A-Z: "O" is for Oswald the Reeve from Canterbury Tales

"O" I can't believe I've made it this far.  It's the A-Z challenge, guys and "O" is for "Oswald," the Reeve/Steward in The Canterbury Tales.  In the prologue before the tale, we learn Oswald is bitter about the nasty tale that the Miller told.  See my posts Part 1 & Part 2 if you want a recap.  It appears The Reeve used to be a carpenter and since The Miller's tale centered around the blundering carpenter named John, then Oswald swore he would tell a better tale about a Miller.  According to Oswald, Millers are usually drunken cheats so straight away, we know Chaucer is about to deliver a doozy on behalf of our inebriated Miller.

In a town there is a Miller that has a wife and a little son and young, not-so-lovely daughter.  He's known in his lands to cheat his customers of grain and two young scholars, Allan and John, promise to outsmart Simkin, the Miller. They bring grain to be milled to Simkin who immediately deciphers their MO.  He decides to outsmart them in return and slips away unnoticed while the two young men keep a watchful eye on the milling process.  Simkin releases their horse to the fields and when the men's grain is finished, they discover their horse is gone.  Both men abandon the original grain-observing mission to scour the countryside for the horse.  After capturing the horse it's night and Simkin let's the young men stay the night for a price.  The home is very small and so everyone sleeps in the same room.  Disgruntled by being screwed by the miller, Allan decides to screw Simkin's daughter and slips in her bed.  John ends up doing the same but with his wife and when dawn comes, you can imagine what a scene that was.  Here's the end of the Reeve's revengeful tale (verses 396-404) where the Reeve gets his final word:

396  Of Alain, and of John, who've tricked him well.
397  His wife is taken, also his daughter sweet;
398  Thus it befalls a miller who's a cheat.
399  And therefore is this proverb said with truth,
400  An evil end to evil man, forsooth.
401  The cheater shall himself well cheated be.
402  And God, Who sits on high in majesty,
403  Save all this company, both strong and frail!
404  Thus have I paid this miller with my tale.

Don't you love how the personalities of the pilgrims like Oswald (the Reeve,) come out in their tale-telling?  Okay, we get it, Oswald.  You don't like the Miller.  

Mina B.

A-Z: "N" is for Nicholas in The Miller's Tale

For the A-Z challenge today I'm featuring part 2 of the Miller's Tale from The Canterbury Tales.  If you didn't read the first part, check out my J post here.

"N" is for Nicholas from The Miller's Tale.  Nicholas was an arrogant, pretty-boy character with way too much book smarts and not enough common sense.  He got his in the end so to speak.  LOL!

In part 1 of the Miller's Tale Absalom Allison's serenading caller, left furious with her and disgusting antics. He feels betrayed by Alison and storms off only to call on her again a short while later. Nicholas decides to be the one to stick his arse out this time. And boy did he pick the wrong time to become cheeky--no pun intended. Read these passages from CanterburyTales.org -- verses 607-628 and see how Absalom gets his revenge.

607  I am your Absalom, my own darling!

608  Of gold, quoth he, I have brought you a ring;

 
609  My mother gave it me, as I'll be saved; 

610  Fine gold it is, and it is well engraved; 

611  This will I give you for another kiss.

612  This Nicholas had risen for a piss,

 
613  And thought that it would carry on the jape

614  To have his arse kissed by this jack-a-nape. 

615  And so he opened window hastily, 

616  And put his arse out thereat, quietly, 

617  Over the buttocks, showing the whole bum; 

618  And thereto said this clerk, this Absalom, 

619  O speak, sweet bird, I know not where thou art. 

620  This Nicholas just then let fly a fart 

621  As loud as it had been a thunder-clap, 

622  And well-nigh blinded Absalom, poor chap; 

623  But he was ready with his iron hot 

624  And Nicholas right in the arse he got. 

625  Off went the skin a hand's-breadth broad, about, 

626  The coulter burned his bottom so, throughout, 

627  That for the pain he thought that he should die. 

628  And like one mad he started in to cry, 

As Absalom brands Nicholas's ass with a scolding poker, Nicholas screams to high heaven, practically waking the dead including the husband. In the end, Absalom is vindicated, the lovers are caught, and John, the fool, comes off like a madman. The pilgrims, however, are equal parts amused and outraged by the Miller's scandalous tale. Bahaha!!. Disturbing? A little. Funny? Very much so! :)


Mina B.

A-Z: L & M for "Man of Law" Tale in Canterbury Tales

I've made it to week three of the A-Z Challenge.  Wahoo!  Today, I'm doing a combo post for "L" and "M" for the "Man of Law's" tale in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.  This tale was a long one with many twists and turns so...bear with me.

In short, the Man of Law was a Lawyer back then.  His tale is an epic one about religion and romance involving a Sultan, a Roman Princesses, a Pagan King and this list goes on and on. This was probably my favorite tale to date because I found it to be a page turner.  It's been centuries and religion continues to be the crux of many dramatic debates.  The tale begins with once again a fair maiden, Lady Constance.  She is a Roman princess who practices Christianity and is said to be so beautiful, humble and virtuous.  A Sultan living in a land far away learns of Constance and decides she must be his wife but with their different religions that potential union is deemed unlikely. The Sultan ends up converting and negotiates for Constance's hand. The Roman Emperor accepts and sends his daughter but the union infuriates the Sultan's mother and she devises a diabolical plan to kill her son for his religious betrayal.  She slaughters her son and Lady Constance's entourage but spares Constance, sending her off to sail on a ship by herself.  And so Constance sails for three years.  

Constance lands on another land, a Pagan one, where she befriends a castle warden and his wife.  To shorten this tale, Lady Constance's becomes legendary once again for her kindness, faith and beauty and that bails her out some sticky situations.  She earns the favor of the King Alla who marries her and then while he leaves to fight a war she gives birth to their son and heir, Maurice.  This tale has yet another mother-in-law conniving to destroy her son's happiness.  King Alla's malicious mother hates Lady Constance and forges a letter from her son, commanding his solders to banish Constance and Maurice (her grandson) -- to depart on the same ship she came in on.  *sigh*

Constance leaves with her son where they sail for five years until she is found by a Roman ship.  She lives in Rome, hiding away and living with her son at a Senator's house briefly until her husband, King Alla visits Rome and sees his son, Maurice.  He instantly recognizes something familiar.  Yeah, that part was awesome.  Lady Constance and her husband finally reunite in Line 945, "I think a hundred times they must have kissed."  I'll say that was a joyous reunion after all the tragedy that befall our heroine.  Like I said...it was a page turner.

That's my "L" and "M" post for A-Z.  What do you remember about this tale?  

Mina B.

Book Review: Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Travis Maddox. *sigh*   New York Times bestseller and original selfpub sensation, Jamie McGuire  has done it again with book two in of her Disaster series, Walking Disaster.  Last year I wrote a post called, Buzzworthy Contemporary Romance Novels, where I reviewed Beautiful Disaster.  This one was one of my top five contemporary romance novels I read last year.  While Beautiful Disaster is written from Abby's POV, Walking Disaster is from Travis Maddox's perspective.  I remember reading the beginning of Walking Disaster and was struck with such love and empathy for this character I couldn't wait to read to rest.  Read that piece here.


Walking Disaster is almost exactly the story of Beautiful Disaster. There are times when the novels deviates just enough so we understand what's going on in Travis mind.  He's truly complex just like Abby.  I loved the way he gets frustrated with Abby's ability to shut down.  That's something I didn't pick up as much from the first novel.  Since his mother's death, Travis didn't realize what he'd been missing until he meets Abby.  Their wild and young romance confounds the brain, while managing to captivate your heart.  I'm now officially obsessed with the rest of the Maddox brothers.  There are four more brothers in the Maddox family (Thomas, Trenton, Tyler and Taylor) so I was hoping there would be more of a back story on these four to create other books, but I didn't get that sense.  That kind of bummed me out.  The ending threw me as well.  I wasn't expecting a continuation of Travis and Abby some ten plus years later.  I think I would have preferred a glimpse into another brother and his story, but hey...we all can't have everything we want.  That said, I am a HUGE fan of Jamie McGuire and of course the Maddoxs'.  

Walking Disaster was a 4.5 for me.  Want to know more about Jamie and her bestselling series, Beautiful and Walking Disaster?  Follow her on Facebook, Twitter or check out her website.

Have you read this series?  Are you a fan of Jamie?  What are some of your favorite new adult/ contemporary romance novels?

Mina B.

A-Z: "K" is for The Knight in The Canterbury Tales

The A-Z challenge letter is "K" and today I'm discussing The Knight in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.   As previously mentioned, the Knight was the first traveler to begin his tale about Emelye.  They actually drew straws to see who would go first.  To think they've been drawing straws since that long if not longer.  Anyway, the Knight's has this noble quality and presence that commands respect.  His military career was extensive which that alone makes him revered by all.  

His laid back nature and his need for romantic happy tales may come from all the fighting he's endured in his life. Perhaps he witnessed too much death and hate and wanted to focus on peace? I don't know but it's clear the Host admires him.   When your reading about him, you get an immediate sense that he's this chivalrous character much like a knight of the round table.  What I find interesting about him was if you wrote a character like him by today's literary standards, he would be labeled flat. Who wants to read about perfect characters? NO ONE. 

The truth is with the Knight you know there's more to him. He fought in the Crusades for Christ sake (not to mention hoards of other wars) and probably has more blood on his hands than any of the travelers.  With the many translations of this tale, its hard to know exactly why Chaucer portrayed The Knight as a perfect seasoned warrior with a gentle spirit. That said, his tale was entertaining to say the least.

Interesting fact, which I didn't know was Shakespeare and John Fletcher co-wrote and adaptation of Chaucer's The Knight's Tale with The Two Noble Kinsmen.

What about you?  Are you a fan of the Knight?  Are you happy its Friday? 

Mina B.

A-Z: "J" is for John from The Miller's Tale in Canterbury Tales

A-Z, baby! And today's "J" post is for John, a character in The Miller's Tale.  The prologues are infectious and vital to these tales.  Since the Miller's tale is directly after the Knight's Tale--remember the Knight's Tale? The one about the two prisoners vying for the love of the unsuspecting maiden, Emelye?  If you missed my post on the Knight's Tale click here.  Since the Knight did such a spectacular job with his tale, our trusty Host challenged the other travelers:

6 Our host, he laughed and swore, So may I run, 

7 But this goes well; unbuckled is the mail;

8 Let's see now who can tell another tale:

9 For certainly the game is well begun.

In short, he refers to the Knight kicking off their game with a noble tale and asks the questions to the other travelers who will be next.  Of course the Miller is drunk and offers to tell a tale that's worthy of a drunken fool.  And so goes the drunk Miller's vulgar tale about John the ignorant, wealthy carpenter, his young pretty wife (Alison) and a young boarder, Nicholas who cuckolds him.

Basically, John's oblivious to Nicholas seducing his wife and then another man, Absalom, comes along and tries to seduce his wife too.  The best part of this tale is towards the end.  Nicholas and Alison become more bold with their affair and Nicholas tricks John, sending him on wild goose chase to prepare for the impending flood.  Abaslom tries to seduce Alison by serenading her but all his attempts are futile.  She's tires of him and tells him she's in love with another.  One night after a night of lovemaking with Nicholas, she devises a plan and calls for Abaslom to her window to come give her a kiss.  Abaslom grows near, closes his eyes to do so and ends up kissing her bearded asshole. (Eww!)  Of course I laughed.  Chaucer warned us via the Miller's ranting that the tale was vulgar and it gets better.  Why?  Because the next part involves Nicholas and you'll have to wait for "N" to learn what happens.  

Do you remember The Miller Tale?  What about John or any of the others?  Do you find it funny or disgustingly inappropriate? 

Mina B.

A-Z: "I" is for Canterbury Tales iPhone & Mobile Apps

 A-Z post, It's time its for "I" and I have to dig deep for an "I" for my theme of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.   I decided to show my readers how easy it is to bring Chaucer into our mobile world with "iPhone" and Android applications for The Canterbury Tales. Like most classic literature, you can take Chaucer and his classic tales on the road with you.


The Canterbury Tales iPhone and iPad applications
Yes, we've got an app for that. I decided to write this post because since I started blogging about classic literature, like the ones in my Creepy Classic segment of my blog, readers constantly say they haven't had a chance to read certain classic literature. I thought I'd share my tip to reading certain classic lit like Chaucer. Read or listen via a mobile app for a iPhone or Android app. Not every app is free but most of the classic lit ebooks are via Amazon or even through your public library's digital library. That's where I get most of my classic lit...free. And the apps are like a bonus. Even if you're a student, there are CliffsNotes for mobile apps so it's pretty simple process.

Here's an example of a few iPhone/iPad apps I found regarding Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales that you review. Click here for Android apps for Canterbury tales.

What about you? Do you get a chance to download classic lit like Chaucer via mobile applications?

Mina B.