A02-key term-mordant irony (sharp, critical). January- sacramental
idealism and self-serving pragmatism. Rhyming couplets= used to elevate
the rhetoric. Antonymous- characters names are allegorical
representations.
Blue-presentation of gender, yellow-presentation of January, pink-
presentation of marriage
Prologue
“wepying and waylyng, care and oother sorwe”- care= grief-in
media res. Direct allusion to the final line of clerk’s tale about the paragon
of a perfect wife- Griselda. Model of obedience, virtuosity, despite
intolerable suffering wielded at the hand’s of her husband. AI-elements of
melodrama undermines sincerity. Also- Griselda- metaphor for the
difficulty of faith in God.
“I have a wyf, the worste that may be : for thogh the feend to hire
ycoupled were (were married to her), she wolde hym overmacche,
I dar wel swere”- embittered male chauvinist or humorous exaggerated
male caricature-hyperbole and superlatives-jaundiced view on marriage.
“What sholde I yow reherce in special (tell you in detail) Hir hye
malice? She is a shrewe at al” (in every way)- angry dismissal to hide
his evasiveness.
“Ther is a long and large difference Bitwix Grisildis grete pacience
And of my wyf the passyng crueltee. ( extreme cruelty of my
wife)”- pervasiveness of anti-feminist literature at the time.
“Were I unbounden, also moot I thee, Were I released (from
marriage), so I may prosper, I wolde nevere eft comen in the
snare. We wedded men lyven in sorwe and care”.
“Wyflees hath been, though that men wolde him ryve (though one
would him stab) Unto the herte, ne koude in no manere (could not
in any way) Tellen so muchel sorwe as I now heere Tell so much
sorrow as I now here Koude tellen of my wyves cursednesse!"
Introducing January
“A worthy knyght, that born was of Pavye,” “lyved in greet
prosperitee”- top of feudal hierarchy.
“And folwed ay (always) his bodily delyt , On wommen, ther
(where) as was his appetyt,”- arguably eartly wealth and moral
poverty (prostitution) are juxtaposed-characterisation of a bawdy fabliau
(senex amans-conventional burlesque figure in anti-feminist literature).
Preposition “on” alludes to a sexual predatoriness- notion of sex as a
,means of consumption is introduced-transgression of knightly code,
though there were known abrogation’s.
“but swich a greet corage, Hadde this knyght to been a wedded
man”- corage is another word for desire, exemplifying moral and immoral
forms of desire- intrinsic to Christianity- hypocrisy inherent in Januarys
religiosity.
"Noon oother lyf," seyde he, "is worth a bene, For wedlok is so
esy and so clene (pure), That in this world it is a paradys. Thus
seyde this olde knyght, that was so wys”- direct speech/dialogue to
expose his hubris.
The adjectives "esy" and "clene" support the idea of marriage as a natural
process. The oxymoron of "world" and "paradys" equates marriage with an
earthly heaven. Merchant’s cynicism/barbed comment about marriage is
exposed in january’s hyperbolic laudation/encomium of marriage. Conceit
of marriage being an edneic utopia-dramatic irony- vital. Religious allusion
charged with biblical imagery (foreshadowing the serpent Damian).
Rhyming couplet emphasises naivety- medieval stereotype of a foolish,
elderly dotard. Januarie believes that marriage is the panacea, that it will
come without tribulation, and that it will form paradise on earth. Long
eulogy in praise of marriage – “With which that first God man and
womman bond”- patriarchal heteronormativity- antithesis between
matrimony and sexual lechery-proverbs are used to foreshadow difficulties
for him. Allusion to genesis- proleptic of garden (serpentine influence).
Attitudes towards marriage
“sholde he take a yong wyf”, “For who kan be so buxom
(obedient) as a wyf?, Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf
(eager) To kepe hym, syk and hool (to care for him sick and well),
as is his make?...and serve”-demands attentive subservience.
“And namely whan a man is oold and hoor (white haired) Thanne
is a wyf the fruyt of his tresor (best part of his treasure)”-
repetitive symbolism of May being cast in fruit or meat, something for
January to purchase and devour.
“On which he myghte engendren hym an heir,”- crude language
inviting mockery from the belatores.
“a wedded man in his estaat, Lyveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat
(bound under) Under this yok of mariage ybounde.”- ironical
foreshadowing of the anarchy of their marriage. Yoke- double entendre- a
bond but also a restraint- harness for an animal, burdensome metaphor
(links to ‘snare’ imagery).
“What force though Theofraste liste lye?- What does it matter
though Theofrastus wants to lie? "Ne take no wyf," quod he- take
, no wife said he”- Greek philosophy, well regarded within medieval
modes of thought, yet described using imagery of deceit from the start-
forehsadowing January’s obtuse and blissful oblivion- conventional
burlesque figure in anti-feminist literature of a senex amans. Even he
though-“ For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf”- women are depicted as
misogynistic materialistic parasites.
“And if thou take a wyf unto thyn hold (household), Ful lightly
maystow (full easily canst thou be ) been a cokewold."-
foreshadowing the trope of a treacherous woman, embodied within the
microcosm of May. A03- male fear in 14th century of an attack on
manhood due to a lack of control over one’s wife.
“But take no kep of al swich vanytee (no heed of all such
foolishness) Deffie (defy) Theofraste, and herke (listen to) me”-
imperative direct address to reader- rejection of saintly advice-sense of
Chaucerian karmic retribution due to innate infantile arrogance and
dogmatism.
The perfect wife
‘A wyf is Goddes yifte verraily (gift truly)”, “Al that hire
housbonde lust”,
“She seith nat ones "nay," Do this," seith he; "Al redy, sire," seith
she”-internal rhyme- falsity to obedience-foreshadowing.
“O blisful ordre of wedlok precious, Thou art so murye (merry),
and eek (also) so virtuous”-rhyming couplet.
“moebles (personal possessions) -- alle been yiftes (all are gifts)
of Fortune That passen as a shadwe upon a wal”- brief aphorism
from January amongst comic levity- simile, complete renunciation of
property and ownership (except female ownership-irony). Or foolish- need
security?
“A wyf wol laste, and in thyn hous endure,”- proverb being used to
foreshadow marital difficulties.
“Mariage is a ful greet sacrement. He which that hath no wyf, I
holde hym shent (I consider him ruined); He lyveth helplees and
al desolat” – connotations of falsity, hypocrisy- tone is almost
sanctimonious- greater concern with earthly sensual misconduct than
spiritual progress. Irony- January’s bachelor identity was full of sexual
voracity, soliciting exuberance, yet now supposedly abhors this “seculer
estaat(life)”.
idealism and self-serving pragmatism. Rhyming couplets= used to elevate
the rhetoric. Antonymous- characters names are allegorical
representations.
Blue-presentation of gender, yellow-presentation of January, pink-
presentation of marriage
Prologue
“wepying and waylyng, care and oother sorwe”- care= grief-in
media res. Direct allusion to the final line of clerk’s tale about the paragon
of a perfect wife- Griselda. Model of obedience, virtuosity, despite
intolerable suffering wielded at the hand’s of her husband. AI-elements of
melodrama undermines sincerity. Also- Griselda- metaphor for the
difficulty of faith in God.
“I have a wyf, the worste that may be : for thogh the feend to hire
ycoupled were (were married to her), she wolde hym overmacche,
I dar wel swere”- embittered male chauvinist or humorous exaggerated
male caricature-hyperbole and superlatives-jaundiced view on marriage.
“What sholde I yow reherce in special (tell you in detail) Hir hye
malice? She is a shrewe at al” (in every way)- angry dismissal to hide
his evasiveness.
“Ther is a long and large difference Bitwix Grisildis grete pacience
And of my wyf the passyng crueltee. ( extreme cruelty of my
wife)”- pervasiveness of anti-feminist literature at the time.
“Were I unbounden, also moot I thee, Were I released (from
marriage), so I may prosper, I wolde nevere eft comen in the
snare. We wedded men lyven in sorwe and care”.
“Wyflees hath been, though that men wolde him ryve (though one
would him stab) Unto the herte, ne koude in no manere (could not
in any way) Tellen so muchel sorwe as I now heere Tell so much
sorrow as I now here Koude tellen of my wyves cursednesse!"
Introducing January
“A worthy knyght, that born was of Pavye,” “lyved in greet
prosperitee”- top of feudal hierarchy.
“And folwed ay (always) his bodily delyt , On wommen, ther
(where) as was his appetyt,”- arguably eartly wealth and moral
poverty (prostitution) are juxtaposed-characterisation of a bawdy fabliau
(senex amans-conventional burlesque figure in anti-feminist literature).
Preposition “on” alludes to a sexual predatoriness- notion of sex as a
,means of consumption is introduced-transgression of knightly code,
though there were known abrogation’s.
“but swich a greet corage, Hadde this knyght to been a wedded
man”- corage is another word for desire, exemplifying moral and immoral
forms of desire- intrinsic to Christianity- hypocrisy inherent in Januarys
religiosity.
"Noon oother lyf," seyde he, "is worth a bene, For wedlok is so
esy and so clene (pure), That in this world it is a paradys. Thus
seyde this olde knyght, that was so wys”- direct speech/dialogue to
expose his hubris.
The adjectives "esy" and "clene" support the idea of marriage as a natural
process. The oxymoron of "world" and "paradys" equates marriage with an
earthly heaven. Merchant’s cynicism/barbed comment about marriage is
exposed in january’s hyperbolic laudation/encomium of marriage. Conceit
of marriage being an edneic utopia-dramatic irony- vital. Religious allusion
charged with biblical imagery (foreshadowing the serpent Damian).
Rhyming couplet emphasises naivety- medieval stereotype of a foolish,
elderly dotard. Januarie believes that marriage is the panacea, that it will
come without tribulation, and that it will form paradise on earth. Long
eulogy in praise of marriage – “With which that first God man and
womman bond”- patriarchal heteronormativity- antithesis between
matrimony and sexual lechery-proverbs are used to foreshadow difficulties
for him. Allusion to genesis- proleptic of garden (serpentine influence).
Attitudes towards marriage
“sholde he take a yong wyf”, “For who kan be so buxom
(obedient) as a wyf?, Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf
(eager) To kepe hym, syk and hool (to care for him sick and well),
as is his make?...and serve”-demands attentive subservience.
“And namely whan a man is oold and hoor (white haired) Thanne
is a wyf the fruyt of his tresor (best part of his treasure)”-
repetitive symbolism of May being cast in fruit or meat, something for
January to purchase and devour.
“On which he myghte engendren hym an heir,”- crude language
inviting mockery from the belatores.
“a wedded man in his estaat, Lyveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat
(bound under) Under this yok of mariage ybounde.”- ironical
foreshadowing of the anarchy of their marriage. Yoke- double entendre- a
bond but also a restraint- harness for an animal, burdensome metaphor
(links to ‘snare’ imagery).
“What force though Theofraste liste lye?- What does it matter
though Theofrastus wants to lie? "Ne take no wyf," quod he- take
, no wife said he”- Greek philosophy, well regarded within medieval
modes of thought, yet described using imagery of deceit from the start-
forehsadowing January’s obtuse and blissful oblivion- conventional
burlesque figure in anti-feminist literature of a senex amans. Even he
though-“ For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf”- women are depicted as
misogynistic materialistic parasites.
“And if thou take a wyf unto thyn hold (household), Ful lightly
maystow (full easily canst thou be ) been a cokewold."-
foreshadowing the trope of a treacherous woman, embodied within the
microcosm of May. A03- male fear in 14th century of an attack on
manhood due to a lack of control over one’s wife.
“But take no kep of al swich vanytee (no heed of all such
foolishness) Deffie (defy) Theofraste, and herke (listen to) me”-
imperative direct address to reader- rejection of saintly advice-sense of
Chaucerian karmic retribution due to innate infantile arrogance and
dogmatism.
The perfect wife
‘A wyf is Goddes yifte verraily (gift truly)”, “Al that hire
housbonde lust”,
“She seith nat ones "nay," Do this," seith he; "Al redy, sire," seith
she”-internal rhyme- falsity to obedience-foreshadowing.
“O blisful ordre of wedlok precious, Thou art so murye (merry),
and eek (also) so virtuous”-rhyming couplet.
“moebles (personal possessions) -- alle been yiftes (all are gifts)
of Fortune That passen as a shadwe upon a wal”- brief aphorism
from January amongst comic levity- simile, complete renunciation of
property and ownership (except female ownership-irony). Or foolish- need
security?
“A wyf wol laste, and in thyn hous endure,”- proverb being used to
foreshadow marital difficulties.
“Mariage is a ful greet sacrement. He which that hath no wyf, I
holde hym shent (I consider him ruined); He lyveth helplees and
al desolat” – connotations of falsity, hypocrisy- tone is almost
sanctimonious- greater concern with earthly sensual misconduct than
spiritual progress. Irony- January’s bachelor identity was full of sexual
voracity, soliciting exuberance, yet now supposedly abhors this “seculer
estaat(life)”.
