Yesterday’s Millers, Today’s Farmers
The miller in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales was obviously a powerful man. Given that his position was the third highest in the land, he was not a member of society that was disregarded for his influence and power. In modern times, the miller is most comparable to today’s farmer. In comparing and contrasting the miller to today’s farmer, there are vast differences, including social status and money earned, but similarities exist in the intense labor required of both.
In the twenty-first century, Americans and populations around the globe rely on farmers for food; the same was true for the miller that is represented in The Canterbury Tales. A distinct difference between a farmer and the miller is their social status. The miller was considered to be the third most powerful person in the land. When one compares this prestigious role to today’s farmers, the reality is that today’s agricultural workers are not regarded as authoritative. Today’s men and women who work diligently to supply the world with food in the form of produce and meat are highly needed, yet remain underappreciated.
Certainly, the miller and the farmer are alike in their desire and need to make money. No one would perform the work required by the miller and today’s farmers if one could not earn money to provide for basic needs. In a contrast to today’s farmers, the miller was known to be a cheat; he often overcharged people and behaved in a rude, disrespectful manner. Comparatively, today’s farmers tend to work diligently to provide a basic need at fair prices. Perhaps the reason that the miller in Chaucer’s work was able to deceive people and overcharge was due to his social status; as previously noted, today’s farmers are far from third in power.
Both occupations require intense physical labor. Farmers often work from sunrise until sunset. This specific occupation does not permit vacations, since the work will not wait. If crops and animals are not given the required attention, the products will not yield a substantial return. Even in the miller’s work, the grinding of corn and wheat had to occur within a short time frame. This alone requires both farmers and the miller to provide a lot of time and devotion to their respective careers, often sacrificing freedoms that many other people in differing professions take for granted.
Geoffrey Chaucer’s work, The Canterbury Tales, was composed several centuries ago, yet there are similarities presented in the miller’s work when compared to today’s farmers. Though there are distinct differences in these roles, both are critical to survival. The miller was regarded as higher in status, yet worked to provide for his basic needs, just as farmers do today; without a doubt, both occupations require responsibility to be at the forefront of their work.
While not directly stated in the passage, which statement accurately reflects millers and farmers’ lifestyles?
