MERCHANT'S TALE KEY PLOT & CONTEXT

Question 1

Give 3 descriptions that best describe the MERCHANT?

Answer 1

He travels and trades internationally
He has a fashionable beard
He talks a lot about his trade and success

Question 2

Give 3 descriptions that best describe JANUARY?

Answer 2

He is over sixty years old.
He is wealthy.
He lives in Lombardy, Italy.

Question 3

Give 2 descriptions that best describe MAY?

Answer 3

She is relatively poor

She is physically attractive.

Question 4

Give 2 descriptions that best describe DAMYAN?

Answer 4

He is January’s servant.

January believes him to be loyal and trustworthy.

Question 5

T/F

January’s friends agree he should get married.

Answer 5

F

Question 6

T/F?

The wedding is focused on the spiritual union of January and May

Answer 6

F

Question 7

T/F?

May praises January’s love-making on the wedding night

Answer 7

F

Question 8

T/F?

Damyan falls in love with May at first sight

Answer 8

T

Question 9

T/F?

May initially rejects Damyan’s advances

Answer 9

F

Question 10

T/F?

Damyan arranges a plan to meet May in the garden

Answer 10

F

Question 11

T/F?

Pluto turns January blind.

Answer 11

F

Question 12

T/F?

Damyan gets into the garden by hiding in it overnight

Answer 12

F

Question 13

T/F?

May lies outright to January when caught.

Answer 13

T

Question 14

T/F?

January and May return home together at the end.

Answer 14

T

Question 15

When was ‘The Canterbury Tales’ written?

Answer 15

Late 14th Century

Question 16

T/F?

Medieval society was based around a largely feudal hierarchy

Answer 16

T

Question 17

T/F?

Knights were in the Third Estate.

Answer 17

F

Question 18

T/F?

Merchants were in the Second Estate.

Answer 18

F

Question 19

T/F?

England had just emerged as victorious in its war with France when ‘The Merchant’s Tale’ was written.

Answer 19

F

Question 20

T/F?

The Black Death had yet to hit England when ‘The Merchant’s Tale’ was written

Answer 20

F

Question 21

T/F?

There are some examples of influential female writers in this period.

Answer 21

T

Question 22

T/F?

Women had few legal rights, largely defined by their relationships to men.

Answer 22

T

Question 23

T/F?

Galen said people should only have sex if they are trying to have a baby.

Answer 23

F

Question 24

T/F?

Second marriages were not allowed.

Answer 24

F

Question 25

T/F?

Chaucer was connected to the royal courts.

Answer 25

T

Question 26

What is the ‘senex amans’ of the fabliau?

Answer 26

A foolish, gullible old man.