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THE MERCHANT'S TALE, MAY, PROSERPINA, PLUTO, THE MERCHANT, JANUARY,…
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MAY
Not yet 20, May is married to January via the forced system typical of the time. Unsatisfied with her lack of agency and his age/sexual potency, she conspires to cheat on him
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"[the audience] would have assumed that widows were in a good position, both economically and socially" - Hallissy
"preoccupied with the sorrows of the female and their revenge in the most bawdy and explicit manner" - Ackroyd
"The women of his poetry also tend to be deserted and betrayed" - Ackroyd
"the woman was a marketable commodity valued according to her physical beauty" - Meally
"her status as passive sexual object" - Meally
"widowhood must have seemed a highly attractive" - Diamond
PROSERPINA
Queen of the Underworld/Faries, argues with Pluto (her husband, who abducted and raped her) that women are not all bad
May and Proserpina are similar, and Proserpina gifts her the ability to answer any complaints a man might level at her
Proserpina links to Christine de Pisan, who wrote a 'Letter to Cupid' that argued against the mal marie trope and contradictions in the courtly love trope
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PLUTO
King of the Underworld, argues with Proserpina that all women are bad + gives January his sight back
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THE MERCHANT
Tells the tale, like Justinus and Pluto he is misogamous and hates his wife (despite being married for two months)
These three characters (and the Host, Harry Bailey) are the main misogamous charatcers in the poem, reflecting contemporary views
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JANUARY
Misogynistic and ignorant elderly knight, whose desire for a young bride leads him to marrying May
Both January and Pluto occupy similar positions as misogynistic, patriarchal figures that have raped their wives
DAMIAN
January's squire, stricken with love for May and whom later enables her retaking her agency by betraying January
Damian falling in love with May is an echo of the courtly love trope, but with the fact that they are both technically lower class and the love is eventually requited
JUSTINUS
January's friend, who warns him against marrying a younger wife and is generally misogamous
The nomenclature of Placebo and Justinus is revealling to their intentions - placebo literally means 'I shall please', and Justinus links to being 'just' or 'good'
Pluto and Justinus' misogamous and misogynist arguments are similar, echoing contemporary literature - the Goodman of Paris (lapdog), Eustace Deschamps (mal marie) and Walter Map (historical and biblical precidents)
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PLACEBO
January's friend and 'court man', who flatters and agrees with what January has said without offering any other views
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Placebo is a 'court man' - a courtier that would hang around court to flatter important people to gain favour, hence why he flatters Jan.
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