Character Relationships in Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas

Character Relationships in Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas

Select four 'pairs' of characters from 'Under Milk Wood' and discuss

their relationships.

In my essay I will talk about the following pairs:

Mr Pugh and Mrs Pugh,

Mrs Ogmore-Pritchard and Mr Ogmore and Mr Pritchard,

Cherry Owen and Mrs Cherry Owen &

Miss Myfanwy Price and Mr Mog Edwards.

Mr and Mrs Pugh do not have a very good relationship - they don't get

on at all. Mrs Pugh is always criticizing and nagging. She says to Mr

Pugh that ''persons with manners do not read at table'', and that

''some persons were brought up in pigsties''. Mrs Pugh is never

pleased and is always complaining at her husband. Mr Pugh tries to get

back at her by saying:

''Pigs can't read, my dear''.

But Mrs Pugh always has the last word, and always wins:

''I know one who can''.

Mrs Pugh is a very harsh, ill-natured, 'cold' woman. Mr Pugh secretly

hates and despises his wife. He is always plotting how to kill her -

but he never actually does. He is timid, determined and always

scheming, but he never wins. He hates Mrs Pugh with a passion:

''Here's your arsenic dear.

And your weed killer biscuit.

I've throttled your parakeet.

I've spat in the vases.

I've put cheese in the mouse holes.

Here's your…

…nice tea dear''.

Neither Mrs Pugh nor Mr Pugh likes each other at all. They have a

terrible relationship, and only stay together because without each

other, Mrs Pugh would have no one to nag, and Mr Pugh would have no

one to plot to kill. So they kind of need each other in a way.

Mrs Ogmore-Pritchard and Mr Ogmore and Mr Pritchard don'...

... middle of paper ...

... love each other, they just don't want to give up all

they have for each other. Miss Myfanwy Price works in a 'sweet shop',

and Mr Mog Edwards works in 'draper' shop, and they are both

constantly fanaticising about each other, and writing love letters to

each other, but they never actually get together. Mr Mog Edwards is

obsessed with his shop, and his money. In his love letters, he mainly

talks about what he sold at his shop:

''Business is very poorly. Polly Garter bought two garters with roses

but she never got stockings so what is the use I say''.

He is always talking about money and his shop:

''And all the bells of the tills of the town shall ring for our

wedding''.

He loves his money, and Miss Myfanwy Price knows it; she was going to

knit him a 'wallet of forget-me-not blue, for the money to be comfy'.