By a close examination of these lines and one other extract of your choice, consider how effectively Chaucer exploits the biblical and classical references.

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By a close examination of these lines and one other extract of your choice, consider how effectively Chaucer exploits the biblical and classical references

The Merchant's Tale is a typical contemporary fabliaux which follows the story of an old man searching for a wife and finding one, who is ultimately unfaithful to him. Chaucer exploits a variety of different contemporary religious beliefs and traditions in order to increase the humour and undertones of the poem.

Januarie's discussion of Heaven and Hell leads to the idea of marriage providing a Heaven on Earth. It is said that a wife is a husband's "paradis terrestre, and his disport", but at the introduction of the idea of a paradise, the reader can begin to contemplate the introduction of a serpent at a later point (Damyan). Chaucer uses heavy irony as Januarie worries about experiencing his only Heaven on Earth. It becomes evident that May is anything but his Heaven. Her behaviour with Damyan in the pear tree runs parallel with the story of Adam and Eve and the temptation of the apple tree as Damyan has become the serpent in Januarie's paradise of wedded bliss.

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The Biblical allusions that are used in the Tale have the effect of broadening the moral behind the story and emphasising the Merchant’s cynicism of love and marriage. By using the irony of the Biblical stories along with the thoughts of Januarie, a contemporary audience would have quickly perceived that there would be trouble with the marriage, as they would have been relatively well versed on the Bible. The priest at the marriage ceremony "bade [May] be lik Sarra and Rebekke". Ironically these two figures are held up as examples of holy and virtuous women, yet they both deceived their ...

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