The Merchants Tale Essays

The Merchants Tale Essays The Merchants Tale Essay The Merchants Tale Essay Chaucers establishment of the Clerk in the General Prologue as a committed scholar who prioritises his academic studies over material wealth contrasts sharply with the description of the Merchants bargaines and his chevissaunce. In placing The Clerks Tale immediately before that of the Merchant and exploring similar themes within both, Chaucer introduces to his readership a likelihood of the second tale being a response to the first.The differing attitudes and outcomes of the tales, whilst having significant links in their subject matter, provoke comparison of the narrators in their personal discussions and the protagonists become the embodiment of their views towards marriage in the tales. Walter is presented by the Clerk as a largely stereotypical marquis, whose qualities of humility and understanding in his proposal to Griselda are linked to the distinct lack of irony in the introduction to his character. The Clerk narrates in praise of the protagonist, Handsome and young and strong; in him were blentHigh honour and a gentle courtesy. It is then admitted that Walter did show certain faults (He was indeed to blame ) although the fact that he is named so shortly after the beginning of the tale resounds importantly in the Merchants prologue, where Chaucer admits to having forgotten the narrators name. This could be seen as a comment upon the perception of clerks as being far more honest than merchants in Chaucerian society despite Walters great deception of his wife when hiding their two children from her, he is still presented in a positive, honest light throughout the tale.This reinforces his credibility as a character, which has the effect of the Clerk being able t o present his views on marriage very clearly through the protagonist. It is vitally important that both tales are set in Lombardy, though the setting is very different in both tales. The Clerks Lombardy is scarcely mentioned, whereas the Merchants city of Pavia, famous for its bankers and its brothels, provides a substantial basis for the highly sexual nature of the tales imagery.However, just as the Clerk is disconnected from the real world through his pursuit of academia, Walter has failed to consider marriage as it might be expected, through adherence to knightly qualities and great commitment in this sense. His marriage to Griselda is not brought about by sexual desire, but rather by his friends imploring, Therefore, we beg you speedily to marry. By distancing Walter from his geographical surroundings and having him marry a committed woman from a humble background, it can be observed that the Clerk is breaking the mould and attempting to tell a tale of virtue and devotion.It is not simply the imagery in the tale that allows him to do this, but also the form of the language: by using seven line rhyming verses, a more constrained, logical text is presented, making the tale more accessible to the reader during Walters more intensive actions of the described cruelty. In combination with Griseldas unfailing loyalty throughout these tests of commitment, the overall form of the poetry serves to individualise the tale and make it distinctive among the group of pilgrims as a whole.This provides a large opportunity for contradiction of its content and, therefore, a response in the following tale. Januarys choice of May for his wife in The Merchants Tale, however, becomes a strong representation of his character. He cannot conceal the fact that she is only one of many potential brides, outlined where the Merchant narrates, As whoso tooke a mirour, polished bright, And sette it in a commune market-place. It soon becomes apparent that this deception is at the hands of Januarie, ‘for as good is blind deceyved be / As to be deceyved whan a man may se’. The fact that he is being deceived because of both his physical and mental blindness makes Januarie appear vulnerable, and the audience almost begins to pity him, showing that the power balance has shifted abruptly from Januarie to May. The language Chaucer chooses to use contributes to demonstrating this power balance effectively. Fortune is personified in this passage, as is common in Chaucer’s writing. Like a number of abstract qualities which have the female grammatical gender in Latin, the personification is feminised, and she is presented as a woman, often blindfolded, to demonstrate the arbitrariness of her operation, an holding a wheel on which her victims rise and fall. When comparing this image to May, it is clear that she now has full power and control over Januarie. It is not only clear how May has gained power over this passage, but also how Januarie has lost his. He becomes so possessed by jealousy that He nolde suffre hire for to ride or go/ But if that he hadde hond on her alway’ , ‘nor anywhere/ Would he allow his wife to take the air/ Unless his hand were on her, day and night’. Towards the beginning of the tale, it is unlikely that Januarie would have been so possessive over his new wife, as he had enough confidence within himself to prevent any jealousy. When he loses his sight, it is apparent that his self-consciousness becomes particularly strong, once again making him seem vulnerable and helpless, and May’s dishonesty only increases Januarie’s lack of power