AB

'Joly' ABSOLON

Just when we think we have met all participants in the 'love triangle' and the game is set, Chaucer introduces a new character : Absolon.

Chaucer invites a comparison with NicholasLines 206-

243. The Parish clerk

"as the gold it shoone"

parish clerk

"crul was his heer"

A barber and blood letterAlso draws up legal documents

"legges casten to and fro"

his joly shode... streight

"strouted as a fanne"

"a loude quinible"sqeaky high-pitched voice

his eyen greye as goos - a courtly love cliche, but usually given to women's eyes

Poules window corven on his shoes - he's obsessed with fashion

wel koude he play on a giterne - a simple two stringed instrument

somdeel squaymous /Of farting - very important later in the tale!

secular - persuits

Loves dancing- playing his two stringed instrument - much more simple than Nicholas'. Perhaps suggests he is not as clever as Nicholas?

We have the impression he is more in love with himself than with Alison.

Chaucer ends the description with "He was somdeel squaymous of farting" - the technique of foreshadowing. Absolom's 'squeamish attitude to farting ecomes significant later in the poem.We see he enjoys "sensing" the ladies with the incense in church - shows his inappropriate flirtatious behaviour.

He also refuses to accept money from the wives, we are told, "for his courtesie". This, again, is highly inappropriate and a tad absurd. The money the women give to the 'offringe' is for the church collection and it is not his place to behave like some courtly lover and refuse it out of a misguided sense of courtesy.

The question we have to ask is, "Who is enjoying this mockery of Absolom more? Chaucer who wrote the tale, or his character of The Miller who is telling the tale?"