The Canterbury Tales. The Miller's Prologue

The story "Miller's Prologue and Tale" and "The Broom Tree" can relate to one another because they both  share similarities and differences of one another. The similarities that they share in common are; that women in both stories cheat on their spouse and men want the women's attention.   Both stories consist of different situation on how men want the women's attention but yet they can be relatable.

The difference is that the men in "The Broom Tree" don't pay much attention to beauty; " "No, let us not worry too much about the rank and beauty. Let us be satisfied if a woman is not too demanding and eccentric, Its best to settle on a quiet, steady girl". Also  the men aren't helpful when it comes to someone being sick; "If I would settle down she would be very happy to keep company with me, sure that we would not part, I thought I would give her another lesson or two. I told her I had no intention of reforming, and made a great show of independence, she was sad and without warning she died". While in "Miller's Prologue and Tale" based on the beauty of the women, the men chase and will do anything to have the woman they like; Absolom come under Alisoun's window and sang"Dear lady, by your will, be kind to me" she told him that she shows no interest in him " I love another more then you, Get on" but yet he stays committed to get a kiss from Alisoun, and he isn't letting anything stop him from getting her. Also unlike the men in "The Broom Tree" the people are helpful when it comes to serious illness of a person; "The carpenter began to wonder greatly where Nicholas was and what might ail him lately, Go up he told his chore-boy, call and shout, knock with a stone, find what it's all about and let me know".

As you can see each story consists of a positive action or a negative but surely enough can they both be compared based on their similarities and differences.

Chapter 2 "The Broom Tree"

The women in  the stories: Broom Tree and The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam play similar roles in the society. In both stories the relationships happen secretly, and since the men posses majority of the power over the relationship they believe that its only necessarily to visit their wife when something important happens, or when they are in desperate need of help.  

For instance, In the story "The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam" the mother Tahmine was left home alone taking care of her child Sohrab while her husband was off to fighting wars. In the story "The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam" Tahmine lets Rostam know that she has a son but never gives out details about him that's because If Rostam find out what kind of brave and noble warrior Sohrab is he would take him away from her mother. This shows that Rostam would show interest only if it relates to him somehow.

While In Chapter 2, page 2193 of "The Broom Tree"  the men were hard to please and would wonder away for a really long time not seeing their admirer, and in the meantime the woman  would give birth to her child alone. The men would only come to visit their admirer when they feel like it and think it's necessary, if the woman seems untroubled then "I stayed away for rather a long time", but if they think that "The woman was desperately lonely and worried for the child she had borne" then "I went to see her again".

As mentioned before it either has to benefit the male somehow or make him feel that he is needed in a situation for him actually to take action to the situation. Both stories relate to each other while in " The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam" Tahmine keeps a secret about her sons powers, and in "The Broom Tree" the visit of the man depends on the woman if she is troubled or untroubled.

T'AO CH'IEN

The poetry by T'ao Ch'ien  is really sad. It's about a  fisherman who is on a journey to find happiness in life. I believe that not being able  to find happiness in life made the fisherman age faster, and once he notices that he is really helpless he then speaks of death. The struggle to find food and wine to fulfill his belly makes him think how life would be if he once died of hunger:"He is present here in the world today, then leaves abruptly, to return no more. No one marks there's one man less, not even friends and family think of him". He speaks of such things because he became separated from his relatives, and believes that because of that no one will remember him once he passes away.

He is dedicated to find happiness but all the government jobs make him feel unhappy, even though they provide him with food and wine. The more he looks for happiness, the faster he starts aging because his devotion is getting lower and lower after every day that goes by. Many people fear death and decide to work at places that don't make them happy, but  will keep them alive and provide food for the family, but the fisherman is different, he is an good example of an hero: he has strong dedication, faces consequences ,overcomes fear and death.