psaltery in a beautiful and graceful way. He would spend his time doing that while his friends paid his rent.
The carpenter had just recently married a very young wife. She was young and beautiful and out of jealousy he would keep her at arms lenght. The difference in age between he and his wife caused obvious problems.
The wife was physically beautiful, energetic and well dressed. She was the sort of woman that was desired by everyone in the land and that any man wished to have.
Once when the carpenter was away at Osney, Nicholas approached the wife and placing his hands on her hips began to flirt with her and make sexual advances upon her. Her response was defiant and she demanded respect from him. But he continued to insist and she finally gave in and warned Nicholas that her husband was so jealous, that he could kill them both if he found out about their affair.
We are then introduced to the parish clerk, Absalon. He was finely dressed and was a good dancer and musician. He would take his acts to several bars. Once while in church he saw the wife and was taken by surprise by her beauty. He was so amazed by her that he took his guitar and serenaded her at night while she was in bed with her husband, which awoke them both. Absolon continued to court her after the singing incident by sending her treats, making sure he looked nice for her and even going as far as to offer her money. Despite all his attempts, Absolon got nowhere with the wife, who's name is eventually revealed to be Alisoun.
Nicholas is getting tired of not being able to spend much time with Alisoun so he devices a plan that would allow them to spend more time together. He tells the carpenter that there will be a major drought. He tells the carpenter that there is a way for them to save themselves. He says that they must hang three buckets from the ceiling (one for each, Nicholas, Alisoun and John). They do this so that when the flood comes they will cut the ropes, causing them to float and be safe from the water. So John gets into his bucket thinking that Nicholas and Alisoun are doing the same thing, but in reality they are spending the night with each other.
During the night, Absolon comes again to Alisoun's window and begs for her. He begs so much that she eventually gives in and agrees to give him a kiss. Instead though, she sticks her buttocks out and Absolon kisses that. Upon realizing what had happened and that he had been fooled, Absolon gets full of rage.
Being so angry, Absolon goes and gets some sort of branding iron which he will use to brand Alisoun for what he did to her. He gets it and goes back to her window. When he does return, this time Nicholas sticks out his buttocks as a joke. Upon this happening, Absolon brands Nicholas. From so much pain and in an attempt to soothe it, Nicholas yells "water", which the carpenter hears. He thinks this is an indication to cut the rope that's holding his bucket. He does so and he and the water and bucket fall onto the floor. This creates plenty of noise and the townspeople rush to the house. The townspeople then see everything, Nicholas and Alisoun and John as a fool. He becomes the laugh of the town.
**The 5 examples of indirect characterization can be found here and here.
**Chauncer's purpose in writing this tale about this character can be found here.
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