The Reeve's Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer
A miller named Simkin, known for his pride and thievery, lives near a college in Cambridge. He has a beautiful daughter and a wife, both of whom he is fiercely protective. When the college's manciple falls ill, Simkin seizes the opportunity to steal more grain than usual. Two scholars, John and Alein, seek permission to grind their corn at the mill, confident they can outsmart the miller. Upon arriving, they find Simkin's horse has been stolen, and in their frustration, they inadvertently allow the miller to steal their grain. After a series of comedic misadventures, they end up spending the night at the miller's house. The miller, drunk and unaware, goes to bed with his wife, while the scholars plot to take advantage of the situation. Alein, emboldened by the night, sneaks into the miller's daughter's bed, while John, feeling inadequate, decides to follow suit. However, in the dark, he mistakenly crawls into the miller's bed instead. When the miller awakens to find Alein with his daughter, a brawl ensues, leading to chaos in the household. The miller's wife, confused by the commotion, strikes the miller, thinking he is Alein. The scholars manage to escape with their grain and a cake made from the stolen flour, leaving the miller humiliated and beaten. The tale concludes with a moral about the consequences of deceit and the folly of pride, emphasizing that those who deceive others may ultimately be deceived themselves.
By Geoffrey Chaucer · First published 1387 · Genre: Narrative Poetry, Satire, Comedy · 8,096 words
First lines
The Prologue When folk had laughed all at this nice case Of Absolon and Hendy Nicholas, Diversë folk diversëly they said, But for the morë part they laugh'd and play'd; [1189]
[1189]: Little. ↩︎
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The Reeve's Tale is listed on Textopian as a novel by Geoffrey Chaucer, dated 1387 CE.
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- Work type: Novel
- Author: Geoffrey Chaucer
- Date: 1387 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Narrative Poetry, Satire, Comedy, Fable, Romance
- Length: 8,096 words
- Structure: 1 section, 470 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Narrative Poetry — The work is written in verse and tells a story, characteristic of narrative poetry.
- Satire — The tale critiques social classes and human behavior, particularly through humor and irony.
- Comedy — The plot involves humorous situations and characters, typical of comedic literature.
- Fable — The story conveys moral lessons through the actions of anthropomorphized characters.
Tags
Medieval Literature · English Poetry · Chaucerian Canon · Middle English · Norse Influence · Folk Tale · Satire · Social Commentary · Class Conflict · Student Life · University Setting · Cambridge University