Chaucer techniques

Question 1

Anti-Feminism

Answer 1

Chaucers art is unusual as it allows some room for the reader to develop sympathy for the women’s case

Question 2

Speech

Answer 2

Chaucer uses direct speech in order to to impart a flavour of the character speaking giving them a singular manner, poking fun at a particular social type

Question 3

Comedic techniques

Answer 3

Chaucer introduces an idea through a simile or metaphor early in a story in anticipation for its appearance later (pliable wax/damyan)

Question 4

The Ventriloquist

Answer 4

Chaucer characterisation of himself is a complicated factor -
He uses the character of the Merchant to give himself freedom to tell a tale about sex but also not necessarily agreeing with the attitudes he’s constructed
The Merchants presentation of a bad marriage as being fault of the wives is not a view which Chaucer subscribes

Question 5

Speech

Answer 5

Chaucer constructs the Merchant a narrator who’s views on marriage are diametrically opposed to those of the protagonist
The reader is witnessing Chaucers experiment in the construction of sustained irony which effect is achieved through the selection of detail and by implied omission which both systematically undermine the credibility of the reported argument

Question 6

Chaucer on J search for a wife

Answer 6

Chaucer uses the divide of J addressing his friends to give the reader further access to the characters voice. The irony in the reporting of J speech opposes what he says about religious motives for marriage and the imagery he implies when fantasising about his wife to be