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“And fowled ay his bodily delit, On women ther as was his appetit”
Indulges desire out of wedlock (lust=sin)
Link to religious ideas of the time
Suggests Januarie is fulfilling his own desire and disregarding women in the process
Links to patriarchy
Links to views about women at the time
“It is a paradis” “walled garden”
Links to the Edenic narrative
Emphasis placed on religion at the time
Gardens associated with Eden in middle ages.
Link to the Song of Solomon and the Virgin Mary
Link to The Roman de la Rose- idea of ‘plucking a woman’
“and let his liyf in joy and in solas”
“His”; no mention of woman’s pleasure; no mention of companionship of female needs.
Reminiscent of F/C’s treatment of the Duchess
Bring in ideas about women at the time; passive and subservient to her husband (Eve being made from Adams rib).
Unacceptable now, normalised then
“for who can be so buxom as a wyf?”
Female obedience
Also sexual connotations
“Were it for holiness or for dotage, I kan nat sey”
Comment from Chaucer about ow old attitudes and values being lost
“Thanne is a wyf the fruit of his tresor”
Idea of women as a possession- look at lack of rights
TDOM: “Cas’d up like some holy relic”
“O flesshe they ben, and o flesshe as I gesse, Hath but oon herte in wele and in distresse”
Sexual connotations; shows reality of Jnauarie’s motives (sexual not spiritual)
Link to middle-aged debates over whether Adam’s relationship with Eve in Eden was sexual.
“Rebekke, Judith, Abigail, Esther”
“Unto som mayde fair and tendre of age”
Women as transactional
“They konne so muchel craft”
Middle-aged idea of women as evil and scheming
Eve caused the fall.
“That myn heritage should falle in straunge hand, and this I tell you alle”
“To yoom he yeveth his yond or cattle”
Link to F/Cs fears over bloodline
Emphasis placed on bloodline in middle ages.
Rise of mercantile class- more emphasis placed on money
“And whan that he hire was condescended”
Januarie treating May like something transactional
CONTEXT: Rise or mercantile class, trade routes and more currency- new transactional way of life.
“The bride that was brought abedde still as stoon”
Sex as something pleasurable for the male.
“And blessed the yok”
“A man may do no sinne with his wyf, Ne hurten himselven with his own knife”
