To me, this story seems to carry a lot of sarcasm.  It shows irony in the fact that such a wise and old knight is convinced that the institute of marriage is filled with nothing but happiness and bliss.  And although these things are most-likely involved in the act of sharing your life with someone that you love, it is natural that problems arise in every relationship.  But in this instance, it seems that the knight does not have any idea who he wants to marry, just that he is in search of a companion so that he can feel what it is like to have a spouse.  And given that he is in such a hurry, chances are that he won't find someone who he truly loves, but a young woman who isn't interested in much more than the knight's material possessions.  So, to disagree with Nick and Charity, I think that the story is somewhat comical, given the situation that the knight has placed himself along with Chucer's writing style.

January put the mirror up in the market place so that he could observe many figures pass by in his mirror.  He also put the mirror up so that he himself could find a girl that would be suitable for a wife.  Through the reflected images he is hoping to find a girl that is not too beautiful, or too serious.  One that is not too rich, or too kind.  January is hoping to fine a girl that is right for him and will treat him as himself.  The mirror could be symbolic in that he could be reflecting back on himself instead of trying to find a girl, he could be reflecting on what he is like and that he needs to find a girl that fits his personality and not by what the girl looks like or her reputation.  I do not know what purpose that the Characters names mean.  Since it was not mentioned at the beginning at the tale that I would need to pay attention to the names I have not really made any connections between names and symbolism.

 Why does Januarie set up a mirror in the market place? What does he hope to watch covertly through the reflected images? How might the mirror be symbolic? Speaking of symbolism, pay attention to the naming symbolism that Chaucer plays with throughout this tale. What purpose does it serve? Do you see any connection between what the names symbolize and the way the characters behave in the story?

POST IS DUE TUESDAY NOV. 2nd

I agree with Nick when he says that he does not find it fabilau.  I know that I also said in my first post that I did not think it was a fabilau as well and am glad that someone else agrees with me on that.

I would have to agree with Charity in saying that this tale is not a fabilau.  I mean I hardly see any comedy in it at all.  If there was an instance where i should have, please point it out and I'll have to search again.  As for Kara, do you see it being comedic?  I thought it wasn't really at all and I don't know if i should have, or if the same vibe has been spread throughout all the people who are reading The Merchant's Tale along with me.

I somewhat agree with the tale being a fablaiu.  I have yet to really see that it is a comedy or somewhat funny.  I take more of a serious part out of the story.  I am over half way done with the tale and I see it as more of a reality of arranged marriages.   I hope in the ending of the story it gets more to a promiscuous.  I like stories with a little sass in it.  I don't really understand the whole understanding of the story.  I'm alittle confused on the whole arranged marriages.  Hopefully it will clear up alittle by the end!

When reading the Merchant's Tale I have found that it is sort of difficult to read.  I have had to read the first ten paragraphs more than once just to understand the beginning of the tale.  I'm hoping that this tale will get easier to read, but for now it is still kind of difficult, but I could just be trying to read in to the story to much.  I disagree that The Merchants tale is not like a fabliau.  The definition of fabliau is a short metric tale, usually ribald and humorous, popular in medieval France.  I don't think that this tale is a fabliau because I don't find the talk humorous.  I feel as if this story is is for fun and relaxation, not for humor.  Many may find this humorous but I do not, I find enjoyment in this tale not humor.  This tale could be rhetorical art because the style and effect that this tale is written in is a form of art.  The tone of the tale I am finding hard to understand and find in this tale.  I think that it may become easier the father I get in this tale but as I have mentioned before it may get easier farther in the tale.

"The central episode of the Merchant's Tale is like a fabliau, but of a very unusual sort: it is cast in the high style, and some of the scenes (the marriage feast, for example) are among Chaucer's most elaborate displays of rhetorical art." Discuss the quote. Do you agree? How is this tale a fabliau? How can it be considered rhetorical art? Pay attention to Chaucer's characterization and the style/tone in which he tells the tale. Be sure to include examples from the text.