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The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales“The Merchant’s Tale”“The Merchant’s Tale”
Gary DuongCassandra Naguiat
Andre NghiemRohun Patel
Lindsay Schick
Gary DuongCassandra Naguiat
Andre NghiemRohun Patel
Lindsay Schick
Brief Description CharactersBrief Description Characters
• The merchant’s sourness of marriage and wife set the stage
• January is a lecherous old man with chauvinist tendencies
• May is cunning and promiscuous
• Damian is someone with whom May can have an affair.
• The merchant’s sourness of marriage and wife set the stage
• January is a lecherous old man with chauvinist tendencies
• May is cunning and promiscuous
• Damian is someone with whom May can have an affair.
Characters (2)Characters (2)
• Justinius advises old knight not to rush into marriage
• Placebo supported January’s decision
• Pluto gives back January’s sight after “May and Damian”
• Proserpina blames men for problems that women are blamed for
• Justinius advises old knight not to rush into marriage
• Placebo supported January’s decision
• Pluto gives back January’s sight after “May and Damian”
• Proserpina blames men for problems that women are blamed for
SettingSetting
• “She shall not be over twenty” (249)
• “Tree that blossoms before the fruit is grown” (251)
• “Tree full of fruit” (287)
• “Day was bright, sky was blue” (287)
• “She shall not be over twenty” (249)
• “Tree that blossoms before the fruit is grown” (251)
• “Tree full of fruit” (287)
• “Day was bright, sky was blue” (287)
Plot SummaryPlot Summary
• Opens with scathing attack on wife of two months
• January tells friends of his plan to marry
• January selects May and sleeps with her
• When day arrives, January bends over to allow May to climb over him into the tree
• Opens with scathing attack on wife of two months
• January tells friends of his plan to marry
• January selects May and sleeps with her
• When day arrives, January bends over to allow May to climb over him into the tree
Summary (2)Summary (2)
• As January comes to, he is shocked to see his wife having sex with Damian
• May uses her god-given tongue to get herself out of the situation
• January agrees and he hugs his wife lovingly
• As January comes to, he is shocked to see his wife having sex with Damian
• May uses her god-given tongue to get herself out of the situation
• January agrees and he hugs his wife lovingly
Theme/MoralTheme/Moral
• God– Governs all laws– Frowns upon (May’s
affair with Damian)
• Love– Christian love versus
passionate love
• Youth/Beauty– Temptation to sexual
desires– Immaturity/immorality of
the youth
• God– Governs all laws– Frowns upon (May’s
affair with Damian)
• Love– Christian love versus
passionate love
• Youth/Beauty– Temptation to sexual
desires– Immaturity/immorality of
the youth
Genre of the TaleGenre of the Tale
• Mock-romance• Mock-romance mocks
the affairs of a romance in an often satirical, humorous way
• Intended for entertainment purposes
• Mock-romance• Mock-romance mocks
the affairs of a romance in an often satirical, humorous way
• Intended for entertainment purposes
Support Evidence (Classify)Support Evidence (Classify)
• Merchant’s “honest” marriage; selfish motives become clear
• Mock-romance reveals distaste in wife and marriage
• “She would master him” (241)
• Desires her for sex• “he asked her to strip
naked” (275)
• Merchant’s “honest” marriage; selfish motives become clear
• Mock-romance reveals distaste in wife and marriage
• “She would master him” (241)
• Desires her for sex• “he asked her to strip
naked” (275)
Source of the TaleSource of the Tale
• “The Merchant’s Tale” is based off Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron
• Nicostratus marries Lydia, who eventually falls in love with Pyrrhus
• However, they cannot express their love for each other
• “The Merchant’s Tale” is based off Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron
• Nicostratus marries Lydia, who eventually falls in love with Pyrrhus
• However, they cannot express their love for each other
Source (2)Source (2)
• The couple fools Nicostratus into climbing a pear tree
• While Nicostratus is in the tree, the two engage in sex
• When he climbs down, he sees the two sitting innocently. After cutting down the evil tree, he stops watching his wife
• The couple fools Nicostratus into climbing a pear tree
• While Nicostratus is in the tree, the two engage in sex
• When he climbs down, he sees the two sitting innocently. After cutting down the evil tree, he stops watching his wife
Contemp. CounterpartsContemp. Counterparts
• The Awakening by Kate Chopin
• Edna commits adultery with Robert, without knowledge of husband
• Both stories/couples have age differences and the husbands are unaware of wives’ affairs
• The Awakening by Kate Chopin
• Edna commits adultery with Robert, without knowledge of husband
• Both stories/couples have age differences and the husbands are unaware of wives’ affairs
Teller’s Social StandingTeller’s Social Standing
• The merchant is the seventh of twenty-two pilgrims to be described, a relatively high social standing.
• Merchant is actually in terrible debt
• He portrays himself as being very wealthy, but is actually a poor man.
• The merchant is the seventh of twenty-two pilgrims to be described, a relatively high social standing.
• Merchant is actually in terrible debt
• He portrays himself as being very wealthy, but is actually a poor man.
Teller’s DescriptionTeller’s Description
• General prologue: the merchant is manipulative and deceiving.
• Internal prologue: the merchant’s description of his wife and the pain she causes him demonstrates his feelings towards women and marriage.
• General prologue: the merchant is manipulative and deceiving.
• Internal prologue: the merchant’s description of his wife and the pain she causes him demonstrates his feelings towards women and marriage.
Tale’s Relations to TellerTale’s Relations to Teller
• January's social status reveals what the merchant wishes he had.
• He is sixty years old, demonstrates advice to hold off to maximum extent
• Blindness and gain of sight demonstrates ignorance to the troubles of marriage
• January's social status reveals what the merchant wishes he had.
• He is sixty years old, demonstrates advice to hold off to maximum extent
• Blindness and gain of sight demonstrates ignorance to the troubles of marriage
Works CitedWorks Cited
• The Canterbury Tales: “The Merchant’s Tale” Chris Garneau, 01 Nov. 2009. Web. 01 Nov. 2009.
• The Canterbury Tales: “The Merchant’s Tale” Chris Garneau, 01 Nov. 2009. Web. 01 Nov. 2009.