What sin was the merchant in The Canterbury Tales?
the merchant tride to hide the fact he was in debt. the pardoner makes his living out of greed.
How is the merchant presented in the prologue?
In the Merchant’s Prologue, we learn that he is unhappily married to a shrewish woman who could win a fight against the devil. This state of affairs motivates him to tell a tale about a man who ignores his friend’s advice against marriage and comes to regret it.
How is May presented in the Merchants tale?
May is the main female character in The Merchant’s Tale. She is portrayed as a manipulative and scheming young woman married to a desirous old man (called January). May manages to cheat on her husband by praying on his ignorance with January’s squire, Damain.
How is the merchant described in the General Prologue?
We know the merchant is the fashionista of the group because he’s wearing a cloak of “motley” (variegated, colorful pattern), a Flemish beaver hat, and has a forked beard, all of which were current fashions at this time period.
What does the merchants tale say about marriage?
In The Merchant’s Tale, January, a wealthy, elderly knight, decides to marry. His reasons are clear enough: He wants to fulfill God’s wish that man and woman marry, and he wants a son to inherit his estates. January calls many of his friends together to listen to his plans and to offer him advice.
Who are the characters in the merchant’s tale?
The two central characters of “The Merchant’s Tale” are husband and wife, named Januarie and May. Throughout the course of Chaucer’s exploration of their relationship, we are also introduced to the characters of Justinus, Placebo, Damien, Pluto, and Proserpina.
What is ironic about the merchant?
In medieval England, to be in debt was a sign of weak morals. So when Chaucer tells us that the Merchant was a “worthy man withal,” we can probably take that a bit ironically. In the Merchant’s Prologue, we learn that he is unhappily married to a shrewish woman who could win a fight against the devil.
What was the life of a merchant like?
Daily Life of a Medieval Merchant Foreign merchants were heavily regulated. They had to wait two or more hours before they could enter the market, giving the locals the best business. Markets were a noisy, raucous affairs as merchants had to “cry the wares” as their was no other way of advertising their wares.
What did the merchant do?
Merchants were those who bought and sold goods, while landowners who sold their own produce were not classed as merchants. Being a landowner was a “respectable” occupation.