Compare and contrast two works Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Compare and contrast two works - Essay Example on the way to Canterbury and two stories on the way back, but either Chaucer never finished the journey or the entire collection has never been found. What is unique about the tales is that each character has a different voice and a different perspective on life. As a result, many of these characters and stories represent the dominant ideals of the age because the characters tell stories that relate closely to their personalities and life station. In many cases, these stories can be juxtaposed against each other to show two different views of the same concept such as the issue of deceit. While deceit is the backbone of much medieval, and modern, humor, it can also be quite harmful with the only difference being in how it is practiced. An example of this kind of juxtaposition can be found when one works to compare the Miller’s prologue and tale with that of the Pardoner. The Miller tells a comic story of a man, his young wife and her exploits with the young men of the town whil e the Pardoner tells a story of three young men who set out to kill Death and are merely able to find him through their own greed and depravity. While people are hurt in the Miller’s tale, the story focuses more upon the comedy of the situation as opposed to the Pardoner’s tale, which is full of moral warning for the danger deceit brings to the soul. Comparing these two stories reveals a sort of mirror image between the Miller, an honest man who tells a story of comic deceit, and the Pardoner, a dishonest man who tell a story of deceit as damnation. The differences between these two characters are perhaps among the first things to stand out in such a comparison. The Miller is introduced as a drunken loudmouth who cannot be silenced once he decides to speak. The host has called up on the Monk to tell the next story, but it is the Miller who speaks up, first insisting he be allowed to tell his story, â€Å"Either I’ll speak, or go on my own way† (124), then refusing to alter