Examples Of Envy In Miller's Tale
Most people sometimes commit a sin without knowing they did it. There are seven deadly sins. This sins include pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, and laziness. With this in mind, in the Miller's Tale Chaucer represents three out of the 7 sins. Chaucer shows the sins of lust, envy, and pride. He does this using imagery, characterization, and symbolism.
Throughout The story he implements imagery. For instance, he illustrates, “Fair was this youthful wife, and therewithal As weasel’s was her body slim and small A girdle wore she, barred and striped, of silk. An apron, too, as white as morning milk About her loins, and full of many a gore; White was her smock, embroidered all before…” ( Line 125-130 ). Here he visually describes how Alison looks. Furthermore, he mentions, “ Truly, sweetheart, I Have such love longing That like a turtle-dove’s my true yearning: And I can eat no more than can a maid…” ( Line 597-599 ). In his imagery he show the sin of lust due to the usage of diction to show his vision of how he sees her. He lust her that he continually ask for a kiss from her and tries to woo he without any care of his husband being in his way. Then he utilizes characterization to represent lust and envy. For example …show more content…
he tells, “ ...And his guitar did Absalom then take, For in love-watching he’d intent to wake… Until he came unto the carpenter’s house… And took his stand beneath a shot-window… He sang then …” ( Line 245-252 ). Here Absalom shows lust by going directly to her house when her husband was there and still sang for he. This represents loneliness and envy to try to woo Alison even though she is already married. Also Nicholas and Absalom show pride in who they are. For instance, Nicholas is described as, “Who’d learned the arts, but all his phantasy Was turned to study of astrology; And knew a certain set of theorems And could find out by various stratagems,... This clerk was called the clever Nicholas:..” ( Lines 83-91 ). On the other hand, Absalom is vividly described as, “ Curled was his hair, shining like gold, and from His head spread fanwise in a thick bright mop; ‘Twas parted straight and even on the top; His cheek was red, his eyes grey as a goose..” ( Lines 206-209 ). In a way they both show belief in one’s own abilities and so do other people.
Since they both were clerks and play musical instruments they show more envy and pride trying to do the same or be better than each other.
Another thing he uses is symbolism to show lust and envy.
The main symbol is the girl Alison. For example, Absalom mentions, “She was too pretty, sweet, and lickerous. I dare well say, if she had been a mouse And he a cat, he would have mauled her some.” ( Lines 237-239 ). She symbolizes lust because she causes men to in a way have a craving for pleasure. Another, symbol is John he represents both Nicholas and Absalon envy. For instance, “ For she was wild and young, and he was old, And deemed himself as like to be cuckold.” ( Line 117-118 ). They envy the fact that they do not have her as a wife. This sins is used to show the way humans sin and also how envy and lust usually go hand in hand. Due to sometimes lust being caused by
envy.
With this in mind, all the sins he utilizes to give more of a human characteristic. Human characters are usually not perfect they at least commit a minor sin or a deadly. He shows deadly sins to manifest how deadly sins never end well. This sins are significant during that time period because they were more strict about breaking one of those sins. Chaucer implied imagery, characterization, and symbolism to present the sins in The Miller’s Tale.
Throughout The story he implements imagery. For instance, he illustrates, “Fair was this youthful wife, and therewithal As weasel’s was her body slim and small A girdle wore she, barred and striped, of silk. An apron, too, as white as morning milk About her loins, and full of many a gore; White was her smock, embroidered all before…” ( Line 125-130 ). Here he visually describes how Alison looks. Furthermore, he mentions, “ Truly, sweetheart, I Have such love longing That like a turtle-dove’s my true yearning: And I can eat no more than can a maid…” ( Line 597-599 ). In his imagery he show the sin of lust due to the usage of diction to show his vision of how he sees her. He lust her that he continually ask for a kiss from her and tries to woo he without any care of his husband being in his way. Then he utilizes characterization to represent lust and envy. For example …show more content…
he tells, “ ...And his guitar did Absalom then take, For in love-watching he’d intent to wake… Until he came unto the carpenter’s house… And took his stand beneath a shot-window… He sang then …” ( Line 245-252 ). Here Absalom shows lust by going directly to her house when her husband was there and still sang for he. This represents loneliness and envy to try to woo Alison even though she is already married. Also Nicholas and Absalom show pride in who they are. For instance, Nicholas is described as, “Who’d learned the arts, but all his phantasy Was turned to study of astrology; And knew a certain set of theorems And could find out by various stratagems,... This clerk was called the clever Nicholas:..” ( Lines 83-91 ). On the other hand, Absalom is vividly described as, “ Curled was his hair, shining like gold, and from His head spread fanwise in a thick bright mop; ‘Twas parted straight and even on the top; His cheek was red, his eyes grey as a goose..” ( Lines 206-209 ). In a way they both show belief in one’s own abilities and so do other people.
Since they both were clerks and play musical instruments they show more envy and pride trying to do the same or be better than each other.
Another thing he uses is symbolism to show lust and envy.
The main symbol is the girl Alison. For example, Absalom mentions, “She was too pretty, sweet, and lickerous. I dare well say, if she had been a mouse And he a cat, he would have mauled her some.” ( Lines 237-239 ). She symbolizes lust because she causes men to in a way have a craving for pleasure. Another, symbol is John he represents both Nicholas and Absalon envy. For instance, “ For she was wild and young, and he was old, And deemed himself as like to be cuckold.” ( Line 117-118 ). They envy the fact that they do not have her as a wife. This sins is used to show the way humans sin and also how envy and lust usually go hand in hand. Due to sometimes lust being caused by
envy.
With this in mind, all the sins he utilizes to give more of a human characteristic. Human characters are usually not perfect they at least commit a minor sin or a deadly. He shows deadly sins to manifest how deadly sins never end well. This sins are significant during that time period because they were more strict about breaking one of those sins. Chaucer implied imagery, characterization, and symbolism to present the sins in The Miller’s Tale.