What does the merchant represent in Canterbury Tales?

Description. The Merchant is a very cynical man who has lots of disgust for his distasteful wife. This disgust runs his life he show lots of open hatred towards marriage and women all together it is common for the merchant to make guest uncomfortable with his relentless ranting.

How does Chaucer feel about the Merchant?

Chaucer uses irony and cautious juxtaposition of key points to the Merchant so that, rather than gaining our sympathy, which is what the character craves, we despise him for his harsh language, his arrogance and his hypocritical, blasphemic state of mind.

What does the plowman do in Canterbury Tales?

The Plowman is responsible for clearing the roads of feces; he also does other jobs that involve waste disposal. Even though he does one of the filthiest jobs in his community, he does it with pride and doesn’t concern himself with money.

What social class is the merchant in Canterbury Tales?

mercantile class
The mercantile class included merchants who lived in the cities and represented a new middle class in England. Characters such as The Cook, Merchant, Reeve, Shipman, and Wife of Bath would have been part of this new emerging class.

What is the lesson of the merchants tale?

Marriage. The difficulty of marriage is a theme that appears often throughout The Canterbury Tales. The Merchant seems the perfect traveler to tell this tale of deceit and corruption in marriage, as his own opinion of the institution is quite soured by his recent experience.

What does the merchant talk about?

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.

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 story does the plowman tell?

The story is about a young boy whose father has him pray to Mary every day. He eventually becomes a monk, and continues his devotion to Mary. One day she appears and has him increase the number of prayers. She returns again and asks him to teach this practice to others at the abbey.

What specific occupation does Plowman practice?

The Plowman[1] is a minor character in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales[2] who goes on a pilgrimage with his brother, the Parson[3]. He works long, laborious days doing any job he can find including, moving carts of cow manure and he does not make very much money.

What are the 5 social classes in The Canterbury Tales?

Nobility/Ruling Class – Knight and Squire.

  • Clergy – Monk, Friar, Prioress, Parson, Summoner, Pardoner.
  • Middle Class – Merchant, Doctor, Student, Wife of Bath.
  • Peasants – Miller, Plowman, Skipper.
  • Physical Characteristics, Clothing, and Accessories.
  • Words, Experiences, and Personality Traits.