You cannot see green CHEESE but your teeth (mouth) must water

Insights

Unrestrained Covetousness

The proverb metaphorically describes a person who is instantly overcome by covetousness or envy upon seeing something desirable. It highlights an inability to control one's appetites or longing for what others possess.

Impulsive Greed

It serves as a critique of impulsive greed. The immediate physical reaction signifies a character who lacks foresight and is driven by surface-level temptations without consideration or self-control.

Gullibility and Naivete

The proverb can also suggest a certain gullibility. To be so easily tempted by 'green cheese' implies a naive or unsophisticated nature, easily captivated by any new or appealing thing, regardless of its true value.

Historical and Folkloric Context

The reference to 'green cheese'—meaning fresh, unripened cheese—grounds the proverb in a tangible, everyday object of desire. This connection is deepened by the contemporaneous folk belief that 'the moon is made of green cheese', adding a layer of folly to the covetousness, suggesting the desirer is naive or foolishly ambitious.

Social Commentary on Envy

The proverb serves as a social critique, often used to directly accuse someone of envy. The annotation, 'Spoken to them who covet something from us', confirms its use as a tool for exposing and mocking another's transparent and unrestrained desire for what is not theirs.

Psychology of Uncontrolled Desire

Psychologically, the proverb illustrates a powerful stimulus-response mechanism. The involuntary 'watering' of the mouth portrays desire not as a rational choice but as a base, uncontrollable physical reaction, highlighting a character flaw defined by a lack of self-mastery and immediate gratification.

Rhetorical Devices

Visceral Imagery

The 'watering' mouth is a powerful and visceral image that effectively conveys the raw, physiological nature of the craving, making the abstract concept of envy tangible.

Hyperbole

The statement 'you cannot see... but your teeth must water' is an exaggeration used to emphasize the absolute lack of self-control and the immediacy of the person's envious reaction.

Symbolism

'Green cheese' functions as a symbol for any object of temptation. Its simplicity as a common food item makes the intense desire it provokes seem all the more base and unrestrained.