sir gawain :: essays research papers

In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the Pardoners Prologue, we see the theme of hypocrisy throughout the play. The pardoner knows he is a con artist and liar and freely admits it in both word and action in his tales prologue. The pardoner begins with the tale itself. In his sermon he describes gluttony in detail, and defines it as not only overeating, but the intense pleasure of doing it. He also denounces wine with examples of drunkenness. He also discusses swearing and cursing and concludes with condemning gambling.However, we can see hypocrisy be4 the tale even begin.The pardoner before telling his tale stops off at an inn for food &bear .He also partakes in a bet , whoever tells the best story wins. The pardoner also insults the host, who just before asking the pardoner to speak has been cursing and using bear to mend his broken heart. Furthermore, he is also the owner of the tavern which encourages eating &drinking. We can also assume that the pardoner and the host r drunk.In addition, the pardoner offers his lisnters a chance to redeem themselves, not through relics by acknowledging what they did wrong.However,at the end of his tale is saying his relics are needed for redemption eventhough he knows they are fake. In conclusion we see how through the pardoner the theme of hypocrisy. IN THE PLAY KING LEAR written by William Shakespeare a collection of images are used to express certain points. One reoccurring image was animals.Shakespeare portrays these animals when King Lear and many other characters in the play talk about Goneril and Regan. They are compared to tigers , serpents , and even monsters.These reoccurring images have an important idea behind them.When Lear leaves Goneril at the end of ActI , after she has sneered at him, he compares her to a â€Å"sea-monster†. He also comments on his daughters ingratitude using animal imagery when he said â€Å"How sharper then a serpents tooth it is to have a thankless child† (act15295-296). Lear is showing how he feels about how his daughters are treating him by comparing them to animals.Furthermore,after Lear has an argument with Regan,he uses animal imagery to show how his daughter r sinking to be like animals.They show this when both daughters lock him out into a stormy night.In conclusion, Shakes peare is showing that the sisters are sinking from the level of man to animals.