Effective Use of Menace in The Merchants Tale :: Merchants Tale Essays

Effective Use of Menace in The Merchants bosh   Geoffrey Chaucers The Merchants recital uses menace to reinforce many of the themes within the Tale and it is present in more(prenominal) areas than simply Januarie. There is baneful imagery adding tension to the Tale and the way in which the Tale is written often reiterates that. Menaces comes through more than plain threat, it is evident in such ideas as Januaries inappropriate essay for a wife. The way in which Januarie bases his search for a wife on concern for his own salvation and economic interests is menacing as it is a foreboding image for the rest of the marriage. His main interest lies in what he should do to ensure he experiences Paradise both alive and shortly and thus highlighting his selfish character. The economic concerns he shows for the match not only highlight this, alone also his threatening lack of emotion that he is prepared to commit to the marriage. Rather than a child, he hopes for an heir, v isual perception only economic opportunity in any offspring. His fiancée ass hope for little love for herself or any children. The suffocating nature of Januaries so-called love for fresshe May means that he is unable to esteem of anyone else being with her. He would wish her to be soul as the tump over that lost hath engross make. This extreme emotion only serves to upgrade the irony of the affair that ensues and the previous Biblical references to women who cheated their husbands. The uncertainty caused by the circumstance that even the Church bids brides be lyk Sarra and Rebekke adds to air of uneasiness that little washstand be trusted. The dramatic irony that comes with the image of adoring wex shows the hidden ply of May, that Januarie knew nothing about. He is unaware that she has equal knowledge of the usefulness of warm wax and uses it to copy the key to the garden for Damyan. The deviousness of the wife is menacing as she is almost a champion of the image tha t has previously been so repulsive to the reader. The references that Januarie makes to images of being bound are as menacing as his private determination that on their wedding night he wolde hire streyne. His plan to be such a physical power in the marriage is suffocating. Not only does he want to dominate physically, but his spiritual dominance in the relationship is unfair as Mays views are not considered and she speaks very little.