The Merchant’s Tale – Variety

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Discuss Chaucer’s use of variety in The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale.

The Merchant’s Tale tells the story of an old man searching for a wife and finding one, who is ultimately unfaithful to him. Chaucer uses a variety of elements in the poem to show his knowledge of contemporary interests and his story telling capacity through another figure. Irony flows through the poem, laced with allusions to the Bible. Chaucer’s use of his astronomical knowledge not only allows modern day scholars to date events, but also adds another dimension of interest for the contemporary audience and of course, the pilgrims.

Januarie’s discussion of Heaven and Hell leads to the idea of marriage providing a Heaven on Earth. It is said that a wife is a husband’s “paradis terrestre, and his disport” (l. 120), but at the introduction of the idea of a paradise, the reader can begin to contemplate the introduction of a serpent at a later point. Chaucer uses heavy irony as Januarie worries about experiencing his only Heaven on Earth. It becomes evident that May is anything but his Heaven. Her behaviour with Damyan in the pear tree is reminiscent of the story of Adam and Eve and the temptation of the apple tree as Damyan has become the serpent in Januarie’s paradise of wedded bliss.

The Biblical allusions that are used in the Tale have the effect of broadening the moral behind the story. By using the irony of the Biblical stories along with the thoughts of Januarie, a contemporary audience would have quickly perceived that there would be trouble with the marriage, as they would have been relatively well versed on the Bible. The priest at the marriage ceremony “bade [May] be lik Sarra and Rebekke” (l.492). While these two figures are held up as examples of holy and virtuous women, they both deceived their husbands. In effect, it is shown that Januarie’s concern with theology leads to a Christian wedding, which results in May practically being commanded to betray her husband in the name of the Church.

Chaucer’s knowledge of astronomy becomes evident at many points during the poem and has been useful for modern scholars wishing to date the Tale. The wedding day has been put down as Lady Day, 25th March 1392. Discussion of astronomy and the sky brings forth more elaborate language as on the evening of the wedding day, the phrase “Parfourned as the sonne his ark diourne” (l.583) introduces the next events of the day. In addition to this, there is always another dimension to the story. The wedding of Januarie and May takes place when Mars and Venus are in conjunction. This combination of the warring god and the god of love cannot bode well for the marriage, especially combined with the heavily ironic emphasis on Januarie’s concern for having his Heaven on Earth.

The marriage of May and Januarie brings attention to their names. While the spring month of May is full of life, the winter month of January is a new beginning (to the year), but still contains the cold deadness of winter. Eventually, spring defeats winter. There is a stark contrast between the characters of May and Januarie. The latter’s roughness is especially focused upon on the wedding night. His skin is “Lyk to the skyn of houndfyssh” and there is an almost repulsive focus on his appearance. May is a much livelier, younger character and so Damyan, the lovesick squire seems much more suited to her.

The way in which Januarie treats May from the time before they are even married suggests that May is the one to be pitied. However, when May is unfaithful and even laughs at her husband’s age and pathetic nature, the reader’s sympathies swing towards Januarie. Yet before “the naddre in bosom sly untrewe” (l. 574) enters the marriage, Januarie has treated May as a business-like purchase. The search for wife was based on a want for a companion and all that comes with marriage, rather than love and affection.

Although no original story has been found, Chaucer uses various pieces of existing literature as parts of his Tale. “Mirror of Marriage” by Deschamps and “Liber Consolationis” by Albertano both add incidents to the story. The inclusion of references to contemporary works of literature allows the speaker to comment on the opinions held by others on the institution of marriage. “A trewe servant dooth more diligence/ Thy good to kepe, than thyne owene wyf” (l. 86) says Theophrastus. Again
irony is used as Damyan, Januarie’s servant, takes good care of his master’ goods, that is, his wife.

Some literary devices occur time and time again in the Tale as a motif. Irony is present throughout as are Biblical references. Another less common recurrence in the poem is the use of “warm wex” . While Januarie wishes his wife to be pliable; controllable by himself, the use of warm wax creeps back later to his disadvantage as the malleability of warm wax can also represent the waywardness of women. May uses warm wax to take a copy of the key to the garden that Januarie sees as his Eden. “So fair a gardyn woot I nowher noon” (l. 818) says the Merchant. This enables Damyan to slip in and Januarie’s idea of his heavenly marriage to come crashing down around him.

The allusions to gods during the wedding feast and the relationship heighten the grandeur of the events. Music was played at the wedding breakfast “that nevere tromped Joab for to heere” (l. 507). The gods appear to have been invited to the event as Bacchus pours the wine and Venus and Hymen both oversee the wedding. The parallels with mythology would have been easily understood by a medieval audience and are another example of the extent of Chaucer’s knowledge.

However, the comparisons with mythology and stories from long ago are not always used in such a way as to promote grandeur and splendour. The way in which Januarie approaches May on their wedding night is compared to the way in which Paris forced Helen of Spartacus. There is also the possibility, says Maurice Hussey, that Chaucer knew that St. Damian was the patron saint of medicine, thus giving ironic undertones to the sight-healing excuse for the pear tree tryst.

Geoffrey Chaucer used many different aspects of his wide knowledge when writing the Merchant’s Prologue and Tale. Biblical references and parallels with and inclusions of mythological characters are evidence of this. The appeal of such references to a medieval audience is extended with the inclusion of detailed and seemingly accurate astronomical minutiae. These details provide another level of information about the characters and their fates, such as the future of the marriage – it having been performed when the planet of war and the planet of love were in conjunction. Around these imaginative inclusions weaves a line of irony and a use of contemporary views and literature.

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