Introduction
The chosen Fabliau is “The Miller’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer, while the modern story is the one from “The Other Woman” (2014 film).
Moral in Fabliau
“The Miller’s Tale” is a fabliau from Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales”. In this tale, a carpenter named John, his young wife Alison, and their lodger, a student named Nicholas, form the basis of a comical and bawdy love triangle. The story’s moral is clear: deception leads to chaos and humiliation, and pursuing pleasure without regard for others’ rights and feelings often results in punishment or public ridicule.
Moral in Film
This moral is mirrored in the modern film “The Other Woman.” In this film, Carly (Cameron Diaz), Kate (Leslie Mann), and Amber (Kate Upton) are all involved with the same man, Mark (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Mark, like Nicholas in “The Miller’s Tale,” is deceitful and manipulates each woman for his pleasure (“The Other Woman (2014) | Comedy, Romance”). However, when the women discover his deceit, they band together to exact their revenge, resulting in Mark’s public humiliation and downfall.
Deception in Fabliau and Film
In “The Miller’s Tale,” the deception is discovered when Absolon, another character in love with Alison, is tricked into kissing her backside instead of her lips. As Chaucer writes, “And at the window out she put her hole, And Absolon, he fell no bet ne wers, But with his mouth, he kissed her naked ers” (Chaucer). In the end, Nicholas and Alison’s deceit is revealed, leading to chaos and humiliation, similar to Mark’s downfall in “The Other Woman.”
The fabliau and the film stress the negative consequences of deception and manipulation for personal gain. They highlight the importance of honesty and respect in relationships. The characters who disregard these principles are ultimately punished, reinforcing the moral that selfish and deceitful actions lead to undesirable outcomes.
Conclusion
Thus, “The Miller’s Tale” moral aligns perfectly with the modern film “The Other Woman”. Both narratives revolve around the themes of deceit and manipulation and conclude with the wrongdoers facing public humiliation and punishment for their actions.
Works Cited
Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Miller’s Tale, From Chaucer. Inscrib’d to N. Rowe, Esq; by Mr. Cobb. 1725.
“The Other Woman (2014) | Comedy, Romance.” IMDb. 2014. Web.