key quotes Flashcards
high on a horse
Hye on horse he sat, upon his heed a flaundryssh bever hat”
about the merchants wife
“I have a wyf, the worst that may be”
about being in debt
‘Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette,/ So estatly was he of his governaunce’
wortthy
‘worthy knight’
januries appetite on women
‘On wommen, ther as was his appetit’
janurie believes marriage is a paradise
For wedlok is so esy and so clene,/ That in this world it is a paradis.
treasure
a wyf is the fruit of his tresor
why does janurie want a wife, heir
he mighte engendren him an heir
buxom
or who kan be so buxom as a wyf?
-about a wives obedience and the mans dominance
wife is…
wyf is mannes helpe and his confort/ His paradise terrestre.
-ironic and biblical symbolism, a wife can prevent him going to hell, but also you cannot have heaven in this life and in the afterlife
biblical wives
‘Rebekke’, ‘Judith’, ‘Abigail’, ‘Ester’
-4 biblical wives who are known for being resourceful and successful but are also all deceptive. They use their charms to achieve their ends. Hugely ironic- the merchant doesn’t realise his list of ‘virtuous’ women will be viewed very differently by his audience.
Depicts marriage as a heavenly, ideal state. Ironic considering how bitter the Merchant truly is about his wife.
‘in mariage hony-sweete’
.
janurie wants a young wife, tendre
som mayde fair and tendre of age
janurie wants a younger wife, beef
‘bet than old boef is the tendre veel’
-objectification of women
why he cannot have an old wife /widow
with hem sholde I nevere live in reste.
wax
as men may warm wex with handes plye.
-Reference to passivity, obedience & vulnerability of younger wives- men able to manipulate them to do anything. Foreshadows how later in the tale, May makes a mould of the key to the garden to meet her lover- sense that Januarie is blinded, doesn’t realise a woman’s ability. Shows the role of women and the patriarchical dominance which men had over their wives.
januries worries about his inheritance, heritage
‘Yet were me levere houndes hand me eten,/ Than that myn heritage sholde falle’
placebo praising janurie, conseil
’ holde youre owene conseil is the beste.’
Justin’s warning janurie
‘I warne yow wel, it is no childes pley’
justinas waring janurie about his age
‘Avyseth yow - ye been a man of age -
- a young wife will bore of him and become unfaithful
janurie ignores justinas argument, senek
‘Straw for thy Senek, and for thy proverbes!’
- Disregarding & dismissing Seneca- evidence of his foolishness.
janurie choosing his wife, mercantile, mirour
‘tooke a mirour, polisshed bright,/ And sette it in a commune market-place’
-Januarie’s complete focus on appearance + beauty- only interested in the young girl’s looks, objectifying them like they are goods to be exchanged. Mercantile imagery- extends the concept of women as meat. A mirror distorts the image- unable to see a clear picture.
love is blind
‘For love is blynd alday, and may nat see.’
-Foreshadows Januarie will actually go blind. He will not note her imperfections. Metaphorically blind to the impact of his decision + how terrible the consequences will be. Doesn’t see his own folly.
-moral blindness becomes evident to the audience
januries idea of the looks he wants, middle
‘Hir middle smal, hire armes longe and sklendre’
-unrealistic
-childlike
