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It is difficult for the modern reader to enjoy a tale that is consistently hostile to women'?Many writings during the middle-ages were anti-feminist and these beliefs were often based on the biblical story of Eve being tempted in the garden of eden, causing mankind to be banished from paradise. Women were commonly believed, during these medieval times, to be deceitful, unduly emotional and unfaithful. Anti-feminist writings would highlight the lack of rights of women in contrast to the superiority of men. The main female character in the Merchants Tale, May, is portrayed as being deceitful and unfaithful in her affair with her husband's page, Damyan. May is shown to be 'bought' by her husband Januarie into a marriage whereby her main purpose is for sex and of providing an heir to Januaries estate. May is also of a lower social status than Januarie and can therefore be viewed as being powerless in the marriage arrangement as she is dependent on him. Based merely on these points the tale could be viewed as being consistently hostile to women, however Chaucer does provide the reader with differing perspectives and an overview of love and marriage. I feel that Chaucer remains objective in the tale of Januarie and May through the use of irony, mythology and references to other literature and in doing so criticises and makes fun of all the characters, male and female, especially Januarie. Chaucer often makes fun of Januarie's self-delusion and ignorance and so the reader is able to see May progress to a more powerful position within the marriage. In contrast Januarie becomes increasing reliant and dependent within the marriage. Therefore I feel that although in part the tale is hostile to women, it is not consistently hostile and does provide an objective perspective on the subject of love and marriage which enables the modern reader to enjoy the tale.The tale begins with a passage that is clearly anti-feminist, whereby the merchant expresses his views of women to the other pilgrims. ' I have a wife, the worste that may be. For thogh the feend to hire ycoupled were, she would overmacche, I dare wel swere'. The merchant ends his introduction by stating that he can tell no more of his sorry story, '' Gladly' quod he 'but of myn owene soore, for soory herte, I tell may namoore'. Instead the merchant goes on to tell the story of a knight called Januarie and his 'lovely May'. I feel that Chaucer uses the aforementioned quote to give the reader insight that the story of the knight will be similar to the experience of the merchant. This may lead the reader into shaping their opinions and views of the characters in relation to the anti-feminist introduction. In other words, the reader will be waiting in anticipation for the female character, May, to live up to the female stereo-type created by the passage, of behaving in a deceitful and unfaithful manner. Based on this first passage the tale can be viewed as being hostile to women although it is not yet possible to comment on the consistency of the hositility.The merchant progresses to tell his tale about a knight called Januarie, who lived in Lombardy, notably renowned for its banks and brothels (which highlights the central themes of the tale of money, power and sex). Januarie lived much of his life in a care-free and promiscuous manner. On reaching sixty, Januarie decides that he wants a wife, ' and namely whan a man is oold and of hoor, thane is a wyf the fruit of his tresor'. Januarie wants a wife like 'warm wex' that he can shape and control. The way in which Januarie embarks on choosing a wife can be likened to a financial transaction and one in which the chosen girl is powerless. To enable Januarie to choose an appropriate girl, he seeks the conflicting advice of his brothers Placebo and Justinus. The passage (lines 5 to 48) can be viewed as being hostile to women as the men discuss the virtues and danger of marriage and women. Justinus provides Januarie with cautionary advice about women and tells him to find out beforehand 'wher she be wys, or drokelewe or a wastour of thy good'. He advises that 'with any wyf, if so were she hadde mo goode thewes than hire vices badde' and gives Januarie three years of happiness at most. The advice of Justinus is particularly hostile to women as he assumes all women to be bad and requires proof of any virtues they might have. January goes against the advice of Justinus, with the blessing of Placebo (who lives up to his name) and seeks a wife of his own choice ' chees hir of his owene auctoritee and he discovered ' a mayden in the toun of beautee' who despite her 'smal degree' socially would appear to have desired attributes of a 'myddel small, and armes long and sclendre'. Justinus again urges caution that 'Paraunter she may be youre purgatorie. She be Goddes meene and Goddes whippe, thane shal youre soule up to heven skippe sifter than dooth an arwe out of a bowe'.
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Based on the fact that Januarie chooses a girl and endeavours to 'own' her in what is represented as a financial transaction of marriage, makes this part of the tale hostile to women. The feelings or wants of May are not taken into consideration and the decision process is based merely on the wants and desires of Januarie. May is therefore portrayed as being powerless in the marriage, which takes place later on in the tale. As previously mentioned, this passage read in isolation is hostile to women whereby they are negatively stereo-typed and are given no rights. Januarie views marriage, purely for economic and personal gain. However it is necessary to take into consideration the tale as whole to determine whether it is difficult for the modern reader to enjoy.The merchant's tale is told from a male perspective and I have illustrated passages that are hostile to women. However, Chaucer does provide the reader with different perspectives on love and marriage through the use of irony, humour and sarcasm. Chaucer uses humour and sarcasm to make fun of Januarie 'He was al coltish, ful of ragerye, and full of jargon as a flekked pye. The slake skin aboute his nekke shaketh. Whil that he sang, so chaunteth he and craketh'. Chaucer also highlights Januaries self-delusion and ignorance of entering into a marriage with a young beautiful women 'Whan tender youthe hath wedded stouping age, ther is swich mirthe that it may nat be writen' and so the tale is not merely hostile to women. After Januarie and May get married, Damyan is properly introduced to the reader and can be compared to the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Damyan demonstrates traditional courtly love and is 'dying' from the pain of love/lust he feels for May. The passage, lines 686 to 754 clearly shows how Chaucer repeatedly uses irony and humour to present Januarie as being ignorant and stupid as he becomes instrumental in bringing Damyan and May together to have an affair and thus introduces the serpent into his own Garden of Eden (the paradise he created on earth through marriage and his walled garden). On hearing of Damyans absence, (due to the pain of love) Januarie declares to his wife that she must go and visit him. ''Dame,' quod this Januarie 'taak good hede, at after-mete ye with youre women alle, whan ye han been in chamber out of this halle, that alle ye go se this Damyan. Dooth him disport-he is a gentil man.'. The reader is given an insight into what will happen with Damyan and May and so Januarie is presented as being ignorant and stupid. Januarie is consistently made to look old and undesirable to May which makes him vulnerable in the marriage. 'But lest that precious folk be with me wroth, how that he wroghte, I dar nat to yow telle; or wheither hire thoughte it paradis or helle.' Chaucer places May in a more powerful position within the marriage as Januarie becomes increasingly vulnerable, especially after he becomes blind. This passage proves that Chaucer is not merely hostile to women but also to the men in the tale and so enables the modern reader to enjoy the Merchants Tale as it is a very humorous story.To conclude, although the tale can be viewed as being hostile to women and May does actually live up to the negative stereotypical behaviour of becoming unfaithful, I feel that the tale is equally hostile to men. The balance means that the reader is able to enjoy the tale in the manner that it was meant, to provide humour and fun on the serious subject of love and marriage.
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