“Chaucer points the finger critically but always humorously at a full
range of human
failings.”
In the light of this comment and with close reference to relevant
contexts, show how far you agree that The Merchant’s Prologue and
Tale is fundamentally comic.
For the most part agree with this statement-only with the extent of
the wedding night where it isn’t presented with any element of
humour for a modern audience.
Sense of biblical criticism of May’s actions-Edenic allusions.
But-due to use of bathos-adulterous fornication is presented
with a sense of burlesque, coarsely comic humour.
January’s acrocryphal references of virtuous women when
actually paragons of treachery “lewd and ignorant” words
quote-humour in his utter sense of blissful oblivion. But still
critical-sense of fabliaux justice for a modern feminist
audience-mirror scene at sexual “commune market place”,
valorisation of youth when a senex amans- wedding night
(modern feminist would find problematic that “as stille as
stoone” is humorous, but very well may be for a medieval
audience trained in the endemic literary tradition of anti-
feminist misogyny).
range of human
failings.”
In the light of this comment and with close reference to relevant
contexts, show how far you agree that The Merchant’s Prologue and
Tale is fundamentally comic.
For the most part agree with this statement-only with the extent of
the wedding night where it isn’t presented with any element of
humour for a modern audience.
Sense of biblical criticism of May’s actions-Edenic allusions.
But-due to use of bathos-adulterous fornication is presented
with a sense of burlesque, coarsely comic humour.
January’s acrocryphal references of virtuous women when
actually paragons of treachery “lewd and ignorant” words
quote-humour in his utter sense of blissful oblivion. But still
critical-sense of fabliaux justice for a modern feminist
audience-mirror scene at sexual “commune market place”,
valorisation of youth when a senex amans- wedding night
(modern feminist would find problematic that “as stille as
stoone” is humorous, but very well may be for a medieval
audience trained in the endemic literary tradition of anti-
feminist misogyny).
