The Place of Courtly Values in Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale"

In The Miller's Tale, we see the idea of courtly values being mocked. Courtly values are generally seen as the binding behaviour by which knights were meant to show courtesy, as understood in medieval times; act chivalrous, by showing courage, loyalty and mercy; and to uphold the idea of troth, by maintaining honour and integrity (Shea, Sep. 18). Unlike the preceding "Knight's Tale", "The Miller's Tale" values different attributes in it's characters. While the adherence to …

…values (Norton Anthology 210), thus it is natural for those characters who maintain cunningness over courtly virtues in "The Miller's Tale" be rewarded, or otherwise, not punished. Works Cited The Place of Courtly Values in Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale" Chaucer, Geoffrey. Canterbury Tales. Translated by Neville Coghill. London: Penguin Books, 1951. "Geoffrey Chaucer."The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams et al. 7th ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.,2000. 210-215