The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale Essay Example

to speak for himself, Chaucer is almost allowing him to ridicule himself; through his we are lead to believe that he is in fact a figure of fun.

Januarie puts forth numerous arguments, to justify his motives of marriage, which equate to "that in this world no oother lyf is worth a bene; for wedlock is so esy and so clene, that in this world it is a paradis," here we see he is deluding himself in order to gain the pleasures, his inconsistent justification of marriage amuse the audience. As we dwell deeper into Januarie's thoughts the comic elements exceed the audience's expectations.

The most cutting satire of the Merchant's Tale is reserved for the notion that in wedlock "a man may do no sinne with his wyf ne hurte himsleven with his owene knyf," the double-edged irony of this line looks forth to him being cuckolded. There is humour in the account of the nuptial chamber, having seen the Januarie's desires grow throughout he wedding feast as he anticipates his impotent lust in action, is both repulsive and amusing, especially since he sees himself as the great lover and compares himself to Paris yet ironically he requires aphrodisiacs to "laboureth" till dawn.

However this comic element is overpowered by the sordid and detailed portrayal of his lovemaking. It involves all the readers senses, enhancing the realism of the situation, the coarseness feel of his skin, the sight of his loose skin and the sound of his singing. The audience sympathise with May, as Chaucer reveals little about the night but enough to decipher her agony. "He lulleth hire, he kisseth hire ful ofte; with thikke brustles

of his berd unsofte, lyk to the skin of houndfissh, sharp as brere," The two similes of the close up of the neck and chin give a crude realism to the episode.

Once again the reader's disgust is tactically replaced by the absurdity of the ultimate farcical irony, when May leads Januarie to believe that she carves he pears and she must have them as a woman in her "plit" implying pregnancy. January is of course enraptured that an heir may be in the offing and laments the absence of a servant who could climb the tree for May, and ironically is happy to assist her into her lover's arms. He is to embrace the tree, whilst she climbs on his back.

She is treading on him physically and metaphorically into Damyan's arms, this is visually very strong as it is a sign of dominance or even victory. No matter how coarse and perverted Januarie's character has seemed, at this point inevitably, the audience are sympathetic towards the cuckolded husband. Januarie's character is amusing in itself and offers Chaucer opportunities of showing it off, putting the reader in good humour as well as giving the necessary facts.

It is not so much the tale, which disturbs, as it is enriched with farcical irony and humour, but the prologue and the themes evoked, which disturb the reader. The lines on the creation of Eve imply that God made Eve not for God himself to love but out of pity for Adam. Furthermore, throughout the assumption is made that women were created to be servile and to assure her husband's comfort. Much more serious, is the negative approach to marriage,

the Merchant's Tale backs neither the husband nor the wife but shows each abusing the other for his or her pleasure rejecting the idealistic concept of love in marriage.