Prologue To The Merchant's Tale Analysis

In the Prologue to the Merchant’s tale, the Merchant begins to speak of marriage. He explains how he has a cynical view of marriage. In lines 1219-20, the merchant says of his wife, “For if she and the devil were a pair, / She’d be more than his match, I dare to swear.” The Merchant then begins to tell his tale.

In his tale, an elderly knight named January decides to marry. He believes it to be God’s plan for him to marry a woman and have a son. January calls two of his closest friends, Justinius and Placebo, to offer him advice. Justinius believes that marriage would not be right for January and that women are unfaithful. Arguing against Justinius is Placebo, who believes that January should decide himself. After some time, January chooses

a young girl named May to marry.
January has a squire named Damian, who falls in love with May at first sight.

One day when Damian was sick, January sends his wife to go check on him. Then Damian gives May a letter that professed his love for her. After reading the letter, May returns a letter to Damian showing her desire for him. At this time January begins to become blind and extremely possessive of his wife. January’s new possessive actions become a burden for both May and Damian, who secretly love each other and are communicating through letters.

January’s house has a magnificent garden. Line 2030 describes the garden “Now there’s to me no fairer garden known.” January possesses the only key to this garden. One day, May imprints the key into wax, which allows Damian to make a key and have access to the garden. Then, in June, January enters the garden with May. Damian enters the garden before January and May. He then continues to climb up a pear tree, as instructed by May.

The tale then cuts to the Gods, Pluto and Proserpina, who are watching January and May. The two are arguing about the advantages and disadvantages of marriage between January and May. Pluto wants to restore the vision of January to show him that May is not to be trusted. However, Proserpina is against this idea saying that men have done evil and that she will give May an excuse to tell January if Pluto restores his

sight.
While January and May are walking in the garden, they approach the tree that holds Damian. May continues to tell January that she longs for a pear. January then lets May climb up his back to get higher in the tree with Damian. May and Damian begin to make love in the tree while January waits, unknowingly, at the bottom of the tree. When Pluto sees this, he returns January’s sight. This allows January to look up and see what is happening in the tree above him.
January begins to yell after seeing what is happening in the tree. He then accuses May of being with Damian in the tree. May calmly says that she is struggling with Damian to help him regain his sight. When January denies this, May responds as seen in lines 2380-82, "My medicine's a failure, then," she said. /"For certainly if you could really see, /Such words as those you wouldn't say to me.” January then becomes happy and embraces May as she comes down. The two then return to January’s home.
The Host responds to the Merchants tale by praying to keep such a woman as May away from him. He then speaks of his own wife who is poor and a “blabbing shrew” in line 2428. The Host quickly stops speaking ill of his wife for he worries that she might learn what he has said.