Merchant’s tale context file

Chaucer’s life:
Geoffrey Chaucer was born to the bourgeoisie class and had considerable family
money within the wine-making business (his father was a wine merchant). After
inheriting property from a nasty bout of plague, Chaucer’s father became even more
wealthy and sent his son to be a page for the Countess of Ulster and was further
promoted to public servant. Being raised in a merchant’s household meant that Chaucer
was acclimated to conversing with people from varying classes and backgrounds. It also
meant that he was gifted with ‘people skills’ from a young age and so could speak to
any status of person with both charm and manners. Chaucer served in the Hundred
Years’ War in France until he was eventually captured by the opposition and thus
released from ransom (thanks to his royal connections). He further went on to join the
Royal Service and travelled Europe on diplomatic business. He eventually married
Philippa Roet who’s family standing helped Chaucer even more in working his way up in
English courts.

Fabliau:
Fabliau was a common French genre of story-telling, often written anonymously by
Jongleurs. They were typically short in length and made use of rhyming couplets.

Courtly love:
In the middle ages, it was not uncommon for knights to develop infatuations with
married women. With an emphasis on chivalry and nobility, knights could flirt
surreptitiously with married ladies without getting into trouble. It was a practice meant
for the upper class and women typically did not (or at least, were not expected to) return
such feelings.

Mal Mariees:
In Chaucer’s time, grew in popularity the idea of Mal Mariees; women who cared not for
their own suitor. These women were often forced into marriage, and showed an
apparent disdain and uninterest in the men they were married to. The stereotype likely
stemmed from expectations of the Virgin Mary, and how women were required more
and more to reflect her image. The Virgin Mary became a symbol for suppression of
sexual appetite, and women who embodied this were thought of as pure and innocent.
Senex amans:
A senex amans is a common stock figure in mediaeval literature. It describes the
stereotype of an old man (who is characteristically impotent, ugly or ignorant) that is
cuckolded by a younger suitor. The senex amans character is often subject to mockery
within a work, and was a form of entertainment for readers at the time.

The Church and dual papacy:

In the period of Western Schism, Rome saw a dual papacy that caused numerous
problems for the reputation and respectability of the denomination. An elected cardinal
attempted to usurp Pope Urban VI when his ruling was proving hostile, though it ended
in both men being viewed by Rome as leaders of the denomination. Many called for a
Pope to step down or a council election though both leaders refused. They each tried to
reign with their own separate ideologies and opinions, which proved problematic as they
seldom were in conjunction with one another.

Pyramid of society: (especially knights)

Feudalism was the system that governed English society, it functioned on the belief that
your status determined your level of importance. On the top of the pyramid was the
King, followed by Nobles, then Knights and finally, Peasants. Knights were very well
respected by society and were thought of as noble, chivalrous and good.

The bubonic plague:

The bubonic plague killed over 25 million people in 14th century Europe. People
abandoned their friends and family, fled cities and isolated themselves in hopes of
staying uninfected. Since peasants were the most affected, they began to die in rapid
numbers. This meant that those of lower social standing could demand more from their
employer, as paid labour was becoming harder and harder to come by. This is perhaps
why Januarie treated Damyan so nicely when he fell ill, as he knew there was a
shortage of people that could take his place.

Hundred years’ war and poverty:

France and England did not have good relations as it was; France was constantly
stripping away England’s land, and England did not like how close France was with
Scotland. Though things picked up pace when England gave Robert of Artois (an
enemy of France) refuge, which triggered France to send a fleet of ships to English
waters. What followed was a war that continued for 116 years, temporarily stopped and
started by various failed truces.

Peasants revolt 1381:

Peasants and serfs were growing tired of increased poll tax and having their rights
stripped from them, and so began a rebellion. Rebels spread all throughout England
though it was mostly concentrated in London. When rebels invaded London and began
vandalising Noble property and even killing people of high rank, the King agreed to
meet with the Leader, Wat Tyler. In the middle of negotiations, however, Tyler made a
sudden motion towards the King which was mistaken for a threat, and so the King’s
bodyguards killed Tyler. Rebellions continued throughout various parts of England and
only when the King promised to abolish serfdom and various other restrictive laws, did
the rebels finally disperse. However none of these promises were kept, and the revolt
was ultimately futile and worthless.

Lombardy:
• The tale is set in Lombardy, a town full of brothels and banks reflecting both Januaries
and the Merchant's personalities.
• From 1359, Pavia - as the capital of Lombardy - and its neighbourhood, were owned
by the Visconti
• Chaucer - on royal duties - visited Lombardy in 1378. He was negotiating for a
possible marriage between the daughter of Bernabo and King Richard II

Decameron:
Chaucer derived a lot of his inspiration for ‘The Canterbury tales’ from Giovani
Boccaccio’s ‘Decameron’. It is similar to the Canterbury Tales in the sense that it follows
a group of people who spend their time solely in each other’s company, who tell one
another stories to pass the time. It differs from Chaucer since they all come from
wealthy standings, whereas the pilgrims come from all different walks of life. Chaucer
took heavy inspiration from Boccaccio’s work, but made it his own through increasing
levels of diversity though his characters as well as making the entire work a satire.

Petrarch: