Comparing ‘The Merchant’s Tale and Prologue’ by Chaucer (C) to ‘An Ideal Husband’ by
Wilde (W)
Men are weaker; the first susceptible to temptation
C: Januarie first susceptible to desire, sin through sexual acts
W: SRC desire for wealth, money
Use of setting to demonstrate greed and corruption
C: Pavie and its connotations of sex, which are destructive forces to Januarie
C: Ceremony and feast demonstrate ostentation, hedonism, greed, success, linked to ideas
of corruption and adding to distasteful presentation of Januarie
W: Baron Arnheim’s house as seductive, manipulation linked to downfall of SRC
Appearance vs. reality, disillusion
C: Januarie as a worthy, noble knight, ironically, does not represent expectations of honour
and chivalry
W: SRC as an English gentleman, corrupt
Self-delusion
C: Januarie’s convinces himself that his intentions for marriage are religious
W: SRC convinces himself that immoral actions are ones of courage
Reject advice, blindness, ignorance
C: Januarie ignores Justinus
W: SRC ignores LG’s reasonable voice
Repentance
C: Januarie believes marriage will purge his sins away, ill intentions
W: SRC believes wealth will fix his immoral actions, without remorse
Happiness, a state to which many aspire but which few will actually reach. Consider the
ways in which writers portray the search for happiness.
When their idea of happiness is delusional, unattainable
C: Unattainable perfection J attributes to May
Examples: Fabliaux, references to Adam and Eve and paradise hinting at sin in future
Context: men expected passivity and innocence from women, treated as property
W: Unattainable perfection that LC attributes to SRC
Context: placing men on pedestals, corruption, and superficiality of society
Examples: dramatic irony, have to accept weakness
Happiness can be achieved through ignorance
C: Januarie chooses blindness for true bliss
Examples: chooses to believe May’s excuse, ignores Justinus’s advice
W: LC’s pure happiness is dependent on false reality
Examples: ignores advice, lie to me, has to compromise, and lower her expectations
Wilde (W)
Men are weaker; the first susceptible to temptation
C: Januarie first susceptible to desire, sin through sexual acts
W: SRC desire for wealth, money
Use of setting to demonstrate greed and corruption
C: Pavie and its connotations of sex, which are destructive forces to Januarie
C: Ceremony and feast demonstrate ostentation, hedonism, greed, success, linked to ideas
of corruption and adding to distasteful presentation of Januarie
W: Baron Arnheim’s house as seductive, manipulation linked to downfall of SRC
Appearance vs. reality, disillusion
C: Januarie as a worthy, noble knight, ironically, does not represent expectations of honour
and chivalry
W: SRC as an English gentleman, corrupt
Self-delusion
C: Januarie’s convinces himself that his intentions for marriage are religious
W: SRC convinces himself that immoral actions are ones of courage
Reject advice, blindness, ignorance
C: Januarie ignores Justinus
W: SRC ignores LG’s reasonable voice
Repentance
C: Januarie believes marriage will purge his sins away, ill intentions
W: SRC believes wealth will fix his immoral actions, without remorse
Happiness, a state to which many aspire but which few will actually reach. Consider the
ways in which writers portray the search for happiness.
When their idea of happiness is delusional, unattainable
C: Unattainable perfection J attributes to May
Examples: Fabliaux, references to Adam and Eve and paradise hinting at sin in future
Context: men expected passivity and innocence from women, treated as property
W: Unattainable perfection that LC attributes to SRC
Context: placing men on pedestals, corruption, and superficiality of society
Examples: dramatic irony, have to accept weakness
Happiness can be achieved through ignorance
C: Januarie chooses blindness for true bliss
Examples: chooses to believe May’s excuse, ignores Justinus’s advice
W: LC’s pure happiness is dependent on false reality
Examples: ignores advice, lie to me, has to compromise, and lower her expectations
