The Merchant’s Tale Textual Quotes Flashcards
Sowninge alwey th’encrees of his winning”
- The Merchant is always concerned with the increase of his profits = establishes obsession and focus on trade and money which was seen as distasteful (line 277 General Prologue)
“blisful lyf that is bitwixe an housbonde and his wyf…hooly boond”
“wedlock is so esy and so clene…it is a paradis”
“oold and hoor”
“fruyt of his tresor”
“engendren hym an heir and lede his lyf in joye and in solas…a lyf blisful and ordinaat”
“Weping and wailing care and oother sorwe I know ynogh on even and a-morwe”
(line 1-2 The Merchant’s Prologue)
“feend… Hir hye malice? She is a shrewe…passyng crueltee…my wyves cursednesse
(The Merchant’s Prologue) - the Merchant’s descriptions of his wife
”unbounden…snare”
(The Merchant’s Prologue) - the Merchant’s descriptions of marriage
“We wedded men lyven in sorwe and care”
(line 16 The Merchant’s Prologue)
Theofraste says “if thou take a wyf unto thyn hoold Ful lightly maystow been a cokewold.”
Mariage is a ful greet sacrement.
lusty lyf the vertuous quiete
Oold fissh and yong flessh…warm wex with handes plye
I feele my lymes stark and suffisaunt… myn herte and alle my lymes been as grene
So wisely God my soule bringe at reste I holde youre owene conseil is the beste
I have wept many a teere ful prively sin I have had a wyf Ye shul nat plesen hire fully yeres thre
Pg 37: Justinus
