The Canterbury Tales: The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale

 .:.Prompt.:.[Medieval narrative poetry – fabliau]: The Canterbury Tales, “The Merchant’s Prologue and Tale; Epilogue to the Merchant’s Tale” (Portable Chaucer pp 264-291)
          BLOG: Fabliaux were written in French 100 years before Chaucer, but he is the first to write fabliaux in English. What is a fabliau? Find a correct literary definition. The Eagles’ song, “Lyin’ Eyes” (by Don Henley and Glenn Frey) warns that “every form of refuge has its price.” Listen to the song on Grooveshark. Is Chaucer saying the same thing in this tale? Is this story didactic? Include image of Chaucer from the Ellesmere manuscript (Google it).

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          Chaucer was the first to write fabliaux in English. Fabliau is a humorous, frequently ribald or 'dirty' narrative popular with French poets, who traditionally wrote the story in octosyllabic couplets. The tales frequently revolve around trickery, practical jokes, sexual mishaps, scatology, mistaken identity, and bodily humor.  The Eagles' song, "Lyin' Eyes" warns that "every form of refuge has its price". This song goes perfectly with what Chaucer is saying in this tale.  In my opinion, both the song and the tale are didactic, both giving us instructions on how to live and what not to do, by being factual, and by having some educational information.