The Merchant's Tale Context Flashcards
Who is the Wife of Bath and what does she believe in?
- Before the Wife begins her tale, she shares information about her life and experiences. To defend her position of 5 husbands the Wife refers to King Solomon who had many wives and St. Paul who says it is better to marry that to burn- “he who marries her does better.”
- She is like Januarie in the sense that she used marriage as a platform for indulgence and her points are backed through Biblical allusions.
- In Chaucer’s time, the antifeminism of the church was a strong and controlling factor. Women were characterised as monsters, sexually insatiable, lecherous, shrewish. The Wife of Bath subverts the church’s patronization by marrying a young clerk named Jankyn.
- She is a proto-feminist character expressing women’s resistance to clerical misogyny.
- She also raised questions about narrative authority when asking “Who peynted the leon, tell me who?” This alludes to a painting of a lion being chocked by a man. They say that if the lion had painted the picture, he would have chocked the man. Thus, men have the authority to construct ideas on women. Raises questions about who gets authority in who’s story?
Who is Griselda?
- In the Clerk’s Tale, Walter plays God in the sense that he wants Griselda to be faithful to him despite his abhorrence because one day it will work out.
- Walter is a ruler who marries a peasant girl Griselda who swears to be faithful and obedient- Walter puts this to the test.
- This positions men in marriage in the role of God whereby they are testing their wives as if they were Eves.
- Archetypes of Griselda vs The Wife of Bath
- Links to Malfi: Ferdinand asks, was I her judge? Similarly, Januarie tests May as if he were God and she were Eve in the garden
- God is missing from Eden (Shrock)
Whom are the Tyrants of Lombardy and how do they relate to Januarie?
The tyranny and cruelty of the signori were well known int he 14th century. Known for pride, lechery, covetousness, luxury, and avarice.
In opposition to tyranny is pity. This serves an interesting contrast between May and Januarie’s sexual desires:
- Januarie’s example of ‘pitee,’ the most proper virtue of Lords gives his viciousness piquancy. Through his particular vice of lechery, he has no intention of sparing May despite his ‘pitee.’ January “rejects the traditional virtuous motive for marriage” (Hardman).
Januarie’s avarice could be the Merchant’s jealousy for foreign trades and his mercantile concern with money.
What is a Fabliau?
A form of verse narrative in vague in France 13th century.
Poked at customs and social-climbing habits of the middle classes.
Chaucer puts fabliau stories in the mouths of fabliau characters (The Merchant)
The cuckholdings, beatings, and elaborate practical jokes that are the main concern of the fabliau are distributed in accord with a code of fabliau justice. The villains/ tricksters are whom society scorns but always win.
Senex Amans vs youngsters
What does St Paul say about marriage in…
1 Corinthians 7:28?
Paul remained single his whole life.
“If they cannot control themselves, they should marry for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”
“It is not good for a man to have sexual relations with a woman” but with his wife a man should come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of lack of self control.
What is the Parliament of Fowls?
Frame narrative of “dream vision” written by Chaucer.
Nature holds a parliament where birds will choose their mates. 3 Tercels want one formel but none of them get her. Nature as the ruling figure allows her to put off the decision for another year, acknowledging the right to choose or not- the importance of free will.
This is at odds with May’s absence of consent as Januarie chooses her solely from his “owene auctoritee.”
It raises questions about female sexuality in gardens and agency.
What is the Golden Book of Marriage and who wrote it?
It is written by St Jerome (347-420 AD) through Theophrastus (371-287 BC)
“whatever vice it is, we learn it only after the wedding”..
..”only a wife is not shown, so that she should not displease before she is wed”
He says men can’t tell what kind of woman they’re marrying before the wedding. She will distract a man from his books, cuckold him, and be horrible. Only an impossible and unnatural king of woman is unsuitable as a wife.
It reminds of the dichotomy between Griselda and The Wife of Bath or Eve. Again, we see men using literary authorities (or religious) to assume the role of God and judge over women and their private realm in marriage and in sexuality.
Who was King at the time Chaucer was writing?
Richard II was King. He was only 14 when he inherited the Kingdom and did not listen to advice and listened to those who were young or foreign (French wife)- those he shouldn’t have listened to. Listening to advice provides a transfer of authority.
Jaqueline Rose says “counsel was inherently political in the sense that the giving of it either reinforced or reconstituted power relations”
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Walsingham says Richard II had sympathy for the foreign and the young.
What does the Laurel tree symbolize?
- Laurel wreaths presented to victors of Ancient Greek Olympics- Januarie views himself as athletic.
- Laurel is an evergreen tree- link to reverdie and love of spring- he is always virile
- In mythology Daphne is turned into a laurel tree in order to escape Apollo, Apollo gives her immortality (thus evergreen) Laurel is an ironic symbol of virginity, purity, immortality, and virtue.
Who is Job?
blessed man in the land of us. devil takes all to test. Job’s 3 friends jusge his position - he refuses to listen saying it’s god’s will. God tells of the friends
Job 28:28 “behold the fear of the lord that is wisdom and to despair from evil is understanding.”
What is the story of Adam and Eve?
theological debate in middle ages on whether they had sex
What is the Wheel of Fortune?
the world is in the hands of Lady fortuna as she has everyone on a wheel which she spins. even as a king, you will fall, but you will also rise
How is a Medieval House structured?
‘personal space’ and privacy would be alien. one hall where everyone drank, ate, and slept
What does Marital Theology say about sex?
St Augustine and peter the Lombard: most disseminated treatise on marriage: a rule book
provided a set of questions that would allow sex in a not sinful manner- key was not to enjoy
What is Courtly Love and where do we see it in The Merchant’s Tale?
Tuchman: “it remained artificial, a literary convention, a fantasy”
“courtly love was its dreamland”
a romance based on sexual desire but not satisfaction
What are stones symbols of?
layers of medieval hierarchy: stones at the very bottom
What is the symbolism of fruit?
fruit as genitalia and gardens were a place of sensual enjoyment and privacy
What kind of Pagan gods are in the tale and what roles do they play?
hymen: breaks after virginity
Venus: goddess of carnal love
Who are Pluto and Prosperina and what does their presence in the garden tell us?
by association, the garden is a hellish place
rape of prosperina, pluto is god of the dead and wealth
What is the Song of Songs?
“a garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed”
What kinds of Jealousy are there?
‘envious and selfish’ jealousy and the jealousy that is zealous in regard to moral and spiritual goodness “God is a jealous God”
fabliau world has the jealous cuckolded
What are some of Chaucer’s source texts and key moments within them?
Novelino II (Biagi): May “feel[s] great pity for you and so I have decided to give myself to you” Wants to specifically satisfy her sexual desire
Decameron (Boccaccio) places an emphasis on fortune and material possessions, age gap between Nicostrates and Lydia is too great and provides no sexual satisfaction
What is the story of Susannah and the Elders?
Elders watch woman in walled garden for own pleasure (voyeurism) they try to control susannah after seeing her bathing
daniel 13
How is cuckolding presented in literature?
horns- beasts that cannot see their own horns- men cannot see they are being cuckolded through metaphorical or physical blindness
What is the story of Acteon?
Acteon watches Artemis bathe: blood hounds pursue him as he is turned into a deer- has Januarie seen something he shouldn’t have?
What does the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew tell us about Mary and Joseph and how does this relate to May and Januarie?
old and unsuitable but rod he carried suddenly burst into bloom- chosen- stroking a womb that carries a child that is not his?
goes on to explain she is pregnant through the holy spirit and that Joseph has sinned in doubting her
Who is Priapus?
the god of gardens but also protects male genitalia
What is the story of Romance de la Rose?
french vision poem- walled garden with rose bushes. centre is fountain of narcissus where he catches the reflection of a rosebud- steals a kiss then becomes enclosed- army to take it down, plucks the garden then walks away
Chaucer translated
Apocrypha women
decietful but resourceful women in the Apocrypha:
Abigail is wife on Nabal who pleaded king david not to punish her husband- when he dies, she marries him,
Judith saved israelites by going to the camp of the Assaryans, seducing their hero and then beheading him when he was asleep and drunk
